Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch

Menya Gokkei, a shop in Ichijoji—Kyoto’s nationally renowned ramen hotspot—known for its ultra-rich ramen so intense it could “silence even a crying child,” opened its second location in Enmachi, western Kyoto, in July 2024, marking its 13th year in business. Personally, I found myself thinking, “I wish they’d opened a second location sooner…” but considering the hassle of traveling all the way to Ichijoji and waiting in those long lines, this decision is a huge relief.

It had been several years since my last visit to Menya Gokkei, and it seemed like the menu had expanded quite a bit during that time. Looking forward to seeing what these new items were like, I headed toward the shop…

It’s half self-service inside… Here’s what Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch is like…

I arrived at Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch right around opening time one day. There were only a few people waiting in line ahead of me, so I had no trouble getting in during the first seating. Enmachi might not be very well known, but the area around the Enmachi intersection where the shop is located is home to Bib Gourmand-listed shops like Yamazaki Menjiro and Ramen Mugyu Vol. 1, as well as a branch of Ramen Ikedaya—which also originated in Ichijoji—and even a branch of Kirameki no Tori, a popular Kyoto-based chicken white soup ramen shop… making it a pretty high-caliber area when it comes to ramen. A future where the place is swarming with ramen enthusiasts might be just around the corner, so it might be best to visit now while the crowds are still manageable.

That aside, after buying a meal ticket from the vending machine and entering the shop, I found a total of 21 counter seats arranged in two rows—one facing the kitchen and one along the wall. This Enmachi Branch operates on a semi-self-service system: after purchasing a meal ticket, you have to fetch your own water and take a seat at your assigned spot, and before leaving after your meal, you must return your dishes to the designated area. It’s a bit of a hassle, but in these times of rising inflation, if doing this much work means I can eat cheaply, I’m totally fine with it—in fact, I think this system should spread to ramen shops all over the country. If you run into any trouble, the staff are polite and helpful, and I never felt dissatisfied with the service.思います。困ったときは店員さんが丁寧に対応してくれるし、接客に不満を感じることもなかったですよ。

It had been a few years since my last visit to Menya Gokkei, so I ordered one of their new menu items, the “Ebi Daku” (Regular)… So, how was it?

Well, while I’ve been away for a while, Menya Gokkei has introduced new flavors like “Ebi Daku” and “Miso Daku,” as well as a new G-style ramen called “Daku-ro.” I was torn about which one to choose this time, but since the other options were also hard to pass up, I ended up buying a ticket for the “Ebi Daku” (Regular, 1,150 yen including tax), which piqued my curiosity just a little more…

After sitting down and waiting about 10 minutes, the Ebi-daku (Regular) was brought to my table. It looked like this. The massive amount sprinkled over the surface of the soup—is that flakes made from shrimp shells? In any case, the aroma of shrimp is absolutely intense.

So, I decided to start with the soup… but as soon as I dipped my spoon in, I noticed a major difference from my memory of a few years ago. Compared to before, the soup is much lighter. Well, it’s still thick, but it doesn’t have that pasta sauce-like consistency it used to—the viscosity is now within the normal range for soup. Even though the soup has thinned out, the chicken umami is still robust, and the generous sprinkling of powdered shrimp shells (let’s call it that for now) on top is fragrant. Plus, since it’s seasoned with a rich soy sauce base, the flavor is quite heavy.

Perhaps because of that, the noodles weren’t the pasta-like strands they used to be; they were just regular ramen noodles. They were cooked relatively soft, so the chewy texture was gone, replaced by a pleasantly chewy, springy mouthfeel.

The main topping is a single, large slice of pork loin chashu. This was also generously coated in shrimp shell flakes, so the rich soy sauce flavor and the aroma of shrimp lingered strongly. It was about 1 cm thick… so there was no shortage of meaty satisfaction. Getting a piece of chashu this size in a standard ramen bowl is actually quite a treat…

I finished Menya Gokkei’s new menu item, “Ebi Daku,” in about five minutes and left the shop. Compared to when I ate it at the Ichijoji main store, it felt like it had become much more like a standard ramen, giving the impression that it’s now easier for more people to enjoy. On the other hand, for people like me who prefer a distinct, standout character, this might be a bit of a letdown. Well, even though it’s become a bit more subdued overall, it’s still a flavor you can’t find at other shops, so if you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by Menya Gokkei and give it a try.

Other Menu Items at Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch (Prices include tax)

• Tori Daku (Large) + Rice with Raw Egg: 1,500 yen
• Aka Daku (Large): 1,200 yen
• Kuro Daku (Regular) + Rice with Raw Egg: 1,400 yen
• Uo Daku (Regular): 1,050 yen
• Miso Daku (Large) 1,400 yen
• Daku-ro (Regular) 1,250 yen
• Aka Daku-ro (Large) 1,450 yen

A wide selection of takeout items… Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch is a 3-minute walk from the nearest station, Enmachi Station on the JR Sagano Line.

At Menya Gokkei Enmachi Branch, they offer a wide variety of takeout items…

Not only do they have frozen ramen in every flavor imaginable—including the “Ebi Daku” (Prawn-Packed) variety featured here—but you can also order them as return gifts through the Furusato Nozei (Hometown Tax) program. They’ve even placed QR codes for various portal sites right on the counter—how thorough of them… With the “Furusato Nozei” program, it’s essentially free if you meet the requirements, so if you love Menya Gokkei’s ramen, you’d be crazy not to take advantage of it.

Now, here are the shop details.

P.S. If you’re looking for delicious ramen in Kyoto, be sure to check out this article as well…