Menya Gokkei – Soup you can eat; the pinnacle of thick ramen broth right here in Kyoto
Situated in Kyoto's ramen holy land of Ichijoji, Gokkei is a ramen shop famous for its super thick chicken ramen. The ramen broth at Gokkei is so thick, in fact, that it's rumored that your ramen spoon can stand up in it.
Literally translating to "extreme (gok) chicken (kei)," Gokkei serves exactly what you'd expect, chicken ramen. And it's thanks to this chicken stock base that, while being super thick, the soup can maintain such good flavors without being disgustingly gross smelling.
Captivating people with the great flavor and sheer impact of their ramen, Gokkei now boasts lines out the door of loyal fans daily.
While it certainly helps to make it look impressive, Gokkei's ramen isn't merely a gloopy mess. The ramen actually offers a perfectly calculated balance of not just soup but toppings and specially made noodles as well.
Making sure not to be beaten out by the soup, the noodles are uniquely angular and are slightly tough.
Then there's the giant pork chashu; a piece of sliced pork belly so big it covers half the bowl. On top of it all, there's the thinly sliced strings of leek, offering an amazing punchy accent, and the satisfyingly chewy super-sized menma bamboo shoots.
Gokkei offers four varieties of ramen based on their signature thick "tori-daku" broth, each with different toppings and flavorings. So while it might be best for fans of lighter ramen to avoid Gokkei, if you're a fan of thick ramen and richly flavored broths, then Gokkei is where it's at.
Also, don't forget to make sure you're good and hungry before going!
1Recommended
Tori-daku
/ ¥950 (inc. tax)
Tori-daku is Gokkei's signature dish. This version of Gokkei's staple super thick broth offers the most unadulterated, simple version of it on the menu.
Get stuck into the ramen by first picking up the white-sauce like creamy broth with a tangle of the specially made noodles. As the soup is halfway to being a solid, the trick to it is to stab your chopsticks in deep and scoop from the very bottom.
Also, make sure to enjoy the ramen while it's hot as it starts losing its flavor as it cools!
2Recommended
Aka-daku
/ ¥ 1,000(inc. tax)
Aka-daku is a punchy looking ramen donning a bright red layer of chili powder.
While it may look like it’ll knock your socks off, the thick broth counteracts the chili and makes the ramen a surprisingly mild and absolutely irresistible.
With its perfect level of spice, the chili powder pairs fantastically with the chashu pork belly as well.
This is one ramen you’ll have finished before you know it.
3Let's Try!
Kuro-daku
/ ¥ 1,000 (inc. tax)
Gokkei’s kuro-daku ramen is their signature tori-daku ramen topped with a splash of homemade garlic oil. The fragrant, delicious smelling aroma of the charred fried garlic is enough to have your tummy a rumbling.
The clear flavors of the garlic and soy sauce give the rich ramen broth the perfect extra punch. The garlic oil is quite intense so it’s recommended that you mix it with the soup and eat only a little at a time.
4Let's Try!
Sakana-daku
/ ¥1,000 (inc. tax)
The sakana-daku is a fragrant fish-based ramen. While it uses the same chicken broth used in the other three ramen, this dish is topped with a helping of fish meal, giving it an entirely different aroma. As the fish meal vanishes into the broth before your eyes, you’ll taste a gradual change in flavor.
If you’re a fan of fish-based broths or have already tried the other ramen dishes, then the sakana-daku ramen is a definite must-try!