めん処 麒麟児 KIRINJI

Abura ramen - no broth, loads of flavour and texture

At Unga Station's west exit, you'll spy Kirinji's wabi sabi exterior, with worn woodwork and rustic touches. The restaurant serves a version of abura ramen, ramen noodles without broth. When you walk in, you'll see a vending machine on your right indicating the ranking of the various kinds of brothless ramen. I went for the first-ranked shoyu version as I'm a rookie. The chef presented me with a bowl of al dente ramen noodles graced with chashu, menma, a soft-boiled egg, and condiments. Placards indicate how to eat the dish - mix, apply the provided rayu, various kinds of pepper, vinegar, and have at it. It's a hearty, filling bowl of noodles, customizable to your taste, with ground garlic, various kinds of pepper, and vinegar available. I walked off the calories at Tone Unga Mizube Park nearby.