Packed weekday lunch ramen near Starfield Hanam: Menji Hanam Misa

Before taking our daughter shopping at Starfield Hanam, my husband and I were trying to figure out where to eat lunch, so we stopped by Menji Hanam Misa Branch, a Japanese ramen restaurant right on the way to Starfield.

I've always liked ramen, and I'd found this place while searching for good Japanese ramen restaurants around Misa. This time we decided to eat a solid lunch before heading to Starfield.

Where is Menji Hanam Misa Branch, and what are the hours?

Address 36 Misagangbyeon-bukro 30beon-angil, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 11:00–20:30 Break time 15:00–17:00 Last order 20:00 Amenities Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms, high chair

Weekday lunch parking, the wait, and an entrance shared with a bakery

I went during a weekday lunch — parking was available right in front, and there was no wait, but every seat was full. When I first arrived, I saw a bakery and thought, 'Wait, is this the right place...?' It turns out it oddly shares the same space with Easy White Bread bakery. Menji Hanam Misa Branch is inside, past the bakery.

Inside Menji Hanam Misa: seating from solo counter to tables for four

The door alone gives off a strong Japanese vibe, and true to a proper ramen restaurant, the interior felt clean and cozy. There were lots of My Neighbor Totoro photos and cute figures like Shin-chan around.

Since the place is on the small side, seats filled up fast. There were tables from solo seating up to 4-tops. I sat at a solo seat, and I loved that each spot had its own phone charger and hair tie — such a thoughtful touch.

How does the tori paitan ramen & rice combo taste?

I ordered the tori paitan ramen & rice combo, and my husband got the ramen + mini pork loin tonkatsu set. Tori paitan ramen turned out to be Menji's signature dish.

Tori paitan is a ramen style known for its rich white broth made by boiling chicken down intensely — a totally different feel from tonkotsu ramen, which uses pork bone broth. The tori paitan broth had a much stronger, more concentrated flavor than a typical clear chicken stock. It's pale and thick, but surprisingly not heavy or greasy, so I kept eating spoonful after spoonful. The noodles paired well with the broth too, giving off a nutty yet clean flavor together. The char siu on top was tender, and the egg was well-seasoned, so it was fun eating each topping one by one. Mixing rice into the broth at the end made it filling enough to count as a full meal. Since rice comes included, it's great value for money.

The mini pork loin tonkatsu set, and what to order next time

I also tried a bite of the pork loin tonkatsu my husband ordered, which is fried low-temperature in the traditional Japanese style — it was incredibly tender and delicious! These days we go to Starfield Hanam often to shop, and while we sometimes eat inside the mall, it's always crowded and we end up waiting forever. So finding a good restaurant in Misa on the way and eating before shopping turned out to be a great option. Especially if you love ramen, this seems like a great place to stop by before or after visiting Starfield Hanam. This time it was just my husband and me, but next time I'd like to bring our daughter and try the tonkatsu or rice bowl dishes too. The menu isn't limited to ramen — there are tonkatsu and rice bowl options as well, so there's something to pick depending on your taste.

If you're craving Japanese ramen or tori paitan ramen in Hanam Misa, or looking for a ramen restaurant to stop by on the way to Starfield Hanam, give Menji Hanam Misa Branch a try :)