Mugi to Tori 麥×鷄 (Osaka, JAPAN) ★★★★☆

Everyone was feeling the heat in Kyoto, so none of us really had much of an appetite when we were enjoying our Japanese skewers tonight. But now that we have left Umeda and back in Shinsaibashi, I suddenly found myself getting a little hungry.

While everyone else decided to call it a night, I decided to head out for something warm and comforting. And I already had the perfect spot in mind — Mugi to Tori (麥×鷄), just a few steps from our hotel.

The highly rated ramen shop was closing in less than half an hour so I had to hurry to get my ticket from the vending machine.

I last visited Mugi to Tori back in 2023, and I still vaguely remembered the lingering aftertaste of their signature broth. Tonight, I finally got to relive that moment — two years later.

Mugi x Uni (2,200 yen) — Their creamy chicken broth is blended with rich sea urchin, which makes it one of the more luxurious ramens in Shinsaibashi. The chicken broth is long-boiled, then whipped right before serving to create a smooth, velvety cap of fine bubbles—rich in flavor without feeling overly greasy.

As a fan of awa-kei (bubble-style/foam-style, 泡系) ramen, I love how the noodles seem to sink into that silky, “cappuccino-like” layer of foam on top. As usual, I took a quick sip of the broth first, then focused on the noodles. The broth was deeply umami-rich, with flavor coming from both the chicken base and the uni front and centre.

The buckwheat noodles were clinging to the broth beautifully.

The marinated soft-boiled egg was faultless.

The silky and flavorful pork chashu soaked up the broth brilliantly.

The chicken chashu was very tender and juicy.

The marinated bamboo shoots were thick-cut, giving them a really satisfying mouthfeel. But I could probably do without the seaweed and purple onion, as there were already plenty of flavors and textures in the bowl.

Earlier, while we were on the way back from Umeda, we have taken a little time to enjoy the city-wide display of illuminations along some of the main roads.

I felt really blessed to have made it to both Mugi to Tori (麥×鷄) and Men Style Tanimoto Ke Honmachi (麵スタイル谷本家 本町店), two of the most coveted ramen spots in the Shinsaibashi area. This is definitely one of the highlights of my Osaka trip.

Food Rating: 7.4/10

Price: ￥￥￥

Address: 3-1-16 Minamisenba, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 542-0081 Japan

Closest Metro Station: Shinsaibashi 

Tel: +81 (0)6 6121-7601

Website: www.instagram.com/mugi_tori

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - 10:00pm daily