Genraku

The Special 元 ramen, with its surface blanketed in back fat, is Genraku’s signature bowl. Its rich appearance may be striking when it first arrives, but the shoyu broth brings a clean soy-sauce bite and mellow sweetness, followed by a refreshingly light finish. Mix the sauce settled at the bottom through the noodles, then savour the satisfying texture of the straight noodles alongside the depth of the back fat.

Shoyu 元 or salt 楽: choose your flavour

Alongside the classic shoyu ramen, the menu offers 楽 ramen for a lighter, salt-based flavour, so you can choose according to your mood. For the regular 元 and 楽 ramen, you can ask to adjust the amount of back fat; there are also chashu ramen options when you want a generous serving of pork. The wider selection includes abura soba, dressed with a fragrant olive-oil-based seasoning oil, and seasonal tsukemen, making it tempting to try something different on a return visit.

Famous butameshi, finished with house sauce and sesame oil

A side of butameshi, a registered trademark, is a natural partner for the ramen. The dish is rice topped with chopped chashu; Genraku’s way of serving it is to pour over the special sauce and fragrant sesame oil, then mix everything well. The savoury aroma of sesame oil complements the meat, making the dish all the more appetising. Choose a set such as the Special 元 ramen with small butameshi to enjoy the restaurant’s signature dishes in one meal.

Counter seating for an easy stop

The restaurant is mainly arranged around counter seating, making it a comfortable place to drop in alone for a quick meal. A chilled bottled beer or black oolong tea also goes well with a piping-hot bowl of ramen topped with back fat, or a serving of butameshi. Payment is cash only, and seats cannot be reserved, so plan to visit in person while exploring Kuramae or taking a break from work.