Tori Douraku - Ramen That Has My Son Convinced He's in Japan
By Misty Johnson ·
"Mom, when can we go for ramen?" My son had been asking for days. Each day had been busy. Today was no different—after errands and chores, I was tired, but he had waited so long. Ramen sounded good; it was rainy and cold, and dishes after dinner would be exhausting.
"Alright," I said. "Let's go tonight!" My first thought was the place just steps away from our house. It would be so easy and pretty tasty, but it’s a local Taiwanese chain. It’s good, but my son was asking for something more traditionally Japanese. Anything less than the real deal ramen would be nothing short of a major rip-off for this kid.
So, armed with a recommendation, we set off for a little place called 鷄道樂.
鷄道樂
It is a little tricky to translate this name into English, because even in Mandarin it does not have the correct meaning, it makes more sense in Japanese. Also, it seems like the correct name for the joint is the Japanese pronunciation:Tori Douraku. But it roughly means "The Way of Chicken", or "The Joy of Chicken". I believe the name is intended to imply that it is a restaurant dedicated to perfecting chicken ramen. We later learned that the owner of this restaurant chain loves Japanese culture and is passionate about reflecting authentic flavours in his menus.
This establishment was not steps away from our house; however, we could hop in our car and park across the street under a clothing store called Net. It's right off the MRT red line at Tamsui station, conveniently near the Tamsui River Front Walk. It's been around since 2016 and has generally always been a hustling place. We happened upon it on a rainy weeknight, so for us, there was no long wait.
As we approached the main entrance, we couldn't help but notice the warm, fragrant air that felt like a cozy blanket on a cold night. Then we found a touch-screen kiosk where we could order our food and pay, and a patient host who helped us navigate the Chinese menu. We could customize how firm the noodles would be, how spicy, how many extra veggies, meat or eggs we wanted, which is very reminiscent of a ramen restaurant in Japan. My son ordered the luxury chicken ramen with extra meat, firm noodles, and medium spice. I got the miso chicken ramen with full spiciness and extra seaweed. All this, plus a Coke, was NT$600, which is a little less than US$20 bucks. Pretty good for 2 dinners and no dishes!
Inside, we sat at a long bar where we could see all the delicious magic happen right before our eyes. Bubbling broth, piping hot noodles, and friendly faces. When our ramen arrived, we were not disappointed. We both got chicken-based ramen; mine was miso, so it had a bit more umami. The broth was thick and creamy with a rich, decadent chicken flavour. The meat was cooked to perfection, and the noodles had just the right amount of chew. As I sat and watched my son happily slurp away, he smiled and said, "This place is like stepping into Japan!" Indeed, it was, and a place that we would be stepping into again very soon.
Misty Johnson
She grew up near Seattle and spent several years living in Mexico before moving to Taiwan two years ago. She explores the country through a parent's eyes, sharing night market stalls that suit picky eaters, and day trips that last past 3pm.
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