Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch

Nakamura Shoten, the second brand of the Kinsei Group based in Takatsuki, Osaka, has opened a branch in Kyoto Ramen Alley as a representative of Osaka’s ramen shops. The Kinsei Group is famous for its shio (salt) ramen, and I thought that refined shio ramen would surely appeal to people in Kyoto…

One evening, I decided to visit Kyoto Ramen Alley to enjoy Nakamura Shoten’s shio ramen for the first time in a while. When I arrived, I noticed a new shio ramen on the menu that hadn’t been there when I visited the main store previously. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on what that new shio ramen was like later in this article, so please stick with me until the end…

Operating in the most prominent, prime location within Kyoto Ramen Alley… Here’s what Nakamura Shoten’s Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch is like

Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch opened in the summer of 2020. The shop is located right next to the elevator on the JR Kyoto Station side, and it’s the first thing you see when you come down the escalator from the upper floor. In a sense, it’s the prime spot in Kyoto Ramen Alley, but luckily, there was no line at the entrance that day. After purchasing my meal ticket, I was able to enter the shop without any trouble.

The interior is quite compact, with 16 counter seats along the wall opposite the kitchen, and two small two-person tables placed between them. Compared to other ramen shops in Kyoto Ramen Alley, it feels quite cramped in terms of space. If you’re carrying large luggage like a suitcase, you might struggle to find a place to put it. Well, since it’s in a prime location, having plenty of space would be unfair compared to other shops, so maybe having that kind of handicap is okay…

The soup glows golden… How did Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch’s new menu item, the Chicken Salt Ramen, actually taste?

So, let me introduce the new Chicken Salt Ramen (price: 1,200 yen, tax included) that I ordered at Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch that day. After waiting about five minutes from the moment I sat down, the Chicken Salt Ramen was brought to my table, and this is what it looked like…

Thanks to the chicken fat floating on top of the crystal-clear broth, the soup appears to glow golden. I’ve tried the signature “Golden Salt” ramen at the main store in Takatsuki before, but just based on appearance, this one feels even more deserving of the “Golden Salt” name.

That aside, let’s dive right into the soup… It tastes almost entirely of chicken broth and chicken fat, with just a hint of salt, making it incredibly light and refreshing. It feels like they’re going all-in on chicken alone, without adding a single unnecessary ingredient. After taking a sip, I thought, “This is the kind of soup the Kinsei Group would make…” Though, for someone trying the Kinsei Group for the first time, it might feel a bit “lacking in impact”…

As for the noodles paired with this soup, they’re straight, thin noodles like this. They were cooked quite firm, and they had a substantial weight to them—the wheat flavor really came through more than I expected. So, in contrast to the soup, the noodles had a distinct presence. Since the soup is on the lighter side, the wheat flavor feels even stronger. The combination of the soup’s lightness and the noodles’ heft made me think, “In a way, this might be the essential taste of ramen…”

And then there’s the chicken breast chashu placed in the center of the bowl as a topping. I personally liked that it was chicken chashu instead of pork. It wasn’t the moist type you find at other shops; instead, it was well-done chicken breast chashu that had been thoroughly cooked through. It’s also nice that they include two slices with the standard ramen.

So, I finished the Chicken Salt Ramen at Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch in a few minutes and left the shop. It was even lighter than the signature “Golden Salt” ramen I had at the Takatsuki main store before; it felt like a ramen stripped down to its bare essentials. On the other hand, since the flavor seems to take a different path from current ramen trends, I don’t think it’s a flavor that will appeal to everyone… It feels like a ramen that’s a bit selective in terms of when and who it suits.

Other Menu Items at Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch (Prices include tax)

• Golden Salt Special: 1,880 yen
• Rich Chicken White Broth with Soy Sauce, Soft-Boiled Egg, and Two Types of Chashu: 1,480 yen
• Classic Chinese Noodles with Marinated Egg – 1,140 yen
• 5 Wagyu Beef Pan-Fried Dumplings – 780 yen
• Fried Rice – 700 yen
• 2 Pieces of Fried Chicken – 520 yen
• Mini Char Siu Rice Bowl – 300 yen

There’s a LINE coupon you can use as many times as you like… Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch is a 4-minute walk from the nearest station, JR Kyoto Station.

Nakamura Shoten Kyoto Ramen Alley Branch has launched a LINE coupon that lets you enjoy free toppings…

Just add them as a friend on LINE, and starting that very day, you’ll be able to upgrade your toppings—like chashu pork, seasoned eggs, and bamboo shoots—for free. What’s more, it seems you can use this coupon not just when you first register, but every single time you visit the restaurant. In addition to this, you can also use the Kyoto Ramen Alley app, so if you make full use of both, you’ll surely be able to enjoy a very cost-effective ramen experience.

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…

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