[Cold Tan Tan Men 900 yen, level 2 spiciness] A specialty shop for Tan Tan Men in such an unexpected place!!! I found it while passing by, and since it was empty, I entered immediately. The menu offers various Tan Tan Men dishes and seasonal noodles. The seasonal noodles include Cold Tan Tan Men and Shio Shoyu Ramen. As it was hot that day, I ordered the Cold Tan Tan Men. When I asked the owner about the spiciness level, they said, "It's not very spicy~", so I ordered it at level 2 spiciness. When the dish arrived and I took a sip of the soup, Wow! It's delicious! The spiciness is similar to the level of spiciness in kimchi, not too overpowering. It's rather refreshing, with a taste similar to cold noodles. Although it looks very red and extremely spicy, it's not that spicy. Nowadays, many Tan Tan Men dishes use a rich sesame paste, but Ogawa-san's Tan Tan Men has a clear soup base with a modest amount of sesame paste and meat miso for flavor, creating a light Tan Tan Men. It's a rare and unique Tan Tan Men in a way. It tastes more like delicious cold noodles than traditional Tan Tan Men! It's said that Ogawa-san originally operated a Tan Tan Men food cart before opening this shop. Ogawa-san, thank you for the delicious meal! Grazie!

At Ogawa-san, I've tried various tantanmen dishes, but my favorite is the curry tantanmen. The spiciness of the tantanmen and the spices of the curry go well together. It's also nice to eat it with rice or after finishing the curry tantanmen, adding rice to the soup and eating it. It was delicious.

Located in a residential area, the atmosphere inside and outside the restaurant was interesting. The specialty of the restaurant, Tantanmen Masamune, is a soup-less dish. "Masamune" means original or first generation!!! It felt more like yakisoba than Tantanmen, with crispy fried onions added. I tried the normal and slightly spicy flavors, both were light and easy to eat without much punch. The noodles were unique. The deep-fried chicken wings were delicious!!

On February 19, 2022, I went to "Marudan Ogawa" in Kyoto, located a 23-minute walk from Hankyu Katsura Station. The restaurant is open from 12:00 to 15:00 (last order at 14:30) and 18:00 to 22:00 (last order at 21:30), closed on Tuesdays. Due to COVID-19 measures, the last order is at 19:30 until 20:00. I tried the Cloudy Dumpling Tan Tan Men for ¥850. The atmosphere was cozy, and I enjoyed the dish in a tatami room. The Tan Tan Men had a gentle flavor without overwhelming spiciness, different from typical tantan noodles. I chose level 1 spiciness, but you can go up to level 3 for more heat. Even though I planned to try something new next time, the Cloudy Dumpling Tan Tan Men was so delicious that I ended up ordering it again. I look forward to trying the Hot and Sour Noodles next time. It was a delightful meal!

For me, originally from the Kanto region, eating tantanmen in Kansai always feels too sweet. It's purely a matter of preference and not a denial. In Kanto, there are many restaurants serving Sichuan-style tantanmen or ladder-like tantanmen, with a sharp soy sauce-flavored soup topped with sesame and nut sauce. The ideal noodles are white, straight, thin noodles that are distinct from ramen shops. Living in Kansai, I've been missing tantanmen, so when I heard about a tantanmen shop run by someone from Sichuan Hanten in Katsura, I had to visit. The shop seemed like a renovated residential house. After having my temperature checked and sanitizing my hands with alcohol, I sat down with high expectations. To make sure I could cure my tantanmen craving, I ordered both soup and soupless tantanmen. Starting with the soup version, it had a beautiful presentation. The soup had the fragrance of sesame and nut sauce, along with a sharp soy sauce flavor. It was delicious, with enough umami but a strong kick of saltiness and acidity. The noodles had a pleasant slurping texture, just as I had hoped for. The ground meat and bean sprouts were good accents, not overpowering with excessive sweetness or presence. The aroma, spiciness, and texture layered upon each slurp of noodles. The numbing sensation wasn't too intense, but it was a balance I liked. This was excellent. I finished it in no time. Moving on to the soupless version, it also had a towering presentation. The fried tempura bits were a nice touch. Mix it well before eating; there's a variety of ingredients in it. This one had a stronger acidity and numbing sensation, maybe like black vinegar. The noodles were similar to the previous one, smooth and consistent even without soup. The tempura bits coated in the sauce were quite tasty. Oh, I'm satisfied. While it's not entirely faithful to Sichuan Hanten, as it's been tweaked with ingredients like bean sprouts, the balance of saltiness, acidity, sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn is quite different. It feels like they've captured the essence of what tantanmen should be. This is what I wanted to eat! I'd love to come back.

