Unlimited free refills of soup and noodles！A rich, hearty bowl of ramen with a subtle garlic flavor

Text and photos by /kuni

(Rich Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen)

Recently, my foodie friends have been sharing photos of curry rice more often than usual. Upon closer inspection, they were all from the same place—the shop has an amusing name: "Okaeri 你回来啦". I couldn’t let this slide, especially since I love curry. Without hesitation, I headed straight there.

After turning right onto Yanji Street from Civic Boulevard, you’ll encounter yet another confusing traffic light. It’s best to turn into Yanji Street 58-X from Lane 223, Zhongxiao East Road, in advance. Taipei’s roads are just weird—this entrance to Yanji Street is actually marked as Civic Boulevard. Yanji Street 58 is even stranger: addresses 58-1 to 58-4 are all located along Civic Boulevard.

(The storefront)

(The chalkboard at the entrance)

(Inside the shop)

The wooden entrance is labeled "You’re Back 'Ramen," and it turns out this place specializes in ramen—and it’s even a ramen shop where you can make reservations in advance. That alone makes it feel incredibly welcoming. I ordered the Rich Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen (NT$240), Curry Omelet Rice (NT$220), and Fried Chicken Nuggets (NT$90). No service charge, and the prices are very appealing.

(The menu)

(The pineapple soda in the shop)

I came for the curry rice, but I left smiling because of the ramen. That’s not to say Okaeri’s curry rice isn’t delicious—it is. In fact, their curry sauce has a distinct personality: the saltiness stands out, and the spiciness gradually builds toward the end, though it’s not overwhelming.

The egg in the omelet is cooked to my liking, with the surface still slightly soft and custardy. The fried chicken nuggets are also impressive—they’re deliberately fried with a lot of skin on, giving them a uniquely chewy texture that’s completely different from the typical Japanese style of crispy outside and juicy inside.

(Curry Omelet Rice)

(Fried Chicken Nuggets)

When the ramen arrived, I was surprised—it was served in a huge bowl, with two thick slices of pork loin that looked incredibly appetizing. You can choose between a Japanese-style or Taiwanese-style broth; I went with the former. The richness is similar to the old-school Wang Wei-style broth, with my favorite garlic flavor. The pork loin is thick, fatty but not greasy, and pairs perfectly with the thin noodles.

I was told by the staff that you can get unlimited free refills of both soup and noodles—once each. I didn’t need more noodles, but I did refill the soup once. They gave me a small bowl of plain white broth, which I poured in to slightly reduce the saltiness without compromising the original flavor. It was truly satisfying.

(Rich Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen)

(Free refill of white broth once)

Okaeri 你回来啦
Address: No. 60, Yanji Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)8772-7832
Hours: 11:30–15:00, 17:30–21:00 Tue–Thu
11:30~15:00 17:30~24:00 Fri~Sun

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