Extra-large on weekdays for free—massive nori pork bone ramen from Yokohama

Text & Photos /YouShang at a 45-degree angle (female)

Wow！The first time I’ve seen such a huge sheet of nori on top of ramen—it looks just like Batman in a cape. Opening a ramen shop in the Lin Sen North Road area, which has so many Japanese people, must mean they’re super confident in their flavor！After the Japanese ramen craze has been going strong in Taiwan for a while, YouShang accidentally discovered this 【TEN-NO-YA】 and immediately went in to try it.

The shop is located in an alley between Lin Sen North Road and Zhong Shan North Road. From the outside, it looks quite clean and full of Japanese atmosphere. It’s covered with plenty of banners, lanterns, and flags—very eye-catching.

TEN-NO-YA comes from Yokohama and boasts a broth made with pork bone and soy sauce, large sheets of nori, and medium-thick noodles that can soak up plenty of juice.

The counter design somehow has a night market vibe... probably because of the familiar white tiles！There are small wooden signs hanging on the wall listing various side dishes—I suddenly regretted not ordering some fried tofu！

TEN-NO-YA isn’t a brand that came from Japan to open a branch in Taiwan, but rather a shop opened by the owner who trained in Yokohama-style ramen in Kanagawa.

The shop’s decor is quite interesting because I feel the furniture used has a very Taiwanese flavor. But the various Japanese signs on the walls transported me back to the atmosphere of a small shop in an old Tokyo shopping street.

It seems like having lunch here on a weekday is quite a good deal！It also caters to both big eaters and those with smaller appetites, which is really considerate.

Next, let’s look at the menu. The Japanese sure love beer, and even offering Gold Medal Taiwan Beer adds a local touch. It’s true that enjoying a steaming bowl of noodles with a cool drink really gives you that sweet contrast of hot and cold.

For such a cute little shop, the menu is richly designed and very appetizing. There are only two basic noodle options: Rich Pork Bone Ramen or the even richer DX Ramen. You can add a ball of spicy pork to make it spicy, or add green onions to make it Scallion Ramen. For an additional NT$60 SET, you can choose a NT$50 side dish and a NT$20 drink；for NT$85 SET, you get one type of fried item and a NT$20 drink；and for NT$140 SET, you get four chicken nuggets and a NT$20 drink.

This seems to be a newly developed tsukemen (dipping noodles), with options for pork loin, pork belly, or shrimp tempura.

I ordered a side dish combo first. And it turned out to be very Taiwanese！I almost thought I was in a braised pork rice shop (laughs).

【Rich Pork Bone Soy Sauce DX Ramen】 ($260)
YouShang was mainly shocked by the extra-large sheet of nori in this bowl. This one was ordered by a friend, and I just tried the broth a bit. It’s really thick and full of fat, even with a slight hint of creamy flavor. This is clearly a ramen that’s perfect for training sumo wrestlers~~

The pork slices aren’t too heavy in flavor, which is just right for YouShang who likes a lighter taste, but if you love the richness of pork belly, it might feel a bit lacking.

【Flavor King Pork Bone RED Ramen】 ($220)
When it was served, YouShang felt it looked a bit empty—the presentation really seemed modest compared to the friend’s bowl. The broth color was also a bit lighter.

After stirring the spicy meatball and putting the nori into the broth, the presentation improved a bit—at least the greens were now visible. YouShang originally thought the nori was just for decoration, but it turned out to be super delicious when mixed with the broth, giving off a taste somewhat like kelp, bringing out all the umami and aroma Up！

YouShang and the friend agreed that the pork bone soy sauce ramen broth is more balanced—not as heavy or greasy. Although it looks dark in color, the taste is closer to soy sauce ramen, just with a smoothness from the pork bone fat, and it’s not overly salty. The spicy meatball is completely harmless to those who can’t handle spice—it’s really~~ not spicy at all.

The golden egg is cooked really well, with the marinade flavor penetrating the yolk—there’s absolutely no bland or gross feeling.

The medium-thick noodles don’t curl much, but they do a great job soaking up the broth. Eating the whole bowl gives you an extremely high level of satisfaction. For someone with a small appetite, it might leave you stuffed to the top of your head.

【Scallion Pork Chop N<】($70)
Piling the scallions up like a little tower takes skill！The sauce isn’t too much, and after stirring, it really whets the appetite—but then you’ll really want to add some stir-fried greens to go with it. Too bad Japanese ramen shops don’t serve blanched greens><

For those who prefer lighter flavors, this leaner meat is just right, but for those who crave richness, it might feel a bit dry Up.

【TEN-NO-YA】
https://www.facebook.com/tokunouya
No. 22, Lane 77, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
TEL：02-2522-2808
Business hours: 11:00–15:00, 17:00–22:00 (Closed on Mondays)
Location guide: Exit 1 of Shuanglian Station on the Tamsui Line of the Taipei Metro. Turn right after exiting, cross Zhongshan North Road, then take the first alley on the left heading toward Ambassador Hotel — it’s about a 2-minute walk in.
 

Upper right at 45 degrees: A Japanese-flavored food travel diary by a girl
Just love going to Japan