Hiyashi tsukemen with family at City Hall Station ramen spot: Mentsuru

These days my mom and dad are completely obsessed with ramen. Deep, savory broth, a perfectly soft-boiled egg, noodles that just slide right down — after finishing a hot bowl you sweat it all out, it cures your hangover, and it's the most refreshing feeling in the world. How could we possibly skip out on that charm?

In search of good ramen, off we went to Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a favorite among office workers near City Hall Station.

How close is Mentsuru City Hall Branch to City Hall Station?

Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a go-to spot for office workers near City Hall Station, is right by the station. Come out of Exit 10 and just turn your head toward the alley in front of you — done! So easy, right?

Grab the takoyaki coupon

Wait! There's a takoyaki coupon. Agree to Naver notifications and you get free takoyaki. The combo of takoyaki and beer? Can't resist. Download the coupon ahead of time and set yourself up with a beer snack.

We arrived.

Hours and break time

• Daily 11:00 – 21:30
• Last order: 21:00

No break time means... day drinking is possible! Lunch, dinner, and drinks, what more do you need in life? Enjoy, enjoy ^_____________^

Vibe, seating, and the wait

The place was really spacious — counter seats plus tables, 30 seats total. It's such a hot spot that there was a wait, but the food comes out fast and gets eaten fast, so seats opened up quickly. Mentsuru City Hall Branch, a favorite among office workers near City Hall Station — go go!

Once you've got a seat, you order at the kiosk.

What the three of us ordered: free rice and extra noodles

We ordered three dishes total: soy sauce ramen, spicy soy sauce ramen (hangover ramen), and hiyashi tsukemen. Rice comes free, and my noodle-loving mom and dad quietly added extra noodles too — no secret there. It's fine, our family eats big. Noodles and rice, today was a feast.

Setup is self-service. On the table: paper cups, a water pitcher, chopsticks, pepper, napkins, all lined up. Set out everything but the spoons yourself.

The yuzu-scented pickled radish is a real gem

For the side dish, you just help yourself to some pickled radish.

Wow, this thing was a real treasure. Slightly crunchy with a fragrant yuzu aroma wafting through, it was ridiculously good. We finished a whole bowl before the ramen even arrived. Who knew pickled radish could be this delicious? This alone could pass as a drinking snack, no joke.

While we were busy picking at the radish, all our ramen orders arrived.

Soy sauce ramen and spicy soy sauce ramen (hangover ramen)

First, mom's soy sauce ramen! The umami in the broth was incredible. A well-seasoned soy-braised broth base with thin chashu that melted right in with the noodles the moment it hit my mouth. Oh, this has charm.

Then dad's hangover ramen. I thought it was just a spicy version of the soy sauce ramen the second I tasted it — turns out that's literally its name, spicy soy sauce ramen. Soy sauce ramen with a bit of chili oil added. Subtly spicy enough to make you sweat, perfect for curing a hangover.

Hiyashi tsukemen: noodles and sauce served separately

And then my hiyashi tsukemen. Noodles and sauce came out separately.

The noodles were thicker than regular ramen. Firmer texture too, almost like thin udon. Because everything came separate, the sweetness of the seaweed, the fragrance of the green onion, and the umami of the chashu all came through more strongly.

Let's dip the noodles generously in the sauce and try them on their own first.

Then wrap them in seaweed and eat.

But the best part was the egg. The spicy, savory sauce with the richness of the yolk bursting through — ah, I love a soft-boiled egg so much.

Final thoughts

Meanwhile dad had gone and added a double portion of noodles plus extra rice. I missed the shot of the extra rice bowl, but yep, there was no way we were leaving a single drop of broth behind. I could see why this place is famous among office workers near City Hall Station — every dish we ordered was satisfying, and it made me curious about the rest of the menu. Besides ramen, they also serve highball, sake, and Japanese beer, so enjoy it however you like, lunch or dinner.

The end!