Bob Lee
Today (6/23), I made a big expedition to Suminoe-Koen Station, the terminal station of the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line. I visited this restaurant located just a few minutes' walk from the station. It had been on my visit list for a while, but the distance to Suminoe-Koen Station made it hard to decide when to go. However, I finally gathered the courage to visit. When I arrived a little before opening time, there were already a few people waiting outside, so I joined the line and soon the restaurant opened. Inside, I ordered and paid in advance (no ticket machine) for the default "Ramen (700 yen)" and took a seat at the counter. The bowl arrived shortly after, with straight medium-thick noodles submerged in a brownish cloudy soup, topped with three slices of chashu, menma, bean sprouts, green onions, and more. When I slurped the soup with a spoon, it had a mysterious taste - I couldn't quite tell if it was pork bone, chicken bone, or both, but it was a flavor I didn't dislike and actually quite enjoyed (after checking reviews posted after returning home, some said it was pork bone while others said it was chicken bone, so I still couldn't tell). The noodles were not firm but slightly sticky, which surprisingly went well with the soup and tasted delicious. The chashu was a bit tough, but it also paired decently with the soup. There was a small dish of garlic chives kimchi provided, so I tried adding it halfway through the meal, but it didn't suit my taste as much as it does in a ramen from Ichiran. Nevertheless, I happily finished the meal, considering the taste at this price point to be truly wonderful. That sums up my experience.