It’s no secret that I love Meshikou. I’ve been going there since their grand opening back in 2014 after reading an Alt Eats blog post announcing Columbus’s first dedicated ramen shop. At the time, I was stuck in a soul-crushing job and was in desperate need of a morale boost.
When we walked in, the place was completely empty. We grabbed seats at the bar and ended up chatting with the owner for a while. I ordered the Spicy Miso ramen, and from the very first bite, I was hooked.
By the next week we had to go back. Word had clearly gotten out and there was a 45-minute wait. Totally worth it. One of my favorite parts is that after all these years, the owner still stops by to say hi whenever we come in.
Meshikou is located in the shopping plaza at Bethel and Godown Road. In an area known for fantastic restaurants Meshikou is my favorite. Sitting at their counter being elbow to elbow with other diners brings me back to ramen shops in Japan. and recently they added a sleek new bar space.
Favorite drinks: Meshikou Sour and J Cold Noodle(pictured below). The Meshikou Sour has layers of complexity due to the addition of spices, it is not your average sour. It has notes of apple that makes this drink one that I keep coming back to. The J cold noodle is a perfect summer drink, it is citrusy with notes of cucumber. There is a surprising hint of sesame that helps balance out the sweetness. It is refreshing and crushable. Honorable mentions go to the Cloudy Long Island Iced Tea and the Oolong Mule.
Favorite apps: Meshikou knows their way around fried chicken. I always suggest the K.F.C. Wings, Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, and Karaage. Both wings have a significant crunch without being overly breaded. The Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are seasoned with a house blend of white pepper, salt and served with garlic, onions and jalapeno. The KCF wings are lightly sauced in a sweet garlic soy sauce. Honorable mention goes to the Crab Tacos. People love them, but I am allergic to shellfish.
Favorite mains:
The Spicy Miso Paitan Ramen: I love spicy Meshikou’s miso ramen. All of their broths are made in house and the flavors they achieve are the best in Columbus. It is bold, savory, with a hint of spicy. Topped with pork belly, kikurage mushrooms, corn, white scallions, and a soft-boiled egg, it is a treat and one of my favorite dishes in Columbus.
The Karaage Ramen: This dish is Meshikou’s shoyu (soy sauce) paitan ramen is served with fish cakes, kikurage mushrooms, white scallions, and a soft-boiled egg. It also comes with a side of karaage to texturally break things up. Karaage is a style of fried chicken from Japan that is normally marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and sake, then coated in potato starch before being fried. The Karaage is served with a spicy house citrus dipping sauce.
What to know before going: Meshikou does not take reservations. It’s first come, first serve. There is ample parking, and they offer carryout. If you go around standard dinner time 5:30-7 there will be a wait.
Final Note: It is a great value with bowls of ramen costing between $14.50 – $16.50, when we wrote this article. I love this place.
Meshikou
1506 Bethel Rd
Columbus, OH 43220
(614) 457-1689
Socials
Instagram: @meshikou
Facebook: @Meshikou
Cuisine: Japanese [specialty: Ramen]
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