Gumi ramen shop: kelp vinegar mazesoba with a kid at Menya Tanuki

Menya Tanuki near Gumi Station: a weekday ramen lunch with a kid

Menya Tanuki is a Japanese ramen shop in Geumnidan-gil, behind Gumi Station. My kid wanted ramen, so the two of us went on a weekday. I'd been looking for something a bit different from the ramen we usually eat, and that's how I found Menya Tanuki tucked behind Gumi Station. It ended up being a fun, date-like meal on a day I wanted to try something different with my child.

Where to park for Menya Tanuki in Gumi

When visiting Menya Tanuki, you can use Wonnam Saemaul Geumgo (1 hour free) or the underground lot at the Gumi Station rear plaza (1 hour free). We parked at Wonnam Saemaul Geumgo — the lot is long, so we ended up parking at the far end, but when we got out the restaurant was right across from us.

I thought we'd have to walk a bit, but it was just across one crosswalk. The sign was lit up brightly, with a warm glow underneath, so the shop caught my eye from far away. It's also on a corner spot along the street, which made it stand out even more.

Getting closer, the exterior alone gave off that distinct Japanese ramen shop atmosphere.

What are the interior and seating like at Menya Tanuki?

Inside, Menya Tanuki has a compact layout with a long bar seat wrapping around the kitchen. Walking in, it felt smaller and cozier than I expected.

It's a layout that would feel comfortable for solo dining too, and there was one regular table in the middle. Overall it felt like a compact spot with about 10–12 seats.

The ceiling and walls were decorated with various little items, and it was fun to look at each one.

There were especially a lot of props reminiscent of Japanese manga and characters scattered around, so my kid wasn't bored while we waited for the food.

The overall mood of the restaurant was calm and cozy, so chatting with my kid felt very comfortable,

and it seemed like it would also be great for couples on a date, or for eating or drinking alone.

Menya Tanuki menu and how to order at the kiosk

At Menya Tanuki, you order first at the kiosk near the entrance, then take your seat.

The menu is broadly divided into three types, and depending on the dish, you can choose mild or spicy.

• Tsukemen (dipping-style ramen)
• Mazesoba (mixed ramen, no broth)
• Tanuki shoyu ramen (broth-based ramen)

As a side dish there's shrimp dumplings (4pc, ₩3,500), and for drinks there's bottled beer, canned beer, and highball.

That day we ordered mazesoba, tsukemen, and shrimp dumplings, and added seaweed to the tsukemen.

How was the whole-shrimp dim sum at Menya Tanuki?

Menya Tanuki's shrimp dumplings (4pc, ₩3,500) are a side dish packed with plump shrimp, and they came out before the ramen. Picking one up with chopsticks, it definitely felt bouncier than I expected.

Taking a bite, the shrimp's distinct aroma hit first, and the rich shrimp flavor was packed inside. The wrapper had a chewy but pleasantly bite-y texture.

Sauce was already drizzled over the plate, so I could eat right away without dipping separately. It seemed like a good choice as an appetizer or as a side alongside the main dish. I tried one bite and gave the rest to my kid. T.T

How does kelp vinegar change Menya Tanuki's mazesoba?

Menya Tanuki's mazesoba (mixed ramen) is a broth-free ramen you mix with egg yolk, minced meat, and various toppings, and adding kelp vinegar partway through completely changes the flavor. Of the two mains, mazesoba came out first. When the bowl arrived, all the ingredients were neatly arranged on top.

An egg yolk sat in the center, with minced meat, scallions, onion, seaweed, and kelp stems arranged prettily and generously.

At first I just looked at it, then followed the instructions and broke the yolk to mix it evenly with the noodles and toppings.

Lifting up the noodles, they felt a bit thicker than regular ramen noodles, somewhat similar to udon. Taking a bite, the bouncy texture came through first, followed by the minced meat and various toppings mixing in as I chewed.

With no broth, the umami of the seasoning was distinct, but mixing in the egg yolk softened the flavor nicely.

About halfway through the mazesoba, I tried adding kelp vinegar. That completely changed the direction of the flavor. The kelp's heavy umami combined with the vinegar's brightness, and it felt like it reset my palate.

Adding some pepper or chili flakes on top could make it even more varied to enjoy.

Personally, even though it's a Japanese noodle dish, the abundance and variety of ingredients gave it a familiarity almost like bibimbap, which I'm used to eating in Korea. If you visit, I'd strongly recommend trying this one no matter what.

Menya Tanuki tsukemen: try wrapping the noodles in seaweed

Menya Tanuki's tsukemen is a ramen served with the noodles and sauce separate for dipping, and I tried wrapping it in added seaweed. The second main was tsukemen. Unlike regular ramen, tsukemen comes with the noodles and sauce served separately.

I tasted the sauce first. It was softer than I expected, with a good thickness and body.

There was a slight richness to it, almost heavy, but that actually felt like the addictive quality unique to tsukemen.

I dipped the chashu on top into the sauce first. The tender meat texture combined with the rich sauce was a great match from the very first bite.

You can just dip the noodles plain, but I tried wrapping them in seaweed instead. The sauce-coated noodles with the nutty aroma of seaweed made for a whole different flavor.

Is one main dish each enough for two people?

The noodle portions at Menya Tanuki were more generous than I expected. The two of us each had one main dish, and it never felt like there wasn't enough — if anything, after finishing the noodles we both felt quite full. So that day, the noodles alone were enough and we didn't even get to try the rice dishes.

Verdict: Menya Tanuki in Gumi with a kid

If you're in Gumi's Geumnidan-gil looking for something a bit different from the usual instant ramen, Menya Tanuki is worth a stop. It's not just about eating one bowl of ramen — the mazesoba has the fun of mixing, the tsukemen has the fun of dipping, and the dumplings add the fun of a side dish.

Sharing different menu items with my kid and comparing the flavors was a lot of fun. Next time I want to order the tanuki shoyu ramen and see what the broth-based version tastes like. ^^