Higeinu (Hyogo-ken, Amagasaki-shi)

麺舎 ヒゲイヌ
めんや ひげいぬ
Menya Higeinu

Niboshi reimen: 17 / 20

Five minutes away from Amagasaki station, this ramen place got really good reviews, so I went there on my way from Osaka to Kobe. I was initially determined to try their beef suji tsukemen, but discovered that they had a seasonal offer of niboshi reimen - a quite welcome suggestion on this hot, summer day.

Broth: A truly wonderful, strong - but not too strong - niboshi broth.

Noodles: Thick tsukemen-style noodles, very mochi-mochi and tasty.

Meat: Three slices of cold chashu. Not bad, but why as many as three slices?

Toppings: Some raw onions; their crunchiness fit well with the cold broth, although the added taste was IMHO not necessary. Also, a couple of gombo slices which brought some more freshness.

This was probably the best reimen I ate so far, with truly wonderful broth and noodles. Too bad the meat was overabundant, they could definitely trade quantity with quality there.

More info on ramendb.

Other review: Ramen Manager (for the Nibo-shio ramen)

Shiogensui (Hyogo, Amagasaki-shi)

尼崎 塩元帥
あまがさき しおげんすい

Shio tsukemen: 17 / 20

This ramen restaurant, located along a road in a relatively isolated area, figures among the best rated in Hyogo. It looked accessible from the Hankyu station - and it certainly is, if you don’t mind walking 20 minutes in an unremarkable area. The reward: the opportunity to eat a rare shio-tsukemen (they also serve a recommended shio ramen, as well as some other flavors: shoyu, etc.). I had only tried one shio tsukemen, the famous Hirugao in Tokyo station, and it was already 4 years ago. I needed to try this.

Broth: A salty and fat broth, that will spread over the noodles and give them a tasty, oily coating. Quite good, and flavored with yuzu. You can also finish it with some soup-wari - a bit too salty and fat, maybe, but still good.

Noodles: Very mochi mochi, quite good, and generously served.

Meat: A few cubes of awesome chashu, one of the best I have eaten so far in Kansai.

Egg: A good ajitama, very well cooked, although on the hard side.

Toppings: A few thin menma stripes and negi, as well as some red chili threads in the broth.

Overall, a very recommended restaurant. As I was writing this post and wondering if this restaurant is really worth going so far out of the way, I realized that they had another shop in Minamikata, much closer to central Osaka! But if you are driving between Kobe and Osaka, this Hyogo shop may be accessible. In any case, I recommend this chain, this is a rare opportunity to try a shio-tsukemen - and a very good one actually.

More information on ramendb.

Other reviews: Friends in ramen, Japan times