Noodle-ya ME-CHA-KU-CHA

Noodle-ya ME-CHA-KU-CHA is a shop in a prime location in Horie, but for some reason I have overlooked it for a long time. Recently reminded of it by a friend of mine, I took a short walk to see what they had. The recommended dish was the sudachi shoyu ramen.

「ヌードルヤ ME-CHA-KU-CHA」という店は便利な堀江にありますけど、ずっと見逃しました。最近友達にお勧めしてもらって、散歩がてら行ってみました。店員さんからのおすすめはすだち醤油でした。

The Bowl
The sudachi ramen was filled with flat noodles that slid easily out of the broth, and matched the interesting soup. It was a light and thin shoyu, but filled with the essence of shoyu. It was not gratuitous, and really made the bowl stand out. But that was far from the only topping, and mixing in the red and green onions in gave the the bowl different characteristics. The chashu and egg both had perfect soft textures, but were thin on flavor.

麺が平打ち麺ですすりやすくてさっぱりしたスープにちょうどよかったです。透き通ったあっさり醤油プラスすだちって感じでした。「やりすぎ」という感じもぜんぜんしなくて、いろんなトッピングを混ぜたら、味が変わってきました。ネギと赤タマネギと混ぜたら、特にうまくなってきました。チャーシューと玉子は両方とろけていましたけど、味がちょっと薄めでした。

Would I Go Again?
Yeah, it was refreshing and in a good location.

さっぱりしたし、便利な場所にあるのでまた行ってみたいです。

Should You Go?
Yes.

行った方がいいです。

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ヌードルヤ ME-CHA-KU-CHA

Menchu

Some number of months ago, Menchu appeared right near where I live. It was so close that I decided I could go any time, and thus never went. Finally on one exceptionally lazy Saturday I picked myself up and walked over. I ordered the yuzu shio ramen.

何ヶ月間前に麺人という店が住んでいる場所の近くにできました。近くていつでも行ける感じがしたので、結局行きませんでした。ようやくのんびりの土曜日に行くことにしました。ゆず塩らーめんを注文しました。

The Bowl
The bowl was placed in front of me, and I could feel the citrus steam rising to my nose. The broth itself contained the same flavors: light yuzu shio. The noodles could be eaten in thick bunches of the thin strings, with a slight tinge of yuzu. The chashu was a bit on the fatty side despite how thin it was, but its simple flavor matched the soup. This wasn't my favorite bowl, but a solid one nonetheless.

ラーメンが来た瞬間にすぐゆずの香りがしました。食べたら、やっぱりさっぱりのゆずの風味がしました。細麺がネギと絡んで、ガツンと早く食べれる感じでした。チャーシューはちょっと油っぽい方でしたけど、微妙なうまみがスープと合いました。

Would I Go Again?
It's so close, I might wander by again.

近いのでまた寄るかもしれません。

Should You Go?
It's not bad for yuzu fans, but otherwise there is better shio around.

ゆずが好きな人に合います。

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麺人

Shinmachi Ramen

My trip to Nagasaki had sadly come to an end, so it was back to trying local ramen joints in Osaka. One small place not too far from where I live is Shinmachi Ramen, named after its quiet neighborhood, Shinmachi. They had a variety of ramen, without one particular specialty, but they advised me as someone who likes spice to go for the spicy miso Heisei Ramen.

長崎の旅行が終わったのでまた大阪のらーめん世界を開拓するのに戻りました。新町という場所にある新町らーめんという店がありましたから、行ってみました。いろいろならーめんがあって特におすすめがあったわけじゃありませんでしたから辛みそ「平成らーめん」を頼みました。

The Bowl
Shinmachi Ramen presented a thin, light, brown miso. It wasn't full of the deeper flavors you'd get in a thicker broth, but there was a subtle taste to it, and a fair bit of spice. The thin noodles matched the broth; any thicker and they would have had trouble taking it all in. The chashu and other toppings were decent but did not stand out against the spicy miso.

スープはあっさり茶色の味噌でした。とろみがある味噌より味が薄かったですけど、まあまあうまくて辛かったです。細麺はスープに合いました。チャーシューもトッピングもおいしかったですけど、特別においしい感じがしませんでした。

Would I Go Again?
It was alright, but I have new places to try.

まあまあおいしかったですけど、おニュー店に行きたいです。

Should You Go?
Maybe if you live nearby, otherwise nah.

近くに住んでいるならいいかもしれません。

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新町らーめん

Ramen Ukaan

A lot of Osaka's ramen is centered around Umeda or Namba.  Today I was lucky enough to find one in Horie, a posh area that is really convenient for me.  Ukaan is advertised in Ramen Walker for its shio ramen, but they also offer a miso-based tantanmen and miso tsukemen.  I love both of those things, so it was a trial forcing myself to order the shio.

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らーめん 羽化庵

3-10-6 Kitahorie

The Bowl
The soup was a light, refreshing shio with a slight chicken flavor.  It was like drinking a light chicken soup.  The noodles were thin and soft.  They clumped together, making it easy to eat piles of them at once.  The egg and menma were both pretty solid, and the chashu, while a little dry, was very flavorful.

Would I Go Again?
The shio was pretty good on its own, and I want to try the miso, so I will be back.

Should You Go?
Yes, if you can make the trek a couple stations west of Shinsaibashi.

Menya Taku

A rainy day is no excuse not to trek out for ramen.  If anything, it's more of a reason to go.  I did some research and picked a place in Horie.  When I got there, I realized that it looked familiar.  Very familiar.  I wasn't 100% sure, but it really looked like the spitting image of Men Life Taku, where I went shortly before I left for the holidays.  I came all this way, so I stepped inside and ordered a bowl of ramen.

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麺や拓
Ōsaka-fu, Ōsaka-shi, Nishi-ku, Kitahorie, ３丁目５−２
Menya Taku is south of Nagahori Dori in between Nishinagahori Station and Yotsubashi Station.

The Bowl
If I have to end up at a branch of a shop I've been to without meaning to, I'm glad it's at least one I love.  Once again the soup was not that thick, but very rich with gyokai and chicken flavors.  Good chashu, medium sized noodles, and thin, crunchy menma.  Last time I wasn't in love with the eggs, but I liked them a lot better this time for whatever reason.

Would I Go Again?
I did, and I still would.

Should You Go?
Yes, to either here or the Namba branch.  Both are a little out of the way, but worth making it out to.