"The restaurant received a rating of 3.54 during the visit. It was my first time visiting this new restaurant. I tried the tantanmen this time. It had a strong spiciness and a slight numbing sensation. The balance of flavors was excellent. The stimulation made me slurp the noodles faster. I even thought about getting an extra serving. I have work in this area for a while, so I might end up becoming a regular customer."

2021.2.24 Marudan Ogawa 7 minutes by bus from Hankyu Katsura Station Dan Dan Noodles with Cloud Ear Fungus - ¥850 Good evening, I'm Kyon, a ramen-loving college student. Today, I visited "Marudan Ogawa," a specialty shop for dan dan noodles. They used to operate a food stall in front of their home, but last summer they moved their base to the first floor. There are signs displayed on a house in a residential area. When I entered around 1:30 p.m., there was one customer chatting happily with the owner. Both the appearance and the contents of the shop are truly "homely." I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles with Cloud Ear Fungus, level 2 spiciness. The default dan dan noodles come with five cloud ear fungus pieces! It arrived in about 3 minutes after ordering. When I took a sip of the soup, it had a good level of spiciness and a rich flavor. Even for those who are not good with spicy food, the spiciness is just right without feeling it in the throat. The soup is thin but flavorful, making it satisfying. Constantly getting bites of meat miso and green onions, along with plenty of bean sprouts and bok choy as toppings, adds to the fullness. Especially the sweet and savory taste of the meat miso is addictive, so I recommend gradually melting it into the soup as you eat. The thin noodles are easy to eat and slide down quickly. When eaten with bean sprouts, the crunchy texture adds to the deliciousness. The cloud ear fungus topping has a chewy texture with flavorful meat inside. With five pieces included, I enjoyed trying different ways of eating them - first eating one normally, then splitting one open, and finally trying it with the soup. I had a great time with the delicious dan dan noodles and the cheerful owner. Next time, I'll go back to try the hot and sour soup noodles. Thank you for the meal!

Marutan Ogawa's store has changed to a home-based establishment. When I came before, it was a tent-like outdoor space in front of the entrance. I had the soup-less tantanmen and tantanmen. It's still delicious as ever. I found out that the soup-less tantanmen is a hidden menu that is like maze soba with thin noodles and well-coated ingredients, offering exquisite flavors. The soup of the tantanmen is delicious, once you start drinking it, you can't stop.

Visited in November 2020. Rated 3.54 on Tabelog (based on 70 reviews). Miso tantanmen for 880 yen with medium spiciness out of 3 levels. Located in Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, the nearest station would be Katsura Station on the Hankyu Kyoto Line. It's about 1.5 kilometers away, so most people probably drive here. Luckily, there was an open parking space in front of the restaurant when I visited. The exterior looks like a regular house, and we were guided to a tatami room. The menu mainly focuses on tantanmen, but there are also options like mapo tofu and other side dishes. I chose medium spiciness level 2. The miso tantanmen had a light but flavorful soup, with thin straight noodles that had a nice firm texture. It reminded me of tantanmen you'd find at a Chinese or Sichuan restaurant. While it may be hard to tell the difference visually compared to regular tantanmen, you can subtly taste the miso flavor in this dish. It had more richness compared to the regular tantanmen I tried, but even at the same spiciness level 2, this one felt milder in heat. If you like spicy food, I definitely recommend going for level 3. Checking their website, it seems they offer a limited seasonal ramen (this time it's chicken broth ramen) starting from October 27 for two weeks. The noodles are thin noodles, served with pickled greens, red ginger, and spicy miso. They also offer noodle refills, so be sure to try it if you're interested. Thank you for the meal.

I visited for the first time. It was in a residential area, but easy to find. I ordered the tantanmen with normal spiciness. After the first bite, it wasn't spicy. It's flavorful with spices but not spicy! However, even though it's not spicy, I'm sweating! It's so delicious that I got hooked. Next time, maybe I'll try something spicier? I'm also curious about the wonton and it seems like it would go well with white rice! Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant recently reopened, and now you can dine inside. There are two parking spaces at the entrance. Inside, there are round counter seats, a 4-person counter seat, and a tatami area at the back where you can enjoy your meal comfortably regardless of the weather. I wanted something spicy, so I ordered the cold tantan noodles and enjoyed it quickly. It's common courtesy to leave after eating since there's usually a line of customers waiting.

