Misen Osaka Ekimae 2nd Building Branch

When you hear the name “Misen,” it probably rings a bell for those familiar with Nagoya’s culinary scene. Misen is a restaurant specializing in Taiwanese cuisine that is well known throughout Japan as the originator of Taiwanese ramen. Taiwanese ramen is said to have started in the 1960s as a very spicy version of Danzi noodles for bribes, and although it was not popular at first, it became known to many people in the Showa 50s because of the boom in spicy ramen. Nowadays, Taiwanese ramen is available everywhere in Japan, and in Osaka, a restaurant called Menya Marusho is famous as a restaurant specializing in Taiwanese ramen.

I had been waiting for the right moment to visit Misen in Osaka, and I had promised myself that I must go there someday… So when I went to Umeda at the beginning of the New Year in 2024, I went to the restaurant in the Osaka Ekimae No. 2 Building to have Taiwan ramen for dinner that night. It seemed that this was the first day of business after the New Year, and I was really lucky that day…

I thought it was a direct descendant of the original Taiwanese ramen restaurant, but in fact it is not… Taiwanese Cuisine Misen – Osaka Ekimae 2^nd Building, B1 Floor Branch is a restaurant like this…

First of all, I have to say something. The Taiwanese restaurant I am going to introduce here, Misen, is not a direct descendant of the restaurant where Taiwanese ramen originated. I did not know this fact until I started writing this article, and was surprised to find out that it is actually a different restaurant… So, please understand that, strictly speaking, the Taiwanese ramen available here is different from the original one.

What I mean is that there are actually five Taiwanese restaurants in Nagoya with the name “Misen”. Mr. Kaku Ming Yu (the eldest son), who opened the original Taiwanese ramen restaurant “Chinese Taiwanese Cuisine Misen,” has four other brothers and sisters, each operating a different restaurant with the “Misen” name. The “Taiwanese Cuisine Ajisen” introduced here is run by the third son, Masayoshi Kaku, so unfortunately, it is a different restaurant from the one run by his eldest son. However, as far as I have been able to find on the Internet, there is no information that the brothers are not on good terms with each other, so they may be exchanging menus and recipes with each other.

Now, let’s go back to Misen Osaka Ekimae B2 Building Branch. The restaurant is located on the northwest corner of the basement floor of the Osaka Ekimae No. 2 Building, and at a glance, it looks like it can accommodate about 5 to 60 people. I arrived at the restaurant around 6:30 p.m., and there were 13 people in line, but I was able to enter the restaurant within 10 minutes after I started standing in line. Maybe it was just a coincidence that day, but from what I saw, I had the impression that there were many people who ate quickly and left the restaurant rather than staying longer (note: there is also a 90-minute rule). Then there is usually sharing seats, so it is better to assume the possibility of sharing seats, especially when visiting the restaurant alone.

Taiwanese Cuisine Misen Osaka Ekimae 2^nd Building Branch, specialty Taiwanese ramen… it was quite spicy beyond my imagination!

Let me introduce to you the Taiwanese ramen (800 yen including tax) that I ordered at the Misen restaurant on the first basement floor of the Osaka Ekimae 2nd Building. Image here…

The Taiwanese ramen came out in a bowl that was one size smaller than a typical ramen bowl. But just looking at the large amount of chives and hawk chilis floating on the surface of the soup, one can only get the feeling that it has a pungent flavor. To top it off, the smell of chili and garlic coming from this bowl of ramen is so strong that even if you don’t put your nose close to it, the smell wafting out from the bowl is enough to make you swoon.

When I took a sip of the soup, it was, as you can imagine, extremely spicy. I had had the original Taiwanese ramen at Misen in Imaike a few years ago, and my mind was full of “Was it really this hot? My head was full of “question” marks. Well, I didn’t know at that time that Misen was a different restaurant from the original Taiwanese ramen restaurant, so I had this reaction. However, the spiciness was delayed by the mild flavor of soy sauce and chicken broth, which was so good that I felt a tingling spiciness on the tip of my tongue, but wanted to take the next bite right away.

On the other hand, the surface to this is straight, medium-thin noodles, which give the impression of being different from the noodles used in Japanese ramen in appearance. The surface is smooth and pleasant to the palate, but when you chew it, you can feel its firmness. In fact, when you put the noodles in your mouth, they have more texture than they appear, or rather, they have a presence that is not light, which was a bit surprising. The bowl is small, but the amount of noodles is substantial, so you can probably fill up on just one bowl of noodles.

Taiwanese Ramen at Misen Osaka Ekimae 2^nd Building Branch is quite spicy, so it is a dish for those who choose to eat it, but the flavor hidden behind the intense spiciness is certainly addictive. Even when you feel sluggish with a cold, a bowl of this ramen will refresh your body and improve your post-meal performance. I feel like it will improve my post-meal performance.

Other menu items at Misen Osaka Ekimae 2^nd Building Branch (prices include tax)

• Fried chicken 1050 yen
• Subuta (pork belly): 1,050 yen
• Gomoku Yakisoba 900 yen
• Stir-fried Chinese cabbage 850 yen
• Bean-curd soup seasoned with red pepper 800 yen
• Fried rice 750 yen
• Gyoza: 500 yen

There are also branches in Kanda and Shinbashi in Tokyo… To get to the Misen Osaka Ekimae 2nd Building Branch, a 2-minute walk from the nearest station, Kitashinchi Station on the JR Tozai Line.

Misen has a main branch in Nisshin City, as well as branches in Nagoya City, Kanda, and Shimbashi in Tokyo. Unfortunately, the Taiwanese ramen here is not the original flavor, but it is recommended for those who like spicy food, as it is quite addictive. In addition to Taiwanese ramen, there are also rare items on the menu that you cannot order at ordinary Chinese restaurants… The prices are reasonable, so if you are ever near the restaurant, please give it a try.

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…

It takes only 5 minutes on foot from JR Osaka Station.

P.S. If you are looking for delicious ramen in Osaka, please stop by this article below…