Menchanko Tei

A slice of Japan here at home! We've come here for ramen and Tonkatsu and I must say, we were not disappointed! Their Tan Tan ramen is my absolute favorite on the island. It's rich, tasty, slightly sweet, and not too salty. Tan tan can get strong at other places but Menchanko Tei does it perfectly. The meat is so soft and so damn flavorful in every bite. They use Sun noodles and it is so complimentary to Tan Tan. It picks up the soup so well with every slurp but slides off so perfectly as it hits your tongue. Amazing Tan Tan. Then we had the Loin Katsu lunch special which came with both Tonkatsu AND mini Shoyu ramen. Holy guacamole!! It was so much food and so delicious. The Tonkatsu was crunchy and tender. It wasn't as flaky as I have had before but the crunch was perfect against the juicy pork. The mini Shoyu Ramen just put us over the top. The base was a simple shoyu but had a great umami flavor. Maybe more konbu or something but it was very impressive as a mini ramen. Price for the Tan Tan is about $13-14, which is on the higher side but gosh dang, it's so worth it. Price for the lunch special was only $22! Considering how much food we got, it is WELL justified and worth the taste. Parking is in the back if you turn near the Chinese Seafood restaurant towards the intersection of King and Keeamoku. Or you can park in the street but make sure you park during allowed hours and you have to pay for the meter.

My absolute favorite place to eat in Honolulu. They don’t have many places like this in California or the United States in general. A small family restaurant with the absolutely the best Motsu Nabe in the United States. I have scoured the Bay Area for this dish and have not found anything comparable. They also have delicious katsu (chicken as well as the famous korubata pork). I centered my visit to Hawaii around this restaurant. That’s how enjoyable the food is here. A must go!!

Excellent, low-key atmosphere. We came here on the recommendation of a local friend. The tan-tan men was earthy and noodles were springy and delicious. The tonkatsu was excellently prepared with cabbage, cabbage dressing, a very flavorful miso, and grind your own sesame for the katsu sauce (which was served cold, a new one for me). The pork cutlet was juicy and the batter crispy and light. The cutlet was a little thicker than I like, but delicious still. The staff was very friendly. I recommend this restaurant and would come again!

Ramen holds the same place for me as Fried Chicken, Loco Moco, and Spam Musubi... Comfort Food. It’s NOT supposed to be gourmet or fine dining... it’s a delicious and flavorful meal that is simple and satisfying. As I have watched some of my “hole-in-the-wall” ramen shops close down and Gourmet Bistro shops open up, I had lost hope that I could find me a good bowl of noodles (& hell no, that packaged stuff we get in the grocery store doesn’t count... well, maybe except for the S&S packs). So, a long story longer, I visited Menchako when it was in Waikiki back when. When i stopped working in Waikiki, I found Goma-Ichi on Keeaumoku. Then, Goma-Ichi gets crumbled by whatever crazy $10 million dollar condo being built and again I am without a good bowl of noodles. Randomly, looking at this location which, ironically was another noodle shop years ago when I lived i this neighborhood, I see a familiar name. Came in... saw the owner who I recognized... and was ready for a katsu combo that I knew them for. To my greatest delight, within their current menu, was listed Goma-Ichi TanTan Ramen. Yes, she was friends with the owner and was given the recipe which she now continues to serve in their honor. Great food. Service with an authentic smile. What you need after a long day at work so you can go home with that warm feeling in your belly.