Euljiro ramen restaurant for shoyu and tori paitan: Mentsuru

On the way home from work, a friend and I decided to meet in the Euljiro alleyways for a meal for the first time in a while. We were both craving something warm and filling with noodles, and this ramen place caught our eye as we walked farther into the alley. Its neat, polished exterior naturally drew us in. Since it was peak time on a weekday evening, I stepped inside feeling just a little nervous about whether there would be a table.

A neat ramen shop exterior in an Euljiro alley

It occupies a corner spot on the first floor of a red-brick building, and the exterior was so tidy. The warm beige walls are framed in wood, making it eye-catching even from a distance. Above the entrance, I spotted a Japanese sign along with wording that described it as a hangover-ramen specialist. Menu-photo posters and detailed information were posted outside, so it was easy to look over the options before going in.

A wood-toned interior with solo seats and tables

Inside, the dark solid-wood furniture and soft orange indirect lighting made for a calm first impression. Above the kitchen was a sculptural arrangement of interwoven wooden slats, which really gave it the feel of a restaurant in Japan. There were counter seats, great for eating alone, mixed in nicely with regular tables. It was packed at this busy hour, but the coziness of the space still made it feel comfortable for a meal.

Kiosk ordering and complimentary rice

You order and pay all at once using the touch-screen kiosk installed near the entrance. Everything from ramen and rice bowls to fried side dishes was laid out neatly with photos. A handwritten note beside the screen said steamed rice was free, which sounded perfect for a filling meal. My friend and I chose shoyu ramen, tori paitan, and the handmade karaage marked as a bestseller.

Shoyu ramen with a clear, deep umami

The shoyu ramen my friend chose had tiny droplets of oil floating gently over its clear brown soy-sauce broth. Generous slices of large, thin, pale-pink chashu pork covered the rim of the bowl. Half a soft-boiled egg with an orange yolk, menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), chopped scallions, and finely diced raw onion completed the toppings. One sip of the broth was clean rather than murky, yet the characteristic soy-sauce aroma and deep flavor came through strongly.

Tori paitan as soft as cappuccino foam

The tori paitan I ordered was striking because its entire surface was covered in dense, snowy-white foam. Pink sous-vide chashu, coarsely ground black pepper, and scallion garnish were arranged neatly on top. A spoonful of finely diced raw onion came alongside, so I could mix in as much as I liked.

Shoyu and tori paitan: two very different broths

With the two ramens side by side, the difference in their colors and textures was unmistakable. The shoyu ramen showed the refined, clear depth of traditional soy sauce, while the tori paitan felt rich, nutty, and almost creamy. Both arrived in substantial white bowls stamped with the brand logo, which kept them warm right through the meal. The different broth bases also made it fun to alternate sips between them.

A hearty dinner rounded out with handmade karaage

Once the karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), our side dish, arrived, the wooden table was completely full. Small sharing plates and sauce dishes were set out neatly too, which kept everything looking tidy. With the colorful toppings and crisp fried chicken all together, it was an exceptionally satisfying spread for a hearty post-work meal with a friend. Still, the tables are set a little close together, so there was slightly limited room to put our bags.

A crisp crust and juicy chicken

The handmade karaage arrived golden brown, with all the ridges of its batter still beautifully defined. I squeezed a little juice from the lemon wedge over it, then dipped it generously into the special pale-yellow sauce. The outside was crisp enough to make a crunch when I picked it up with chopsticks, while the meat inside was wonderfully juicy. The savory tartar-style sauce, mixed with parsley, freshened up the richness of the fried chicken nicely.

Springy tori paitan noodles beneath the foam

I gently pushed aside the white foam on the tori paitan with my spoon and stirred the diced onion into the broth. Beneath it, bright yellow noodles appeared, glistening with broth. A spoonful of the intense chicken broth was weighty without any off smell, and the onion gave its finish a refreshing lift. The noodles did not break apart; they held just the right pleasant springiness and clung beautifully in the mouth.

A bite of noodles wrapped in sous-vide chashu

I picked up a broad, tender slice of sous-vide chashu with my chopsticks and rolled it around the noodles as if making a wrap. The grain of the pork was so tender that it did not feel separate from the noodles at all when I bit in; it simply melted in. The rich chicken broth seeped thickly between the noodles and meat, giving every chew more depth. Rice mixed into the remaining broth would probably be delicious too, but the ramen portion itself was so generous that I finished feeling full.

How the shoyu ramen chashu and soy broth come together

My friend's shoyu ramen also had such generous toppings that I had to try a bite. I placed chopped scallions over the thin, broad chashu and lifted up a twist of noodles. The chashu's mild juices and the salty soy broth blended smoothly with the noodles. Nothing about it became overly greasy, and its clean finish made it easy to keep eating until the last bite. The sharpness of the shredded scallions cut through the richness, which added another nice texture too. If I had to name one small drawback, the chashu was so thin that it cooked quickly in the heat of the broth, so it is best to eat it early if you want to fully enjoy that tender sous-vide texture.

Table review-reward information

As we were finishing up, I noticed a small standing sign on one side of the table. The front had a QR code for getting a drink or ade by taking part in a receipt review, while the back explained a Google review event in English so international guests could join easily too. The thoughtful setup, letting people scan quickly with a smartphone and participate right away, stood out. The seating area is not especially spacious, so the condiment containers and review sign felt tucked right beside the ramen bowls, but it seemed useful for picking up a small perk with your meal.

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch was a great place to stop for a filling dinner with a friend. From the rich, foam-topped tori paitan to the refreshing shoyu ramen, each had such a distinct character that I would love to return soon and try another broth.

• People who love ramen with a rich, creamy chicken broth
• Anyone wanting a substantial dinner with hot broth after work
• People looking for refined Japanese noodle dishes around Euljiro