Ramen @ Tachinomi to Ramen Renge, Tenjin, Fukuoka

 

There is nothing like a good bowl of ramen, and when one just clicks, you know it will be absolutely delicious. It is ironic that despite being in Fukuoka, most of the ramen I have shared here are mostly not tonkotsu. The reason is pretty deliberate. As this place is famous for that rich and creamy broth, I felt that other ramen outlets are severely misrepresented. With that in mind, let me introduce to you a new place that is worth standing up for, literally. 

Yes, no chairs. 

Tachinomi to Ramen Renge (立ち呑みとラーメンれんげ), literally translate as Renge Standing Bar and Ramen, is a new food and drink establishment that open not many months ago. Called "Ramen Renge" in short, I encountered this place when I was on the way to meet friends in the Oyafuku area in Tenjin. And after passing by a few times, I think it is due time to head in. 

My companions before the main event. 

With ramen being the main show case, there are 3 types to choose from, the shio ramen, shoyu ramen, and the limited base soup. I opted for the shio ramen bowl which stands at a modest 850 yen, alongside a serving of gyoza consisting of 4 pieces and a highball to wash it all down. The gyoza was at 350 yen and the boozy fizz stood at 290 yen. Also a free serving of potato and egg salad came into the picture while I wait for my dinner to arrive. 

Oh heavens!

Despite the modest price and a simple backdrop, the food was very flashy and punchy. I started off by clearing out the egg. It was simple, but relatively tasty. The yolk was well marinated and the buoyancy was spot on. After then I took to the soup. The soup may be clear but it packs a lot of flavour. It was sweet, savoury and has a crisp taste. 

Like a sunset

After further inspection I actually found dried scallops in the broth. Those are not cheap and would help increase the level of umami of any dish. The soup also was able to latch on the noodles with relative ease. Speaking of the noodles, they were amazing. With bits of wheat and bran still visible, it has a nutty and woody flavour that I like. Imagine slurping into a pack of grilled peanuts, and you get the idea. 

Just delightful

I eventually made my way to the meaty toppings, consisting of a slice of boiled chicken and also charshu. They work very well, especially the charshu. It had a bacon-like element to this dish and gave it so much depth. The boiled chicken worked like a counterbalance which I liked alot. 

I did use some in the end, and it was quite refreshing.

If you like to add more attitude to your bowl, the place provides you with a small lemon wedge and a side of spicy yuzu paste. I personally find this pretty well done already, and as such I feel the salty and sour condiments may not be necessary. But if you would like to add a zesty zing to it, by all means, please do so. 

Crispy

The gyoza were pretty good as well. Served on a sizzling plate, it stayed warm throughout the meal. The inside was packed with pork and chives, giving it a deep flavour. The content is pretty standard in terms of Fukuoka gyoza. However, the outer skin that was grilled to perfection gave it so much more personality. This was really enjoyable. And after clearing everything down with my fizzy and boozy slugger, I left the premises happy and satisfied. 

No better endorsement. 

This is one place I would like to visit again. There are actually a huge variety of side dishes and nibbles that caught my attention like shrimp gyoza, fried chicken and various treats that seem pretty delicious. So do not be surprised if you see me again around this area. But if you would like to try the other wares before my next visit, or you would like to replicate my delicious dining experience, then the address to this noodle spot is as follows:

〒810-0001 Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Tenjin, 3 Chome−3−26 佐伯ビル 1階

Front of the house. You can't miss it.