I visited “Kirinji,” an abura soba shop in front of the main gate of Kwansei Gakuin University that had its grand opening on January 6.
There are more and more abura soba shops popping up in Nishinomiya these days.
When I was a student, there used to be a bakery here called “Top Bakery,” and the second floor was a cafe called “Top Coffee.”
The second floor is still “Top Coffee,” but the shop on the first floor has changed several times over the years. This time, it has become “Kirinji,” an abura soba chain headquartered in Osaka.
What kind of place is it?
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Abura Soba “Kirinji Kwangaku-mae Branch” Food
This time I ordered the “Abura Soba with Everything” (1,050 yen).
Let’s take a look from another angle.
It looks like this.
Pour on the “vinegar” and “chili oil,” then mix everything well.
It said, “Please add at least 1 to 2 circles,” but I usually go around about 7 or 8 times with both.
The noodles are thick, and the toppings are a soft-boiled egg, pork belly chashu, menma, and nori.
Once mixed well, the toppings cling to the smooth, chewy noodles, and the flavor of white sesame joins the vinegar and chili oil. It was a delicious bowl of abura soba that felt gently flavorful even with its mild spicy kick.
I wrote that it was mildly spicy, but the chili oil here isn’t all that hot.
The vinegar also isn’t too strong, so if you like vinegar and chili oil like I do, I recommend adding plenty.
Even though it’s called abura soba, it isn’t overly oily, so I think it’s a relatively easy bowl to eat.
Abura Soba “Kirinji Kwangaku-mae Branch” Menu
This shop uses a meal ticket system, so the ticket vending machine serves as the menu.
Here it is.
There are also menus inside and outside the shop.
They also explain how to eat abura soba.
Inside Abura Soba “Kirinji Kwangaku-mae Branch”
Inside, there are counter seats and table seats.
This is what the inside looks like. It’s a pretty spacious shop.
Exterior of Abura Soba “Kirinji Kwangaku-mae Branch”
The shop is located right in front of the main gate of Kwansei Gakuin University, around where the bus stop is.
Here is the exterior of the shop.
There are still a few congratulatory flowers left from the opening.
Flowers had also arrived from Yokozuna Hakuho and Tomozuna-oyakata (former Sekiwake Kyokutenho), so I wondered if the owner might be a former sumo wrestler. But when I called the head office to ask, they said that wasn’t the case, and that the owner is close with Hakuho and Tomozuna-oyakata.
They said that during next month’s Osaka tournament, Hakuho might possibly stop by the shop.
Abura Soba “Kirinji Kwangaku-mae Branch” Shop Information
★Hours
11:00～15:30
17:00～22:00
★Closed Open daily
★Phone 0798-42-7309
★Address Hyogo PrefectureNishinomiya CityKamikotoen3-9-1
★Seats 40 seats
★Credit cards Not accepted
★Related Links
Official Website/Tabelog
(*Prices, menu items, hours, and other details are from the time of our visit. Please check directly with the shop for the latest information.)
