Menya Jouroku / 麺屋 丈六 - Osaka
Menya Jouroku (麺屋 丈六) is on the ramen map of every ramen head visiting Osaka, as their Takaida-kei or Takaida style ramen cannot be missed. The Takaida style of ramen is characterized by the usage of tamari shoyu, which is soy sauce made purely from soy beans, without any wheat.
Dark tamari shoyu soup with chicken fat glistening in the light.
The soup is made with chicken and kombu (kelp). The Takaida-style is named after a station in Osaka which is surrounded by many ramen shops servings this particular style of ramen.
The soup at Menya Jouroku tastes close to a demi-glace or gravy.
The tamari shoyu seasoning of the soup gives it a very deep and smoky flavor, very different to any other shoyu ramen I had before. The closest comparison I can give is something like a non-thick gravy or a demi-glace. Imagine your grandma dumped ramen noodles in her homemade demi-glace and served it to you. Seriously addicting and you will find yourself craving for just "one more spoon" until you reach the bottom of your ramen bowl.
Incredible noodles at Menya Jouroku.
The noodles are of exceptional quality as well. Straight noodles of medium thickness which take on some color and flavor from the dark soup. They really hold their own against the very rich soup, a perfect match if you ask me. Perfect slurpiness rounds the noodle experience.
A perfect bite at Menya Jouroku.
The toppings also fit this bowl well. The chashu is a lean cut of pork, which does not induce further heaviness and richness to the bowl, but rather provides a lean canvas to soak up some of the soup flavor. The copious negi works well to bring moments of freshness to the bowl by cutting through the richness and saltiness. They also provide some crunch to the bowl.
Front of Menya Jouroku. More waiting spots are inside the shop.
Menya Jouroku is situated quite centrally in Osaka, within 5 minutes of the famous Namba station. While Namba is famous for the late night fun that can be had there, please be aware that Menya Jouroku is only open for lunch. You should also expect a certain wait, since Jouroku is quite popular. I would plan with at least an hour of waiting time, so Jouroku is not suitable for a quick bite.
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