麺屋玉ぐすく

Some ramen shops have a style that you’ll never forget. One common theme is music. Ramen chefs tend to enjoy kicking back, and you’ll find plenty of rock-and-roll ramen dudes out there. Some, though, prefer something a bit different.

In this case, I seem to have stumbled onto an Okinawan punk-themed ramen shop, in a rougher part of Nagoya.

The Okinawa part is apparent by the menu. Sokisoba as the number one menu item. But, unlike other Okinawan restaurants, this spot serves up more “standard” bowls; shio and shoyu make up the number two and three respectively. Gotta go for the soki though.

It wouldn’t be Okinawa without their most famous condiment. Ko-re-gu-su is a mix of potent Okinawa alcohol called Awamori and red chili peppers. It is mega spicy, and a little goes a long way. It also gets you a little drunk.

Back to the punk. A constant stream of punk live plays on the shop’s TV and speakers.

Autographs adorn the wall. Huck Finn? Anyone?

Sorry, I know nothing of the local Japanese punk scene.

But I can definitely get down to it while slurping some homemade noodles.

My intention wasn’t to pig out, but pig out I did. Sokisoba with a side of fried rice. Good stuff. Sokisoba is often a simple dish; a clear broth, some noodles, very few toppings, and a side of stewed pork, called soki. This is how I like it, and any time I’ve had a bowl with too much going on, it was disappointing.

Simple and refreshing with an intense piece of meat. Rock on.

As I was just in town for a night, I couldn’t resist another bowl. The shop serves a taco rice mazesoba, an easy choice for me. Taco rice is an Okinawan dish of, you guessed it, rice topped with taco meat, lettuce, and tomato.

In this case, cheese and a bit of spice as well. Mix it up and go to town.

愛知県名古屋市千種区今池1-6-8
Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Chikusa, Imaike 1-6-8
Closest station: Imaike

Open 11:30-14:00, 18:00-24:00
Closed Sundays and some Mondays

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

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玉ぐすく (Tamagusuku in Nagoya)

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中華そば 児ノ木 (Chigonoki in Nakai)

東大 (Todai in Tokushima)

High Five Ramen in Chicago, USA

中華そば児ノ木 (Chigonoki in Nakai)