Unlike regular ramen, Kyoto’s famed “Tenkaippin” uses chicken broth for its soup base.

Text and photos byAhmon

Restaurant name: Tenkaippin (Tennoji Branch)
Phone: 06-6632-0800
Address: 1-6-1 Abeno-suji, Abeno-ku, Osaka City
Price: ¥720 and up
Website:http://www.tenkaippin.co.jp/
Dining date: September 2014

Coming here was purely accidental, so it wasn’t until I returned to the hotel and looked up information that I realized how famous this place is. That day, I stayed at the Marriott Residence Hotel near Tennoji Station—the tallest building in Kansai—but since I checked in very late, it was already 10 PM by the time I finished. I wandered around the area looking for dinner, but most restaurants in the QSMALL across from the hotel were already closed. In the end, I found this Tenpinn Ramen still open and chose it right away.

The Q’SAMALL mall has quite a few restaurants, as well as cosmetic shops and izakayas, but almost all close around 10 PM, leaving only a few izakayas still open.

When I saw the sign-in sheet at the entrance, I was shocked. This unassuming-looking ramen shop actually requires a sign-in sheet? It was completely filled out—looks like it gets packed during dinner hours. Is it really that good? Why haven’t I heard of it before? XD So I decided to give it a try with my friend.

Inside, there are just rows of long tables and benches—no four-seater or two-seater tables. There’s also a counter area where you can see the kitchen. Even though it was past 10 PM, the place was almost fully packed. Business must be booming. Tenkaippin originated in Kyoto and now has 270 branches nationwide. Its popularity and fame are top-tier, consistently ranking within the top 20 ramen shops in Japan. I wonder if it will ever open branches in Taiwan?

After being seated, the staff brings over the menu and water. There’s no English menu here, and of course, no English-speaking staff—you’re on your own. The photo above shows the soup base options. I couldn’t figure it out at first, but later research revealed they offer thick broth, light broth, and yatai (street stall) broth. Just these three types. Both the thick and egg broths are made with chicken stock as the base, unlike the usual pork bone broth in ramen. The thick broth even has a nickname: it’s so thick that chopsticks can stand upright in it. The yatai broth is the original version from when the shop first started, but apparently, not many people order it.

Ramen
The prices on the menu are listed in large font as tax-excluded. Be sure to check the smaller tax-included prices. You can also customize your order with extra toppings. Based on portion size, there are large and medium options, with different prices. To be honest, since everything was in Japanese and the pictures all looked similar, my friend and I decided to go with the basic option.

Set meals, side dishes

We ended up ordering the ramen set with chashu rice because it looked delicious, and I love meat, so I switched to this one.

There was also a spicy ramen, which was a daily limited edition, but since I didn’t know how spicy it was, I passed. I didn’t want to end up setting my mouth on fire.

Chili sauce
This is placed on the table for customers to add themselves. I tried a little bit—it’s really spicy. Add sparingly if you do.

Chashu rice set ¥890
In Japan, ramen sometimes comes with sides, like rice or dumplings. Ordering both is cheaper and more filling. This bowl of chashu rice had irregularly cut slices of chashu—probably from the edges. With some chopped green onions and black pepper, along with fragrant oil, the flavor was great. The chashu here is a bit saltier but pairs well with rice. Excluding the ramen price, this bowl is only about ¥100 or so, which is actually pretty affordable.

Light broth ramen ¥720
This one is also chicken-based but cooked with vegetables and soy sauce, resulting in a lighter, fresher taste. The broth is still somewhat thick, though, and includes two thin slices of chashu, some dried bamboo shoots, and green onions. To match the broth, the chashu is leaner, with almost no fat and thinner cuts, giving it a firmer but still tender texture.

Thick broth ramen ¥720
The toppings are the same as the light broth version, but the soup is much thicker and richer—almost like a sauce. I heard it’s made with chicken bones, so it’s rich in collagen, which is great for the skin. But it might be tough on the kidneys, so I’d recommend not drinking it all. The flavor is a bit curry-like with a slightly gritty texture, though without the sweetness of curry. The thick broth is tastier than the light one and doesn’t get greasy even as you eat more. Highly recommended. After finishing the slippery noodles, the remaining thick sauce is perfect for mixing with rice. Amazing.

The portion of noodles is huge too. Because the broth is so thick, when you lift the noodles, they come up in one big clump—it looks so impressive. You can’t choose noodle thickness, but they’re on the thinner side and absorb the broth really well. Delicious！

Because the broth is so thick, most other customers didn’t drink it—they either used it to mix with rice or left it. That made it pretty filling. After finishing the warm, hearty ramen, I originally wanted to order some dumplings, but I’ve yet to find any that really impressed me QQ. But my friend wanted to hit an izakaya for a nightcap, so we ditched the dumpling idea and headed to Yakumo Yokocho. The Kagayaki-ya next to Tenkaippin also sells skewers—I’ll have to come back and try those someday.

Overall
The thick soup has a really delicious flavor. If you see a branch in Japan, be sure to go in and try it. The main store is in Kyoto, so don’t miss it when you go there for cherry blossoms or autumn leaves. But if you prefer lighter flavors, this place might not be for you. These are just my personal thoughts for reference.
 

阿mon台湾趴趴走~美食、旅游、摄影、外拍
Walking around with a camera~ snapping shots here and there~ unexpected feelings