Kyoto Menya Takei Hankyu Umeda

This is a branch of Kyoto's renowned tsukemen shop, Menya Takei, located on the 2nd floor inside Hankyu Umeda Station. Boasting excellent accessibility right next to the Kobe Line stairs within the central ticket gate on the 2nd floor of Hankyu Umeda Station, you can enjoy the same rich seafood tonkotsu tsukemen as the main branch without leaving the station. The signature dish is the rich seafood tonkotsu tsukemen, characterized by a combination of glossy, thick, straight noodles made with whole wheat flour and a viscous dipping soup where the powerful richness of pork bones is layered with the umami of seafood like katsuobushi. A subtle hint of yuzu peel adds a refreshing lightness to the aftertaste. Noodles come in Regular (400g), Small (310g), and Large, all at the same price. The toppings include chashu, roasted chicken thigh, chashu with pink pepper, menma, and nori seaweed; choosing the special version (tokusei) adds a seasoned egg (ajitama) for a luxurious presentation. The side dish, Butakara Don (spicy pork bowl), is a perfect pairing with tsukemen, featuring sweet and spicy minced pork, an egg yolk, and chopped green onions. The shop is praised for its attentive service, allowing customers to request reheating of the soup or a katsuobushi-based soup wari (スープ割り - soup diluted with dashi), ensuring enjoyment to the last drop. With only 20 U-shaped counter seats, the turnover is excellent despite being inside the station, so even if there's a queue, it moves smoothly.