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.

モヒカンらーめんラーメン滑走路店 (Mohikan Mazesoba at Fukuoka International Airport)

モヒカンらーめんラーメン滑走路店 Unless you are running late for your flight from Fukuoka to Tokyo, you should save a little time…

清陽軒本店 (Seiyoken in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture)

清陽軒本店 Seiyoken is one of Kurume's oldest and most revered ramen shops. They're ranked just below Maruboshi and Taiho.…

ソラノイロの秋限定 (Fall Limited at Soranoiro)

ソラノイロの秋限定 Another awesome limited bowl from Soranoiro. This one celebrates the coming of autumn. Some mushrooms, sure, but the highlight…