I was wandering around the area, looking for dinner after a long train ride back to my hotel from Kyoto. I hadn’t passed any major stations since I took the cheaper route, so I had to explore the streets near my accommodation to find something to eat. I first tried a few yakitori bars, but they were all fully booked that night. Eventually, I turned to Google, searched for ramen restaurants, and came across this place.

When I walked in, it wasn’t particularly busy. I noticed right away that they used a vending machine system where you insert your money and select your order. I relied on Google Translate to figure out what I wanted and ended up choosing a ramen bowl—though I wasn’t entirely sure what I had picked. I found a seat, and the older gentleman next to me had ordered tsukemen, which made me a bit jealous. Later, I realised I had actually ordered the tsukemen myself along with some karaage chicken.

The karaage didn’t look especially appealing at first, but once I took a bite, it was incredibly moist and well-seasoned. I do wish it came with a wedge of lemon or some mayo, but it paired surprisingly well when dipped into the tsukemen broth.

The tsukemen was beautifully presented, with the noodles neatly arranged in a bowl. The dipping broth was thick and included pieces of pork, bamboo shoots, spring onions, and nori. Tasting the broth on its own, it was rich in umami and slightly saltier—as expected. But when combined with the noodles, it worked perfectly. I especially enjoyed the pork pieces, which added extra flavour and texture.

Overall, it was a nice restaurant with good service and tasty food—what more can you ask for? Staying in the Hommachi area, I had wondered how easy it would be to find dinner, but the location has turned out to be pretty convenient. It’s quieter, has easy access to the subway, and seems to have some great local eateries, likely thanks to all the offices around.

Instagram: Menya-Yama Honmachidori 麺屋やま 本町店

Address: 1 Chome-4-1 Kawaramachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0048