ZEN LABORATORY [Osaka] - Delicious Osaka

■Information

Genre	Ramen
Price Range	￥1200～￥2000
Reservation Policy	Reservations NG
Ease of Finding	★★★★★
Wait Times	★☆☆☆☆

Information may not always be up to date. Please check the official website or other official sources for the latest details. We also recommend checking their social media accounts for the most recent updates and information.

■Star Points
Yo, white soy sauce?! Let me tell you about ZEN LABORATORY, a place that’s pushing the boundaries of what ramen can be. You’ll find this spot just a bit north of Osaka Umeda Station. The interior design is wild for a ramen shop – it’s got this modern wooden aesthetic, but then there’s these orange neon lights that really make it pop. Next to the ticket machine, there’s this weird contraption with liquid inside (probably just art). Fun fact: this place is actually produced by “Chuka Soba Mugen,” a super popular ramen joint in Osaka. I’ve been to Mugen too – it’s insanely good. Gotta write a review about that one sometime.

Now, their signature dish is this mind-blowing white soy sauce ramen. Like, it’s soy sauce but it’s WHITE. The broth is so clear it’ll blow your mind! I went for the version with wontons (think of them like boiled dumplings). The soup has this really gentle, comforting taste. There’s a hint of shellfish stock mixed with the white soy sauce flavor that just works perfectly. It’s so easy on your stomach and you’ll want to drink every last drop.

Get this – the white soy sauce is called “Shirotamari” from Aichi Prefecture. The president of Nitto Jozo company searched everywhere for the perfect spring water to make this sauce. Unlike regular soy sauce that uses soybeans, white soy sauce is made with wheat koji. It’s pretty rare even in Japan! I’m thinking about ordering some to experiment with in my own cooking.

I came with a friend who ordered the tsukemen (dipping noodles). They said it had this awesome kombu (kelp) broth. Looked pretty tasty – definitely gonna try that next time!