Mario Ryu Ramen

Recently I've had the chance to visit some ramen shops in Nara. Most shops in Nara are all but inaccessible without a car, and even with a car you're in for a bit of a drive and an even longer line. After my previous trip that involved some serious hardcore tonkotsu, my friends and I went for round two at famous kotteri shop Mario Ryu Ramen.

 最近奈良のいろいろなラーメン屋さんに行く機会がありました。奈良の店にほぼ車はないと行けません。あっても、絶対待たなあかん。前回のザー豚骨の店に行って、今回もドロドロな店に行こうと思っていました。うわさのまりお流らーめんという店にしました。

Mario Ryu rates its ramen on a richness scale from one to ten, but of course that doesn't stop them from blowing the lid off the limit and making bowls that have upwards of 25 richness.

まりお流のすべてのラーメンの濃度が書いてあります。一応１から１０までなんですけど、チャレンジャー向けの２５度とかもあります。

I went for the solidly rich 桜島, or sakurajima, a pork ramen with bonito powder and a bit of chili pepper, that weighed in at a richness of seven.

かなり濃厚な鰹と唐辛子の「桜島」というメニューにしました。７度でした。

The three bowls. Are they solid or liquid?

三つのラーメン。ほんまに液体？

The Bowl
This was really no joke. The soup was a murky swamp of salt and pork back fat. The chili provided a bit of spice, and there was a touch of ginger in there as well. I could only take a few spoonfuls of it, but mixing the bonito powder in made it much more tolerable. The noodles, on the other hand, were fat, providing a clean conveyer of the salty sauce. The slices of chashu too were quite large, and managed to contain a much better balance than taking on the broth on its own.

これはヤバいです。スープは塩と背油の沼です。一味があったのでピリ辛で、ちょっとしたショウガの味もしました。スープをあまりそのまま食べられませんでしたけど、鰹節魚粉を混ぜたら何とかなりました。逆に、極太麺とスープのバランスがよかったです。チャーシューも濃かったですけど、うまかったです。

Would I Go Again?
It was very good, but I have to make sure not to eat for a couple days before I go there again. But it's far.

美味しかったですけど、また行くなら前の日に絶対食べません。でも遠いです。

Should You Go?
Anyone with means and an iron stomach should go.

手があって食べられそうな人は行ってください。

Information
まりお流らーめん