Misen, Taiwanese restaurant loved by locals in Nagoya

07/09/2024

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What is favorite food in Nagoya? Taiwan ramen!?

When it comes to Nagoya’s specialties, “Nagoya-meshi” comes to mind. It includes unique dishes like hitsumabushi, kishimen, and tenmusu. Among the unique Nagoya-meshi dishes, one that stands out as particularly unusual is Taiwan Ramen. Many people might wonder, “Nagoya’s specialty, Taiwan Ramen?” In fact, even Japanese people living outside of Nagoya often have the same question. Taiwan Ramen can be enjoyed at many Chinese restaurants in Nagoya, but it originated at a Taiwanese restaurant called Misen. Misen is a Taiwanese restaurant founded in 1947 by a person from Taiwan. They modified Taiwanese ramen to suit the strong flavors preferred by the people of Nagoya, and it became explosively popular, eventually becoming a Nagoya specialty.

Misen is now operated by the founder’s children, who run multiple locations throughout Nagoya. It’s said that the seasoning varies slightly from one restaurant to another. I visited the Misen location in Yanagibashi. The dish in the photo is stir-fried spinach. It tastes similar to the stir-fried morning glory I had in Thailand, but with spinach as the main ingredient instead. The garlic flavor is strong, and it’s delicious.

A staple at Chinese restaurants in Japan is stir-fried shrimp with mayonnaise, and this dish also has a rich flavor. The Yanagibashi location was bustling with many salarymen stopping by after work. While it might seem odd to find a Taiwanese restaurant in Nagoya, I think it’s an experience worth enjoying.