Dotonbori cuisine has been a favorite of Piaor for many years. From recommendations in travel books to highly rated online reviews, Piaor has discovered and tried one restaurant after another. Now, the pace of eating has far outstripped the ability to write restaurant reviews! This time, Piaor wants to introduce “Hanamaruken Ramen (はなまるけん, Hanamaruken Namba Houzenji)”, which features a super-sized pork cartilage and a soup made from soy sauce and pork cartilage.
Where is Hanamaruken Ramen located?
- Address: 1-2-1 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
- Business hours: 24 hours
- Phone: 06-6213-0131
- Transportation: 5-minute walk from Nipponbashi Station on the subway, Namba Station on the Kintetsu/Hanshin lines, and Namba Station on the subway
Huawuan Xuan Ramen is located in the same area as Ichiran Ramen and Mitsu no Osaka-yaki, inside the Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street which is perpendicular to Dotonbori. Its actual location is at the intersection of Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street and Hozenji Yokocho, and its retro appearance and long queues make it easy to spot.
Read More: A Travel Guide to Dotonbori, Japan
Recommended Ramen Dishes at Hanamaruken Namba Houzenji
Hanamaruken Namba Houzenji was originally designed by Piao Er as a breakfast and late-night restaurant because it is located in Namba and operates 24 hours a day.
At the entrance of the store, there is a menu with Chinese, Korean, and English versions for comparison. You can order a la carte or set meals. In addition to the must-try pork cartilage ramen, fried rice is also a highly recommended dish by netizens. Below are the details of the set meals. Overall, the prices are considered affordable, and you can even get a free upgrade to a larger size for your noodles!
- NO1 Combo: Pork Cartilage Ramen + Half Fried Rice + 6 Pan-Fried Dumplings
- NO2 Combo: Happiness Ramen + Fried Rice
- NO3 Combo: Happiness Kimchi Ramen + 10 Pan-Fried Dumplings
Flower Maru Pavilion Ramen’s Retro Dining Environment
The entire Hanamaruken restaurant is designed with dark wood, old wallpaper, and vintage tiles to create an unchanged old-fashioned taste that has lasted for many years. Perhaps it is the original appearance of the old houses in the Namba area, as there are quite a few restaurants with this style in the alleys.
If you like retro restaurants, we recommend this Japanese-style Western coffee shop that has been around for over 80 years near you: Marufuku Coffee Shop Osaka Sennichimae Main Store
The signature dish of Hanamaruken is “Inaka no Kazu (Pork Cartilage Ramen)”
This time, of course, we tried Hanamaruken’s signature dish “Inaka no Kazu”, which features a huge piece of pork cartilage that is impossible to ignore once it arrives with the ramen. It’s very eye-catching👀.
The meat in Hanamaruken Ramen is this whole braised pork cartilage, without any char siu, it looks really fatty!
Try a bite of pork cartilage, which is very similar to the way Taiwanese braised pork is made, but it tastes saltier. It’s impressive that the whole piece of meat can be braised so tender without being cut, and the cartilage is quite crispy but not completely chewable.
The soup base is a special broth made by simmering soy sauce and pork cartilage for a long time. The taste is salty and heavy for Taiwanese people. If you don’t love soy sauce and pork flavor that much, the soup base of Hanamaruken may not be your cup of tea.
The noodle part is the common thick noodle in Osaka, with a Japanese-style firm texture.
▼ Every customer can ask the store for a boiled egg and pickled vegetables for free~ Peel and eat with the ramen, it’s the first time I’ve had ramen like this, quite fresh.
About Hanamaruken Ramen, My Tasting Experience
Overall, Hanamaruken Ramen is a very unique ramen with its super-sized pork cartilage and soup made from soy sauce and pork cartilage. It is completely different from traditional Japanese ramen, which may take some getting used to. However, I think it is still worth a try. In any case, it is definitely better than Jinlong Ramen. But I think that the noodles, soup, and ingredients of Japanese ramen are completely different in each restaurant, and everyone’s preferences are different. Sometimes, what others say is delicious may not be to your taste, so it’s best to try it out for yourself.
Check out other highly rated Dotonbori restaurants：Must-try food restaurants in Osaka’s Dotonbori
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- Food: Ultimate Osaka Food Guide
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