Mensho — Restaurant in Houston

Mensho was a peak ramen experience, even from a regular at ramen shops all over the country and Japan. It is a small but not cramped space with great music and ambience. You are seated relatively quickly if there's a space for you. I came on a Monday evening which I've learned for popular spots is a must. You are given ample time to review the menu which isn't cluttered with multiple pages long of gimmicky dishes. Every dish is clearly thought out start to finish. I ordered the A5 wagyu roll with uni. You hand roll it yourself so you don't miss out on the visuals of the wagyu and uni. The uni was fresh and the wagyu melts with the seaweed wrap. For ramen I got the traditional bowl. The broth was borderline a sauce in a great way. Super creamy and rich with a smokey and sweet flavor that with the pork flavor of the broth and chashu pork reminded me of BBQ. A lightly seared thin slice of a5 wagyu rested on the edge of the bowl, memba, cabbage, chashu duck, chashu pork and marinated egg hid under the crunchy fried vegetable that I can't remember the name of but tasted almost like plantains. All of that with perfectly cooked homemade noodles just set the whole dish off. The most impressive part is the portion size. Normally an American ramen shop will serve large portions in typical American fashion that make you regret several life choices. This was not that. It was perfectly portioned to be easily finished without feeling like you pushed your limits. I finished with their matcha cheese cake. Again, properly portioned. It is served in bite sized pieces under light whipped cream and matcha dust. The matcha was not over powering and it wasn't overly sweet. It was very cream cheese forward in flavor which for me, I loved. Finally, the service. Everything happens so quickly but not in a rushed way. You are relaxed the entire time despite servers coming and going quickly, catching orders, checking on guests and bringing your order within a couple minutes of you placing your order with the server. The staff is so friendly, after you've received your order, you're essentially left alone for a decent amount of time to relax and enjoy yourself. I was able to speak with one of the servers and express my joy with the entire experience. This is a must stop location for ramen. I will be coming back the next time I'm in Houston, which I hope is soon. Is it cheap ramen? No. Is it expensive, I would say no. For the experience, quality and the grade of the ingredients, it was appropriately priced in my opinion. I forgot to mention the sparkling mango cider (which was a great pare with the meal). In total for everything pre tip was roughly $60±. Again, very fair in my eyes for the quality...

IMO Mensho is one of the best ramen joints in Houston (#1 on my list). Family wanted to wait until Mensho opens for lunch since I don't like to be in Chinatown in the evening on the weekends. We went on Sat about 10 to 15 mins after opening time and there was already a wait. The host offered us to sit at the bar for 4 which was available but we preferred a table.

We didn't have to wait long but once we stepped inside it was packed and cramped inside. The restaurant space was small so people were willing to wait outside in the heat (at least it was shaded) until being called in.

The waitress brought water and ready to take our order.

For appetizers: Chicken karage - somewhat disappointed with this app as it came to our table barely warm and the chicken was dry. The presentation made this app appealing to the eyes but tastewise was a let down :( Takoyaki - came in 4 and served piping hot topped with bonito flakes and seaweed; too much bonito flakes which made it fishy smell Aji fry - fried mackerel; this was my fave app and love the texture of the fish

For ramen, I ordered the 'Signature' and it was the best ramen I had eaten so far. First tasted the broth which was creamy but not overly thick with a depth of chicken flavor. On the first sip, I knew this would be so good so the next test was the noodles; perfect thickness and texture. Then I started tasting the toppings; the egg was smoky and the yolk was creamy (very interesting flavor as I have never had a smoked egg), the thin slice of Wagyu beef melted in my mouth, and then I dipped my chop stick into a small amount of Grey paste on top of a bed of green. It tasted like truffle and I am usually not fond of the taste but I was a somehow conflicted how this fit into this ramen bowl. The taste of truffle was not overly pungent and it was different.

I tried my sister ramen bowl which was GKO (Garlic Knock Out). The presentation was tantalizing and the broth had the essence of garlic of course but does not overpowering.

Overall the waitstaff was very attentive and friendly but I felt rushed trying to finish my ramen and my family finished their bowl. The waitress had already presented the tab for us to pay while I had to quickly slurp the last of my noodles and soup so they could clean the table for the next customers waiting outside for the table. The table next to us already finished their food before us but they were too busy talking away and hanging out. Maybe we could read the situation and were kind of enough to know that people were outside waiting for their turn to eat...

Fantastic ramen in a hip, hole-in-the-wall style spot in Bellaire Chinatown. This is the latest location from the Mensho chain in Japan, which has garnered Michelin accolades from its locations in California. Gladly, we can agree that the quality here holds up and we can't wait to go back!

Food: We ordered the signature toripaitan, classic toripaitan, spicy kaarage, and two misho soft drinks (matcha classic and yuzu classic). For meat lovers and those craving a more exciting culinary adventure, I definitely recommend the signature as it comes with several types of chashu: smoked pork, chicken, duck, and A5 wagyu. The broth is thick and creamy, and it has an intense and deep savory chicken flavor complemented by a mild smokiness, slight spice from cracked pepper, and subtle sweetness. For some reason, the texture and flavor vaguely reminded me of a very well executed carbonara sauce. There's a small dollop of truffle paste which you can mix in to add an extra layer of umami that complemented and thankfully did not overwhelm the overall flavor. Although the broth was thick, it did not feel super heavy as some similar types of ramen like tonkotsu do. The noodles were definitely the best wavy type I've ever had, cooked to perfection with an incredible al dente texture. Standout meats were the duck and A5 wagyu - duck was loaded with flavor, and the A5 wagyu gave strong buttery beef goodness. The fried burdock root they serve gives an additional nice crunchy texture. We highly recommend pairing this ramen with either of the Moshi soft drinks as they are a refreshing break from the rich ramen and serve as a pleasant sweet palate cleanser. They aren't too sweet! The spicy kaarage was delicious, the most crunchy version I've ever had with tender juicy thigh, and it was served with an interesting spicy, tangy, and semi-sweet sauce and eggplant slices.

Vibe: As it just opened a few days before we came, we arrived 30 minutes before opening at 5pm on Wednesday and were among the first seated. Huge line formed behind us, and remained after we left about 45 minutes after opening. Inside, it's a little narrow but surprisingly not cramped. Cool mix of traditional and modern Japanese decor inside.

Service: Everyone is greeted with a big "irashaimasen" (welcome)! Incredibly friendly and attentive. We were checked on every about 10 minutes it felt like. When you exit, another big "arigatou gozaimasu!"

If you are a fan of ramen, this is a must-try location in Houston. This place is Let's Eat...