Euljiro ramen with a child: tori paitan and non-spicy gyudon, Mentsuru

Euljiro 3-ga ramen: what is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch like?

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch (멘츠루 을지로점) is a Japanese ramen shop that's easy to reach from both Euljiro 3-ga and Chungmuro stations. I was craving Japanese ramen in Euljiro, searched around and ended up here, and I sincerely recommend it when you're looking for a meal in the area.

That day I couldn't bear to pick just one dish, so we ordered several and shared them. All three were a huge hit.

If you're wondering where to go for good ramen in Euljiro, no more agonizing! Just go to Mentsuru Euljiro Branch :)

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch location, hours and how to order

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch is open from 11:00 to 21:30, with last order at 21:00. It's on the ground floor of a building on Mareunnae-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul.

You order from the kiosk first, then find a seat!

Here are the ramen, drink and alcohol menus!

Seating at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch: fine for solo diners and groups?

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch has both bar-style seats and table seats. The bar seats look like they'd make eating alone comfortable,

and there are table seats too, so it looks good for coming with a group.

The signature tori paitan: how was the broth?

We ordered three dishes at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch: tori paitan (rich broth), gyudon and spicy shoyu ramen.

You have to try the signature dish, right? Tori paitan (creamy chicken-broth ramen) suits people who like rich broth, so I ordered it, and my child ate it really well too ^^ This is my number one pick ♡

At a ramen shop I usually start with the signature dish, but this time I also ordered the spicy shoyu ramen, so it was fun comparing two different styles!

The tori paitan has the deep, nutty savoriness of chicken broth. It isn't heavy and greasy like tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen; it has that clean chicken-broth lightness that kept me going back for more. The broth was seriously, all the way to the last drop, amazing ♡

The milky, rich-looking broth is clearly different from ordinary shoyu ramen, isn't it? The soft noodles with the thick chicken broth were a great combination, and with chashu (braised pork slices) and egg it was filling.

How spicy is the spicy shoyu ramen?

The spicy shoyu ramen at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch isn't hot from the first sip; the heat creeps up gradually as you keep eating the broth. I like shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, but I was in the mood for something kick-in-the-throat, so I ordered it ^^

One was mellow and the other zesty and spicy, so the balance was great. Ordering several dishes instead of just one ramen made it fun to pick and choose, and everyone could take a bit more of what suited them.

Adding spice to the salty, deep soy-sauce-based broth that's typical of shoyu ramen was much more appetizing than I expected. Rather than hitting hard from the start, the heat builds slowly as you drink the broth, so even I, who likes spicy food but can't handle much, could enjoy it to the end without it being too much.

Eaten with chashu, the salty, nutty flavor plus a bit of heat made a good combination. I planned to have just a spoonful or two of the broth at first, but it's magic, my spoon kept going back!

Personally I enjoyed it because it has a spicy charm that whets the appetite more than plain shoyu ramen.

Going with a child? Gyudon made non-spicy

For the gyudon (beef rice bowl) at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, I asked them to leave out the spice so my child could eat it. It felt like a shame to have only ramen, so we added it. My child ate the gyudon well, but the ramen was so good that they kept eating it even while complaining it was spicy, haha.

If you must have rice, ordering ramen and gyudon to share seems like a good approach.

I had no expectations for gyudon at a ramen shop, but it was better than I expected! Tender beef and plenty of onion sit on warm rice, so it's a very filling meal on its own.

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, a go-to in Euljiro 3-ga! If you like ramen, do try it. I saw lots of foreign visitors there too.

Next time at Mentsuru Euljiro Branch

If you're looking for a good ramen place in Euljiro, Mentsuru Euljiro Branch is worth a stop. Next time I'll have the tori paitan once more, and also try one of the other ramen dishes I haven't had yet ;)

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, the Euljiro ramen spot that won over my Japanese-ramen-loving taste buds. Save it^^