Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto

Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto. Lately, there seem to be more and more restaurants with straightforward names like this, don’t you think? Just from the name alone, it’s clear this is a place that serves fried rice and ramen, but what I personally found interesting was that “fried rice” comes before “noodles.” Does this mean, “Eat fried rice rather than ramen!”? It put me in the mood to think, “Well, I guess I’ll have some fried rice too!” So, within seconds of spotting this place, I walked right in. Now then…

It seems to be part of the Chinese Noodles Fumoto chain in Hirakata, Osaka… “Yaki Meshi to Men Kyoto” is a place like this…

This restaurant, “Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto,” is a new ramen shop that just opened in April of 2025 in Kawaramachi Sanjo. After looking it up online, it seems to be part of the same chain as “Chinese Noodles Fumoto,” a restaurant in Hirakata, Osaka. And this “Chinese Noodles Fumoto” ramen shop is really on the rise right now—it’s reportedly expanding its presence across Osaka and Kyoto, having already brought “Menroku,” also located in Hirakata, under its umbrella. Speaking of Menroku, isn’t that the parent company of Gion Duck Noodles? When I think of it that way, this place suddenly feels a lot more familiar to me.

Anyway, the restaurant is a two-story building. The first floor houses the kitchen and nine counter seats, while the second floor is mainly table seating, for a total of 24 seats. The interior is simple yet stylish, with an atmosphere that makes anyone feel welcome to walk right in. Most of the staff were young, and I was impressed by how well they seemed to get along while working. Eating at a place like this, you can be sure you’ll at least have a pleasant time during your visit, right?

I actually wanted to order a single serving of fried rice… but I went with the “Half Fried Rice Set” at Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto—featuring their signature dish, Chinese-style noodles. So, how did it turn out when I actually tried it?

Well then, let me introduce the “Half Fried Rice Set” (price: 1,250 yen, tax included) that I ordered that day at Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto. Maybe because I visited during a quiet time, both the fried rice and the Chinese-style noodles were brought to my table about three minutes after I placed my order…

Even though it’s the standard Chinese noodles, I was happy to see three slices of rare chashu pork. However, the staff strongly recommended the fried rice over the ramen. So, I guess I should have ordered a full serving of fried rice instead of the half portion (though I couldn’t find a full serving of fried rice on the menu)…

Well, putting that aside, let’s start with the Chinese noodles broth… This broth is apparently a double broth made from pork and seafood, but the seafood flavor comes through more strongly. The bonito flavor is particularly rich, supported by dried sardines, with the pork subtly bringing it all together… that’s the general impression. There’s also a toasty soy sauce aroma, making for a very fragrant broth. As I got toward the end…

It’s a nice touch that you can sprinkle the yuzu peel provided on the table to further enhance the aroma (the other condiment on the table was cayenne pepper).

As for the noodles, they’re straight, thin noodles with sharp edges, similar to soba. They have a slightly rough texture, so the mouthfeel is close to soba, and they’re cooked al dente, giving them a satisfying chew. I really like the crisp, snappy bite unique to whole-wheat noodles. After finishing, I thought, “I wish I could get a refill of these noodles…”

As for the main topping—the rare chashu—it’s apparently marinated in a soy sauce-based sauce infused with red wine. This was the first time I’d ever heard of “red wine” being used in ramen chashu. Unfortunately, my untrained palate couldn’t detect the red wine flavor, but the meat was lean, tender, and refreshingly light. Each slice is a generous size; it’s satisfyingly meaty on its own, but it’s also great to dip it deeply into the broth before popping it into your mouth to savor its juiciness.

Finally, there’s this fried rice, the shop’s top recommendation. The rice grains themselves are quite firm, giving the impression that they were cooked specifically for this dish rather than being repurposed from the regular rice. As you’d expect, the grains were light and fluffy, breaking apart neatly in your mouth, and the flavor of the soy sauce-based sauce—rich with dashi—spread throughout your mouth. It’s no wonder this is the staff’s top recommendation. In the Kansai region, Soudaisho is famous for its fried rice at ramen shops, but for me, the fried rice at “Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto” surpassed even that.

Other Menu Items at Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto (Prices include tax)

• Special Ramen: 2,330 yen
• Double Chashu Ramen: 1,450 yen
• Chashu Ramen: 1,150 yen
• Abura Soba (Available from 3:00 PM): 900 yen
• Chinese noodles (without chashu): 800 yen

Beer is a bit of a bargain when ordered as a set with the fried chicken… At “Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto,” which is a short walk from the nearest station—Kyoto City Hall Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line—

“Yakimeshi to Men Kyoto” serves several types of alcoholic beverages, including beer, and it seems you can get a slight discount if you order them as a set with the fried chicken…

Since a single order of karaage costs 520 yen for 3 pieces and 980 yen for 6 pieces, ordering 6 pieces is the better deal. Looking at this, I get the impression they really put a lot of effort into their fried chicken. As a self-proclaimed fried chicken enthusiast, I’m tempted to give it a try. Maybe next time I’ll stop by here for some fried chicken and beer before heading home…

Now, here are the restaurant details…

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