I don’t worship at the altar of ramen like some others, but Always Men-ya (“genuine tonkotsu ramen in Nagasaki”) may convert me just yet. This is their house special, the Always Ramen: five generous hunks of fatty char siu,  julienned carrots, fistfuls of bean sprouts and cabbage, chewy cloud ear mushrooms, and a dollop of karamiso to finish. (Buried underneath all this is the crowning achievement in my opinion: the most perfect soft-boiled egg.) The tonkotsu broth, accented by a garlicky oil with a green onion base, is rich and full of flavor, not overly heavy or greasy. Add it with a side of their juicy kurobuta gyoza — pan-fried Berkshire pork potstickers — and you’re good to go. I reserve my ramen splurges for taking care of hunger after heavy boozing sessions, but considering I’ve been here more than once in broad daylight, instead of 3 AM, without an ounce of beer in my system has got to be saying something about how much I love their ramen, don’t you think? That’s a winning endorsement from a non-ramen fan, I’d think… Always Men-ya5-22 Yorozuya-machiNagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture〒850-0852 Japan 

Jul 4 -

I don’t worship at the altar of ramen like some others, but Always Men-ya (“genuine tonkotsu ramen in Nagasaki”) may convert me just yet.

This is their house special, the Always Ramen: five generous hunks of fatty char siu,  julienned carrots, fistfuls of bean sprouts and cabbage, chewy cloud ear mushrooms, and a dollop of karamiso to finish. (Buried underneath all this is the crowning achievement in my opinion: the most perfect soft-boiled egg.) The tonkotsu broth, accented by a garlicky oil with a green onion base, is rich and full of flavor, not overly heavy or greasy. Add it with a side of their juicy kurobuta gyoza — pan-fried Berkshire pork potstickers — and you’re good to go.

I reserve my ramen splurges for taking care of hunger after heavy boozing sessions, but considering I’ve been here more than once in broad daylight, instead of 3 AM, without an ounce of beer in my system has got to be saying something about how much I love their ramen, don’t you think? That’s a winning endorsement from a non-ramen fan, I’d think…

Always Men-ya
5-22 Yorozuya-machi
Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture
〒850-0852 Japan 

nibbles and bites.