Adjustable spice tantanmen and tori paitan ramen in Hanam Misa: Menji

I wanted to introduce Menji Hanam Misa Branch, a well-known ramen restaurant on Misagangbyeon-bukro in Hanam, Gyeonggi. It's known as a Hanam ramen spot where you can enjoy Japanese home-style cooking in a clean, tidy space. Here's my review after trying the tori paitan ramen, kara tantanmen, and the handmade pork loin tonkatsu set.

What is Menji Hanam Misa Branch?

Menji Hanam Misa Branch is a Japanese restaurant located at 36 Misagangbyeon-bukro30beon-angil, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's a Japanese-style ramen specialist popular enough to have a 4.89 rating and 547 reviews. The concept is Japanese home cooking in a clean, tidy space, and the interior carries that cute Japanese sensibility well.

Menu and prices

Menji is a Hanam ramen restaurant with a good balance of various ramen and rice bowl dishes. The tori paitan is said to be defined by its rich chicken broth and soft noodles.

• Tori paitan ramen ₩10,000 — the signature menu, with a rich, savory flavor from chicken simmered for a long time
• Kara tantanmen ₩11,000 — a spicy, nutty Japanese-style tantanmen made with a kara-jang sauce of pork and cashew nuts
• Handmade pork loin tonkatsu set ₩12,000 — a rosu katsu set made with domestic Korean pork loin, served together with udon

There's also a variety of other dishes such as flame-grilled chicken leg yakitori and abalone tori cold noodles. With both 4-person tables and bar seats, it's said to be a good place to visit with family or friends.

The three dishes I ordered

This time I ordered the tori paitan ramen, kara tantanmen, and the handmade pork loin tonkatsu set. Since this place is known as a Hanam Misa ramen restaurant, I picked mostly signature dishes. All three represent this Hanam restaurant well, letting me enjoy both ramen and tonkatsu in one visit.

I ordered the tori paitan ramen with high expectations as Menji's signature ramen, curious about the rich broth made from chicken simmered for a long time. I also ordered the kara tantanmen out of curiosity for its spicy-sweet flavor — the cashew nuts especially caught my eye. The handmade pork loin tonkatsu set comes with Menji's special sauce, and being a full set, it also included udon, making for a substantial meal.

Tori paitan ramen taste

The tori paitan ramen had an excellent rich, savory flavor from chicken simmered for a long time. The broth was thick yet on the smooth side.

Kara tantanmen: adjusting the spice with dadegi

Thanks to the kara-jang made with pork and cashew nuts, the kara tantanmen was nutty as well as spicy and slightly sweet. It wasn't overly harsh but had a lively savory depth. Notably, it came with dadegi (Korean chili paste) mixed in, so I could stir it in gradually to control the spice level — a nice touch for adjusting the heat to my own taste.

Of the three dishes, the tantanmen was personally my favorite — it didn't get tiring even as I kept eating it.

Handmade pork loin tonkatsu set

The handmade pork loin tonkatsu set impressed me with its moist, tender rosu katsu. Pairing it with Menji's special sauce made it even tastier. The pork loin tonkatsu set also came with udon, so the meal felt substantial — plenty filling for one meal.

My thoughts after eating

Menji Hanam Misa Branch is a Hanam Misa ramen restaurant well stocked with ramen and tonkatsu dishes. Being able to enjoy Japanese home cooking in such a clean, tidy space was appealing. The tori paitan ramen, kara tantanmen, and handmade pork loin tonkatsu set were all satisfying. Among them, the tantanmen suited my personal taste the most.

Things to know before visiting

Another advantage is the well-equipped amenities such as Wi-Fi, high chairs, and a waiting area. I found it a good Hanam ramen restaurant to visit with family or friends. Since there's a break time, I'd recommend checking the hours before you go — on weekdays there's a break time from 15:00 to 17:00, so keep that in mind. If you're looking for a Japanese restaurant in Hanam, I'd recommend Menji Hanam Misa Branch. Next time, I'd like to try some of the other ramen dishes too.

Store info

• Address: 36 Misagangbyeon-bukro30beon-angil, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–20:30 (weekday break time 15:00–17:00, last order 20:00)
• Amenities: Wi-Fi, separate men's/women's restrooms, high chairs, waiting area

TIP

• If visiting on a weekday, check ahead for the 15:00–17:00 break time.
• If you need to adjust the spice level, try controlling the amount of dadegi mixed into the kara tantanmen.
• The pork loin tonkatsu set comes with udon included, so it's a satisfying, filling meal on its own.