On a hot evening, when you lose your appetite, you start craving for spicy or cold dishes. Recently, I was recommended a nice restaurant by Yocchan's dad, so I made a bookmark and went there right away!! I arrived at 7 pm! It's located in a normal residential area, and if it weren't for the sign next to the door, you wouldn't know it was a restaurant at first glance. I parked my bike in front of the store and entered. I sat at the 4-seat counter in front of the kitchen. There were two other customers already there, and it seems like there are also table seats in the back of the restaurant. I checked the menu and decided to order the Sour and Spicy Soup Noodles with Wontons, which caught my attention among dishes like Dan Dan Noodles and Miso Dan Dan Noodles!! (You can adjust the spiciness, but this time I kept it as it is.) While waiting, I poured myself some water from the pitcher and waited. There were no condiments on the table. After a while... Sour and Spicy Soup Noodles with Wontons for 850 yen arrived!! Wontons with chicken similar to Bang Bang Ji, Chinese cabbage, bean sprouts, and green onions floating in the soup. I immediately tried the soup, which had a good balance of sourness and spiciness, and you could also taste the umami flavor. The straight thin noodles were easy to eat, and the chicken and wontons in between were delicious. With sourness, spiciness, umami, and tasty noodles, I finished it in no time. I was planning to have beer and some snacks at home, but unexpectedly... Extra noodles for 100 yen I raised the bowl on the counter and added the extra noodles!! I finished both the noodles and the soup cleanly. Even though I didn't have an appetite, I'm full from the delicious Sour and Spicy Soup Noodles. Next time, maybe I'll try the Miso Dan Dan Noodles!? Thank you for the meal.

I finished work and visited the restaurant after 8:00 PM. It was a place that had been converted from a food stall to a regular residence, and there was a parking space in front of the restaurant. Without a signboard, the exterior looked just like a normal house. Inside, it was bustling with many customers, so I had to wait a bit. I was seated at the counter by the previous customer, and I ordered the Cloudy Tan Tan Men (850 yen) that I had decided on in advance. You could choose the level of spiciness, but this time, I decided to try it at the default level. The Tan Tan Men brought over the counter was served in a white bowl with a brown soup, wontons, bean sprouts, bok choy, and minced meat miso, with green onions floating in the soup. First, I tried the soup, which had a stimulating sesame aroma, umami from the soup, followed by the spiciness of chili oil and the fragrance of Sichuan pepper. The flavors of sesame, chili oil, and Sichuan pepper were not overpowering but well balanced, and the flavor of the green onions was also good, making it a very delicious Tan Tan soup. Dissolving the minced meat miso in the soup added richness and increased the umami. The noodles were firm and cooked al dente, with a wheaty flavor that stood up to the soup. The wontons had a slightly thick skin filled with a generous amount of meat filling, making them very delicious on their own. I felt the soup was a bit salty, but the flavor was amazing, and even though I knew it was bad, I ended up finishing it all. I didn't order an extra helping, but they offer it, so you can enjoy the soup without leaving any behind. It was a delicious Tan Tan Men that was addictive and made me want to go back again, which is understandable given its popularity.

Marutantouo Ogawasan, who had long been operating as a food stall, finally got a "roof and walls" this summer! In other words, they renovated the inside of their home and restarted in the form of a regular store. Today was their grand opening, so I went right away, but there was a line outside so I had to give up for the time being. After finishing my errands, I tried again and managed to secure a seat. I ordered the "soupless tantanmen, chef's choice," which I've been ordering for a long time. The owner, Ogawa-san, usually guesses my preferences and makes it a bit spicier. As always, it was delicious! However, the atmosphere was different this time. With the "roof and walls," it was cool even in the summer. This is great! We can have a private party even when it gets cold! Dad! Let's have a year-end party here this winter!! ...Wait, can we really do that for a year-end party? Year-end party... Cheers to the reopening with a PapiCo ice cream.

Located in Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto, or maybe it's Kasahara. It's in a somewhat hard-to-find residential area. It's a restaurant specializing in tantanmen. I initially thought they were repurposing a house, but they actually have a kitchen car parked in front of the house, so it's essentially a food stall. A food stall in front of a house, surrounded by plastic sheets. It's best to go in spring or autumn. I wouldn't recommend it during harsh weather. The tantanmen is truly delicious. It seems like it would be best enjoyed in cooler weather.

