This is actually my second time in Osaka — the first time was about ten years ago.
While walking around Dotonbori, I came across a ramen joint with a giant cartoon dragon on the outside, and I suddenly got hit by a freight train of nostalgia.
Not only had I eaten here on my previous trip, but — and I’m not 100% sure about this, but I’m fairly confident — this is where I had my first bowl of real, non-instant ramen (you have to remember that the explosion of ramen joints in Toronto has only been in the last few years — rewind to a decade ago, and ramen was much more of a rarity in the GTA).
Though ramen is one of my favourite dishes now, it certainly wasn’t at the time, and this restaurant failed to ignite any sort of love for the dish. Did I just not know how to appreciate a good bowl of ramen?
Nope, it’s pretty lousy (as you’d expect from a place with a big cartoon dragon mascot in the most touristy part of town). The noodles were actually pretty good, but the broth was just one-note salty, and the pork was dry.
Still, the nostalgia! Plus, how often to you get to revisit the place where you first tried one of your favourite meals? Totally worth it.