Kyuramen X Tbaar

Sitting down with a hot bowl of ramen nestled in nori (pork broth) with segmented portions of Chashu pork, shrimp tempura, marinated egg, bamboo shoots, corn, and wakame with scallions to garnish is a Japanese meal of bliss. The options for protein, vegetable, ramen, and broth are just the beginning. Kyuramen is here to help Jackson get their hands around a comforting dish.

“Everything is made fresh,” said Kyuramen manager Nina Shockley. “Our dishes (in person) look the same as they do on the menu, and they taste like they look.”

The Kyuramen restaurants create the stereotypical Japanese ramen—the tonkotsu shio ramen from South Japan’s Kyushu Island and all the customary choices. The tonkotsu shio ramen is made with a milky white soup and is most acceptable to the masses. However, ramen is divided into three major styles in Japan: South Japan’s Kyushu Shio Style, Central Japan’s Tokyo Shouyu Style, and the Hokkaido Miso Style. Each has a distinctive flavor that potentially caters to those with more adventurous tastes and other exotic dishes.

The classic omurice is a popular entree featuring a fluffy omelet egg on top of chicken fried rice, topped with your choice of Curry Sauce or demi-glace. The egg is cut open and spills over into the rice for a creamy bite. The food is dramatically highlighted in the island nation experience, which includes ambiance with a wish tree, honeycombs, and private booths adorned with a curtain for an intimate outing.

“It’s pretty unique in here,” Shockley said. “It’s very cool with nice aesthetics. Very different from anywhere else. Looking from the outside, it looks small, but as soon as you step in, you get a cool atmosphere like the Japanese feeling. We’ve got the honeycombs and esthetics. It’s beautiful here, honestly. It’s very different from a lot of places.”

There are so many dishes to hara hachi bu as the Japanese do, which means, “Eat until you’re 80% full.” The term originated in Okinawa, where people use this advice to control their eating habits and keep their country fairly healthier than most. Their handmade drinks are complimentary to the plentiful menu of ramen, rice, and appetizers. The Tbaar has smoothies and fresh teas to wash down a bowl or as a treat without a meal. Whether customers come with friends or alone, as the Japanese commonly do, they’ll get a glimpse of the beautifully disciplined culture.

“We have Japanese people come in all the time and say they feel like they are back in Japan,” said Shockley. “They love it.”