Mokkosu Ishiyagawa

I visited the Ishiyagawa Branch, the second branch of Mokkosu, a Chinese noodle restaurant called the “soul food” of Kobe citizens. I happened to find the restaurant when I went to Mikage Public Hall Restaurant the other day to eat beef cutlet, and I was so excited that I decided to revisit the restaurant at a later date. This was my first visit to Mokkosu in more than three years, and this time, instead of the standard Chinese noodles, I wanted to try a different type of ramen not found at the main restaurant. I’ll tell you what it is later in this article, so please keep reading until the end…

Mokkosu Ishiyagawa is a legendary store located in one of the most fierce ramen battlegrounds in Hyogo…

Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch is located on National Route 2 toward Kobe, just past the Ishiyagawa River. This area is one of the most fierce battleground areas for Ramen in Hyogo, and a little further ahead is Ramen-so Yume wo Katare Rokkomichi, where Jiro-inspired ramen shops are making history, and further ahead is Tsukemen Shigeta, where there are many restaurants with a long line. In a sense, this restaurant, which has been in business for a long time in such a popular area, is a legend of the area.It has been in business for nearly 50 years since the establishment of the main branch in Okurayama, so you could say that it is a little different from the other restaurants in the area.

Upon entering the restaurant, purchase a meal ticket from the ticket machine and take a seat at an available table. According to the restaurant’s information in the Tabelog, there are only 25 seats at the counter. The atmosphere is retro and rustic, like an old-fashioned Chinese noodle shop. This is the kind of atmosphere that is not found in the ramen shops that are popular these days, and I sometimes find myself missing it intensely…

A second taste not found in the main restaurant… What did the miso ramen I ordered at Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch actually taste like?

What I ordered at Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch this time was Miso Ramen (price: 1050 yen including tax), which is not on the menu at the main restaurant of Mokkosu. Less than 5 minutes after handing the ticket to the waitress, the miso ramen arrived in front of me… 

It looked like this, with a heaping pile of chopped green onions in the center and at least 5 or 6 pieces of chashu pork arranged in a petal shape along the edge of the bowl. I was a bit excited by this unexpected lucky occurrence.

The color of the soup suggests that there is a lot of red miso in it? While the richness of the miso can be felt as the main ingredient, the umami of the dashi broth seems to be modest. There is not much fat floating in the soup, and the soup is not light, but it is refreshing. I think it is one of the most mildly stimulating miso ramen I have ever had.

On the other hand, the noodles to go with this soup are straight thin noodles with low water content. They are hard-boiled and chewy. Can we say that this is a characteristic of Mokkosu‘s Chinese noodles? The noodles were easy to slurp up, and I found myself slurping them up so smoothly that I ran out before I realized it. If I am not careful, I may be able to eat this even when I am hungover or have a cold in my stomach.

And the chashu pork, which was already in a considerable number in chashu men specifications. The balance of lean meat and fat is good, and you can enjoy both the flavor of the meat and the sweetness of the fat together.

Finally, the abundant flavor modifiers that are familiar at Mokkosu. I tried the fried garlic from this list this time, but personally, it didn’t suit me…I think it would be better to eat it up without any flavor modification. I think it has a little less impact as miso ramen, so I hope the flavor modifiers get into it. I’ll try a variety of other ones next time I have the chance.

Examples of other menu items at Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch (prices include tax)

• Chinese noodles 1000 yen
• Chashu men 1200 yen
• Miso Chashu men 1250 yen
• Bakumori Negi Ramen 1000 yen

Note: A large serving is an extra 150 yen.

Instant fresh Chinese noodles for take-out available in the restaurant…Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch is a 5-minute walk from the nearest station, Ishiyagawa Station on the Hanshin Electric Railway.

Mokkosu Ishiyagawa Branch sells instant fresh Chinese noodles to go in the store…

The price is 500 yen (tax included) for 2 servings of noodles and concentrated soup. This is much cheaper than eating in the restaurant. With the option of purchasing burnt garlic, you can make Chinese noodles at home that are quite similar to those at the restaurant, can’t you? I think it’s a good idea to keep some of Kobe’s soul food at home so that you can have it whenever you want.

Now, here are the details of the restaurant… 

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