Osaka, Japan｜Abura-soba Kirinji Amemura

An amazing “hidden” small place for a special type of ramen with no soup. Definitely pay this a visit if you are around!

The food was so delicious. The original soul of Japanese food. Not much choice but that’s why everything was perfect. Don’t be afraid to enter. The only disadvantage is the lack of English menu but I think it’s not that bad.

Japan makes a big deal out of their ramen but their oil soba noodles are not something to turn your nose down at. For those who are not necessarily wanting a bowl of soup or broth with your noodles, this joint is a firm recommendation. It is usually an easy process of putting in money and selecting your choice from the vending machine. Unfortunately, we took so long trying to decipher everything that the chef himself came out to help us. It is a no frills soba restaurant that serves their noodles al dente so you get a good firm chew. Plastic cups on the table for water and the chef brings a plastic jug of iced water for you to serve yourself. Condiments on the table include sesame oil (darker fluid in bottle), vinegar (lighter coloured fluid), and spicy miso. I would recommend tasting the dish as is before adding on what you want. I am usually not a vinegar kinda guy but the vinegar worked surprisingly well in lightening up the oily aspect of this dish. Mix and match as you feel is needed. Very popular with salarymen as they all poured in right after we left for lunch. Feel free to Google Lens translate the vending machine options photo or if you're there, you can Google Lens it yourself. One interesting thing to note is the TKG - it stands for tamago kake gohan, which is a raw egg served on top of hot white rice. A commonly eaten meal, eggs are super quality controlled in Japan and hardly anyone ever gets sick. You basically beat the raw egg, pour it over the rice, and mix it all together into a gloriously yellow concoction. Slurp it down. If it tastes a bit bland, there is a soy sauce bottle in the table to add some flavour it it. Great flavour and service, and an easy go-to meal. 5 stars, would highly recommend.