エムナイン
Fukuoka City, Hakata-ku, Hakata Ekimae 3-chome area - a 6-minute walk from JR Hakata Station! This "Tenkaippin" is a ramen chain operated by Tenkaippin Shokuhin Shoji Co., Ltd., originating in Kyoto and expanding to over 230 stores nationwide! The new "Kotteri MAX," evolved from the previous "Super Rich" ramen, has been available at all stores since 6/12, so I decided to visit. It was lunchtime on a weekday! Due to the shortage of staff, there was a restriction on the number of customers entering the Hakata Ekimae store - more than half of the store was closed, and they did not force customers to wait unnecessarily, which I think is commendable! The entrance had a sign saying "Due to staff shortage..." and many customers who realized the long wait time decided to give up and leave. When entering, instead of the usual menu, there was a limited menu due to the shortage of staff, cutting out menu items that could cause delays or affect service time - a policy that I believe is commendable! It's common for businesses to prioritize increasing sales and try to force the staff to operate as usual, but this seems to be a policy to maintain the integrity of the "Tenkaippin" brand. The previous special bowl was "Jet Black," but this time, the special bowl was bright red! The bowl and the ladle both had "Tenkaippin's Strongest Richness Ever" printed on them! You can feel the strong attachment to Tenkaippin. First, let's start with the soup - delicious! Compared to the previous "Super Rich" ramen, I didn't feel like the richness was increased, but the quality of the soup is still amazing! The soup, made with chicken bones and over 10 types of vegetables, has a deep umami flavor that intensifies as you eat - once again, the "Super Rich MAX" soup did not disappoint. The noodles have a slightly higher water content, making them perfect for soaking up the soup! I ate them with a mix of slurping and chewing! I added some garlic and spicy condiments from the table for flavor variation and finished every last bit. If there are any future events, I would love to visit again - thank you for the meal. Enjoy Ramen Life☆