On this day, I visited the Kyoto-Otokuni area after a long time. The main purpose was to get freshly dug bamboo shoots. The western part of Kyoto City, including Kutsukake, Oharano, Muko, and Nagaokakyo, is a major production area for bamboo shoots as ingredients for Kyoto cuisine (the Yamashiro region around Kyoto Tanabe is also the same). Unlike the common bamboo groves, the locals call the well-maintained bamboo fields with wide spacing between the bamboo stalks "bamboo fields," where they carefully manage the soil for delicious bamboo shoots. During this season, roadside stands selling freshly dug bamboo shoots appear all over this area. Buying the bamboo shoots and cooking them at home may require some effort, but savoring them raw and fresh at a reasonable price makes you want to visit whenever you have the chance. After finishing shopping, I visited that stall selling tantan noodles for the first time in a long time. The cherry blossoms near the shop are just about to bloom. As I have mentioned several times before, the shop is located right in a residential area. Without prior information, you might not notice it and might overlook it. On the other hand, if you happen to stumble upon this shop by chance, you would surely be surprised, wouldn't you? According to a "super regular" at this shop, there are actually many off-menu items not listed on the menu, but this time, we are not regulars. After all, it has been about 8 years since our last visit. I ordered the cloud swallow tantan noodles with medium spiciness, while my companion ordered the same with zero spiciness. The cloud swallow tantan noodles... Wontan tantantanmen... Wasotasotasotasomeso... Anyway, the light truck with the "Marutan" logo, which once operated as a mobile stall when it first opened, now seems to have completely settled in this location over the years. By the way, for the pure question of why they operate in such a light truck stall, please refer to May 5, 2010, or June 26, 2010. This time, we sat at a table directly opposite the cooking area. In the square pot in front of us was a clear chicken broth soup. Every time the lid opened, the pleasant aroma of the chicken soup wafted out. After a short wait, the cloud swallow tantan noodles with medium spiciness were ready. The way the meat miso was served reminded me of the ramen I had at Gennotsuki the other day. The thin noodles made by Teiko Sei have been the same since the opening. Perhaps due to operating as a stall, the noodles don't have a strong presence on their own. However, the richness of the soup flavor that clings to the noodles is still good. With medium spiciness, well, it's moderately spicy, right? (I think sensitivity to spiciness varies from person to person.) It's different from the sesame-flavored broth like "Ko" in Yamashina, with a fragrant and savory taste. The cloud swallow is quite cute. When my companion ordered "zero spiciness," there was really no spiciness. Instead, you could clearly taste the chicken soup, meat miso, and the flavor of the broth? Nevertheless, whether it's a hot day, a cold day, a rainy day, or a windy day, it's impressive how they have continued to operate this stall, which made me think again when I visited after a long time. For locals, the fact that regular customers keep coming to this location full of mystery means that the food is undeniably delicious. By the way, I vaguely remember an acquaintance of mine saying that if you sit down at this shop, you will be served "the usual" without saying anything. Perhaps there might be some changes in the long-standing stall operation soon?

This is a surprisingly unique Dandan noodle specialty shop in Katsura. I was drawn to visit after seeing the shop's website (blog) and being impressed by the owner's passion. The owner operates the shop like a street vendor in Sichuan, where the original Dandan noodles were sold using a shoulder pole. They even operate in front of their own home parking lot (laughs). I tried the regular Dandan noodles for 700 yen and the soupless Dandan noodles (off-menu) for 700 yen, which is the original style from Sichuan. It's not on the menu, but I found it on the website and ordered it. Note that photography inside the shop is not allowed, so be careful! Despite that, many people still take photos, but they should be blocked without mercy (laughs). The soupless noodles have a vinegar aroma with a distinctive sweetness, followed quickly by spiciness, supported by the flavor of sesame and the acidity of vinegar. The addition of tenkasu is innovative! The Zhajiang has acidity and a unique taste. It comes alive with the soup. The soup noodles have a refined and refreshing taste with a priority on the aroma of sesame. The soy sauce in the soup is strong, and I felt the overall balance was quite unique. It might be similar to the Dandan noodles at the self-styled Dandan noodle restaurant Takeko in Tokyo. It's amazing how they attract people to this location.