御忍び麺処 nakamuLab. (Nakamu Lab in Fukuoka Prefecture)

0 Reviews

御忍び麺処 nakamuLab.

nakamuLab is a very special ramen shop on the outskirts of Fukuoka City. It’s literally in someone’s house, and you’ll need to reserve your seat in advance. If you don’t have a car you’ll also need to budget a bit of time to make the trek out here. The effort is worth it for a very delicious bowl of tantanmen.

nakumuLab opened in late 2019 when former boxer Namamura-san ended his training at a popular ramen shop and opened his own. He originally used his home kitchen to experiment, taking his knowledge to the next level through trial and error. People suggested he start a small shop in said kitchen. Small is an understatement. It’s literally two seats at a kitchen counter and a separate Japanese-style tatami room with a few more seats.

Toripaitan came recommended. Frothy and creamy, it’s made with chicken and topped with Iberico pork. Lemon and a tiny sliver of dried tomato give a bit of fragrance.

The chicken is a specialty brand from Kumamoto. Other kodawari points are Hiroshima lemons, natural konbu from Hokkaido, and katsuo fish flakes from Kagoshima. Even the tomato is something special, a brand called もてもてスター from Otaru in Hokkaido.

I was very, very impressed with the toripaitan, and had space for another bowl. Since the tantanmen was based on the creamy chicken broth, I went with that.

FYI, I really regret not trying the gyoza. It’s made with thicker-than-normal skin and probably amazing. The internet says they are good.

The tantanmen was up to my high standards for the stuff. The heat from the spice is low, a common theme with Japanese tantanmen, but overall the cream and heat was very tasty.

With plans to open a shop overseas someday, Nakamura-san’s ramen is using ingredients he thinks could be found in any supermarket around the world. The technique of frothing the soup would work well anywhere. I think it has the chance to be a great success.

The house belonged to Namakura-san’s grandfather. Was grandpa an NBA fan a decade ago?

I walked about 30 minutes from the Nakagawa City bus depot after taking a bus from Hakata Station. There are routes that don’t involve as much walking, but they require precise timing.

It was a nice stroll through the countryside.

Just remember to plan this one ahead of time. I can’t guarantee, but I think Namakura-san speaks English well enough to accept your reservation when you call. If you plan to go on a weekday, you can probably get a reservation a day or two in advance. Weekend ramen hunters should give more notice.

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