さぴお
Hello, this is SapiO.
Today I will introduce "Menya Enji" in Higashi-Koenji, which is a branch of the original vegetable potage tsukemen shop located in Kichijoji. By adding vegetable paste to pork and fish, they create a rich flavor and use germinal noodles to ensure nutritional value. Despite being a rich menu, there is a certain health-consciousness about it, which seems to appeal to women as well. This chain seemed to dominate the ramen industry towards the end of the 2000s.
I visited during lunchtime on a weekday, right at opening time. There was one person waiting in line when they opened, and more customers started coming in afterwards. The line inside the restaurant grew to one person waiting. There was only one female customer, but it seems that this is more of a meal for men.
I ordered the default tsukemen from the ticket machine. The regular portion comes with 200g of noodles. I wanted to upgrade to the special portion (400g) or the mega portion (500g) for an additional cost, but the price jump from special to mega was quite high. It seems like they increase the price to limit the number of orders due to noodle boiling logistics.
When I handed over the ticket, they asked me about the type of noodles (germinal noodles or chewy noodles) and whether I wanted it cold or hot. I chose germinal noodles and cold.
The serving was done efficiently with the noodles neatly lined up. The noodle bowl was large and had a powerful presentation. The noodles, made from domestic wheat with germinal incorporation, had a strong and chewy elasticity. They were enjoyable to chew on. The tsukemen dipping sauce was a blend of pork bone, fish, and a unique vegetable paste. It had a thick and creamy texture, with solid lard added for impact. Despite the high fat content, the aftertaste was light, likely due to the vegetable paste. This was quite an innovative creation.
The dipping sauce contained various types of fish, such as bonito, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, and others. There were chopped chashu pieces in the sauce. They were slightly dry, but added a classical touch to the dish.
At the bottom of the noodles, there was a strainer. I finished by adding the soup provided on the table to the remaining dipping sauce, trying to avoid eating too much of the solid lard, and eventually finished the meal.
It had been a while since I visited Menya Enji, but it was still delicious. I look forward to trying the chewy noodles next time. Thank you for the meal.