Ippudo

There are times to try new ramen, and there are times to stick with a classic.  Ippudo is a well-known high-quality ramen chain with Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen originating from Fukuoka, but has stores nation-wide and even internationally as far as New York.

I was wandering Namba with a friend thinking about what to get for dinner, when he mentioned he had never been here before.  I'd been to the Umeda branch among others, but not this one, so the decision was made.  As always I was tempted to try the super spicy habanero ramen, but for the sake of my stomach I went for the classic Akamaru.


Information
一風堂
Ōsaka-fu Ōsaka-shi Naniwa-ku Nanbanaka ３丁目１−１７
Ippudo is west of Namba Parks, close to the exit by the post office.

The Bowl
There's no way to go wrong with Ippudo.  Sides of bean sprouts and veggies to start, and then a bowl of tonkotsu ramen with a dollop of miso and a healthy dose of mayu.  While a little oily, these added some spice and flavor to the broth.  The soup had a rich tonkotsu flavor, but was very thin and drinkable.  The noodles were thin and hard, and the chashu, though sliced thin, was very rich.

Would I Go Again?
Absolutely.  This wasn't my first time and I'm sure it will be far from my last.

Should You Go?
If you haven't already.  And even if you already have.