Ochiai isn't a tourist destination by any means, but all of the locals know that it's the place to come for great ramen. There are both chain stores and smaller, independent ones here. Menkui is the latter, and it beats the chain stores hands down. Menkui literally it means ''noodle eat (place),' so you know it's good if they can attract customers with such a simple name. Have a look, as it's only a ten-minute walk from Rikuen-Ochiai station, on the Senzan line.
The atmosphere here is a bit different to most ramen places I've been to, where customers quickly inhale their noodles and leave. There is a 'counter area', but it's actually a table, with normal chairs, so you don't have to coordinate your balance as well as your chopsticks. They have a display of autographs from local sports celebrities on one wall, and the wooden furniture lends a warm feel to the small building. The staff are friendly, and there's always upbeat pop music playing quietly in the background.
There are five types of ramen: Shio (salt-based), made with Galapagos salt; Miso, sourced from Hokkaido, Niigata and Sendai; Chuuka Soba (original 'Chinese-style' ramen); Ma-yu (garlic-soy sauce base); and Tantan Men, made with Sichuan chili oil (and therefore spicy!). The drinks menu is brief – lemonade, beer or juice, and free water, like most places. Extra meat or an egg can be ordered to go with your ramen; you can also pay a bit extra for a larger bowl of ramen.
I'd never had garlic ramen before, so I decided to try it. I also ordered one of the small rice bowls, which are a reduced price at lunch time if you order ramen. Having been disappointed with the Japanese approach to garlic bread, I didn't put my hopes up too high. However, this ramen was a wonderful surprise, worth all of its 790 yen. The flavor was so concentrated it was almost too strong, but eaten with the noodles it was a real treat. The slice of meat was so tender it did feel like it was melting in my mouth. The meat in the rice bowl was similar, and similarly the fat wasn't removed, which really added to the flavor. It really was a small bowl, but you don't need any more with a bowl of ramen.
On a separate occasion I ordered just gyoza, which isn't always an option in ramen stores. At Menkui they cost 360 yen for 6, which is a decent price for gyoza, and these were delicious. They were perfectly cooked – golden and crisp with a juicy filling.
The only negative about this store is that if you don't know any Japanese, then you might struggle to order. It can also be busy at the weekends, so there might be a small wait. But once you've overcome that hurdle, you can enjoy an experience that won't disappoint!
