麺辰 (Mentatsu in Yamagata)

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麺辰

Yamagata Prefecture has a few styles of ramen, with chickeny shoyu being prevalent. I suppose this would be Yonezawa-style, though I get in trouble on occasion for mislabeling ramen styles. Mentatsu, after all, is located in Yamagata City, and not Yonezawa City. The two cities are about 30 minutes away from each other on the Yamagata bullet train.

The menu, like the shop itself, is rather large. Chicken ramen, chukasoba, tantanmen, and some different cold noodle dishes. There is also a slew of toppings and side menu items. It’s almost like a family restaurant for ramen. While I normally slurp in silence and then leave, I wouldn’t feel bad perusing the massive manga collection for an extended dinner with a beer and gyoza. The signature item is the Tottsuan Ramen, but it is limited to 20 bowls a day.

And I managed to snag one.

Rich chicken soup with a dashi punch. The bowl is positively brimming with soup. So much so that it was spilling onto the saucer underneath. Be careful slurping this one. The notable layer of hot oil on the top means the underlying soup is . . . well . . . hot. Don’t splash this one on yourself!

Of course, the usual suspects have all been here and autographed the wall plaques. Being one of the only foreign ramen hunters in Japan, I get asked to sign one about three times a year. Notice me senpai!

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