[Ramen Journey] Yokohama Nippa “Mendou” Tonkotsu Shoyu! A weekday lunch ramen between rain showers

On a rainy weekday, I headed by bicycle to the “Mendou” in Nippa that I’d been curious about. I started with the basic tonkotsu shoyu ramen, then changed the flavor partway through with the counter’s grated garlic. It was a bowl rich in flavor but without lingering heaviness, making for a deeply satisfying lunchtime.

Cycling to the ramen shop “Mendou” in Nippa, Yokohama

Today I’m visiting “Mendou” (menkara), located between Nippa Station and Kita-Shin-Yokohama Station on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line. I’d been curious about the shop’s reputation for its tonkotsu shoyu ramen—rich, yet not heavy on the finish. On a chilly weekday between rains, I decided to head out by bicycle.

I left home when the rain had eased a little, and the road was still wet, with damp air brushing my cheeks. As I rode through the residential hills and along the narrow road beside the fields, I found myself pushing down on the pedals with more force.

I chose to arrive around 1:30 p.m. because I thought I could avoid the lunch rush and enjoy my meal at a relaxed pace.

After riding for a while and reaching an intersection, I spotted a building on the corner marked “Nakakubo Shop,” and in that corner sat “Mendou,” with a wooden signboard.

Seeing the “Open” sign hanging at the entrance, I felt relieved as I got off my bicycle, looked over the calm exterior with benches and potted plants lined up outside, and decided to boldly open the door.

By the way, if you’re coming by train, it’s about a 10-minute walk from either Nippa Station or Kita-Shin-Yokohama Station. It’s on the corner of an intersection with traffic lights. If you’re driving, there’s also parking for six cars behind the shop, which is nice.

I took the plunge and stepped inside, heading to a counter seat

Because I’d timed my visit well outside the peak, there were no other customers inside. The shop has seven counter seats, one table for four, and two tatami rooms, so it seems easy to stop by alone or with a group. After a little hesitation, I chose a counter seat with a view of the kitchen. While waiting for the ramen to be ready, I watched the cooking process unfold. A sign said the water was self-serve, so I filled a glass and settled into my seat at the counter.

That day, the shop was being run by two people: a man in the kitchen and a woman handling the floor and register. About three minutes after I sat down, another customer came in, and a little life returned to the otherwise quiet shop.

From the prime seat with a view of the kitchen, I ordered the tonkotsu shoyu ramen

On the wall menu, alongside “tonkotsu shoyu,” there were also “tonkotsu miso,” “jigoku ramen,” and side dishes. I was tempted by them, but I wanted to confirm the taste behind its reputation for being “rich, yet not heavy on the finish,” so I decided to start with the basic “tonkotsu shoyu ramen.” I figured the first bowl should be the shop’s signature flavor if I wanted to experience what it was really about.

While waiting, I watched the hands in the kitchen moving beyond the counter. Just seeing my bowl being finished right in front of me made the anticipation grow.

The soup really was as good as they said! I couldn’t help but smile

The tonkotsu shoyu ramen arrived in a dark, round bowl, with tiny bubbles floating on the pale brown broth. The toppings were two slices of chashu, spinach, thick menma, sliced green onions, and a large sheet of nori propped against the rim of the bowl. With the steam came the aroma of pork bone, straightening my posture without thinking.

I took a sip of the soup with the spoon. It had plenty of depth, yet didn’t feel heavy at the end, making me want another sip right away. I felt a little smile spread across my face, glad to confirm with my own tongue that the reputation for its lightness was true.

The slightly wavy medium-thick noodles lifted up a generous amount of broth, so with every slurp the pork bone aroma spread across my mouth.

The gentle green freshness of the spinach and the thick, pleasantly chewy menma made me keep reaching for more. When I dipped the nori into the soup and wrapped it around the noodles, the flavor of the sea was added, changing it into something different again.

When I lifted the chashu with my chopsticks, I was struck by its size and the faint pinkness at the cut surface. One bite was softer than I expected, and with just a light chew, the sweetness of the fat and the umami of the lean meat spread out. Even though it was large, it could be bitten through without much effort, and the two slices of chashu disappeared before I knew it.

Changing the flavor with garlic, a spoonful from the jar

As I got near the latter half of the meal, I noticed the jar on the counter. When I opened the lid, I found grated garlic inside. I scooped up a spoonful, placed it on the spoon, and let it dissolve into the soup.

First, I took a sip of the mixed soup. The aroma of garlic rose softly, and the broth’s richness became much more defined. The plain version was already delicious, but I was surprised by how much one spoonful could change the character of the dish.

Then I slurped the noodles coated with the garlic-infused broth. The flavor became stronger than before, and I found myself eating even faster. It reminded me once again that changing the taste partway through is one of ramen’s pleasures.

A simple tonkotsu shoyu ramen that made me want to come back

Adding garlic kept me from getting bored all the way to the end, and I finished the bowl feeling satisfied. It had seemed like a hearty ramen, but it left me with a light yet fulfilled feeling.

When I left the shop, the rain had started falling a little again. Even so, the cool raindrops on my warmed face felt pleasant, and once I got back on my bicycle, the pedals felt lighter than when I had come. Next time, I’d like to try the “tonkotsu miso” or the “jigoku ramen” too.

Mendou
Address / 841 Nippacho, Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Reporting and text / SYURI

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