Kouraku

In Ōsaki’s busy office district, many people head straight to Kōraku (幸楽) for its half-chan ramen: ramen served with a half portion of fried rice. The bowl pairs a clear soy sauce broth with medium-thick, wavy noodles, topped with classic additions including chashu pork, bamboo shoots, leafy greens and narutomaki fish cake. The broth has a gentle lift from the aroma of toasted spring onion and garlic. Sipping it alongside the rich, tender fried rice creates the hearty, steady rhythm of neighbourhood Chinese cooking.

There is a broad choice of noodle and rice dishes, including crisp-bottomed yakisoba with a rich, thickened sauce and Cantonese-style noodles with the same kind of generously topped sauce. Order fried rice on its own and it comes with salad and soup. Seasoned soft-boiled egg, extra nori or chashu are among the toppings available to tailor a bowl to your taste.

Small Plates and Stir-Fries for the Evening

When evening service begins, the table fills with small plates at approachable prices: well-seared gyoza, zha cai pickled mustard greens, century egg and chilled tofu. Bottled beer, sours and highballs accompany dishes such as pork and green pepper stir-fry, tomato and egg stir-fry, and hoikoro (miso-seasoned pork and cabbage). It is also common to round things off with a set meal or a noodle dish.

The dining room is entirely non-smoking, with counter and table seating. It suits a quick solo lunch as well as a meal with colleagues. Payment is available through a ticket machine as well as methods such as PayPay. The lively pace of the dining room makes Kōraku an easy place to drop in.