Toripaitan @ Iwaidori Yodoyabashi Honten, Imabashi, Osaka

 

Oh Osaka it has been a long while. Not long ago I was suddenly dispatched to Osaka for a work trip. Although it was not the best of circumstances, I definitely was looking forward to it as it has been many years since I properly explored the place. Known for its reputation as Japan's food capital, Osaka is loaded with various restaurants, cafes and local treats. Although I can argue that Fukuoka can be seen as the best destination, I will put my biases aside for now. After all, good food is good food. As long its fills me up and I am happy in the end, that is all that matters. 

Ah what do we have here?

It was a long and rainy afternoon. So it was natural that this was the right time to get some ramen. And fortunately, there is a ramen place not too far from my hotel that has been getting rave reviews. Iwadori Yodoyabashi Honten, technically, is not a ramen spot. But rather a yakitori place in the afternoon. While for lunch, only sells 1 type of noodle. With that level of confidence, I really hope that I will be good. With a base bowl entering at the price of 870 yen only, it was a very small commitment.

What a sight!

Despite not being a full fledged noodle spot, this bowl really took the cake. The entire thing was just great from top to bottom. The frothy soup was like some chicken based cappuccino. It was creamy, thick and slightly fatty. However, it does not feel very heavy and everything went down just nicely. Imagine a concentrated chicken broth with milk, but instead of milk, it was fortified with more chicken. 

Golden treasure hidden at the bottom of the bowl

The rest of the bowl of course was pretty good too. The noodles absorbed the soup and become like an extension of the creamy broth. Infused with the chicken goodness, slurping was just an amazing experience. They also provided a piece of sliced charshu. It was also well done, and tasted a bit like smoked bacon. And only at the very bottom I found my bowl, as the soup being so dense, it probably pushed it down. Still, that egg was subline. All of this for 870? That was a steal. Still, the soup was the star of the show. 

No better endorsement

And within minutes, I cleared everything down. And left very satisfied. If this is the beginning of my Osaka food escapades, I am definitely looking forward to all the other stuff in store. Fancy a go? The address is as follows:

3 Chome-2-16 Imabashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 541-0042

Front of the house. Hope I can visit this place again