Tokyo Ramen Trip 2008 - Day 5 (Part 2)

SHINYOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM

Back again!

I'm running out of time so I'll have to be brief. The museum was definitely less crowded during the week. Almost empty. Every shop only had a few customers so I recommend that you go on a weekday and take your time enjoying the town.

Shinasobaya: I regretted not being able to try this so it's one of the main reasons I'm back again.

The "demon" himself, Chef Minoru Sano.


This shoyu-ramen was very assari. A great way to start off the night. The noodles were straight and chewy and the toppings (chashu, menma, negi, and nori) obeyed nicely.


This Ukokkei yude-tamago is an egg from a special chicken that only lays eggs once-a-week as opposed to daily for a regular chicken. This egg cost an additional 300 yen (about 3 dollars) and was well worth it!


The yoke just melted in my mouth with a distinct shoyu flavor.


Keyaki: My choices of ramen have been lacking vegetables lately, so I thought Keyaki's miso ramen would be a perfect fit.


Deemed a ramen that "appeals to five senses," it felt like it appealed to a few more that I never knew I had. The soup had a sweet miso taste with a little spice from the togarashi. The vegetables were delicious and just what I needed.


The noodles were curly and slurptastic!


Ryushanhai: Being so full after the first two, I didn't think my stomach could take anymore. But I was determined to try another that I missed in round 1. I've had my eye on Ryushanhai's karamiso topping since I first walked in.


I really wish there were more of me. This karamiso was an interesting combination of sweet and spicy. Sweet from the miso base and spicy from the karamiso topping. After one sip, I instantly understood its popularity.


To be continued...

Tokyo Ramen Trip 2008 - Day 2 (Part 3)

SHINYOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM (Part 3)

The gift shop offers plenty of instant ramen packages of your favorite ramen to take home. I couldn't resist buying almost every kind they had, but since they all probably wouldn't fit in my suitcase, I only bought the ones pictured here.


Here's some varieties of canned ramen and udon that I've found along the way. I have yet to try them, but I can tell you that the noodles are made out of konyaku--a jellylike potato flour that doesn't expand.


Instant Santouka, Rameniac's favorite ramen in a box.


Credits go out to all the people we talked with and all the people who wrote the various brochures we read at the ShinYokohama Raumen Museum. I can't wait to return.

Tokyo Ramen Trip 2008 - Day 2 (Part 2)

SHINYOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM (Part 2)

Hachiya - Asahikawa City: The story behind this ramen-ya is a very interesting one. Originally an ice cream shop, Kato-san was so impressed when trying ramen for the first time, he made a heroic attempt at creating a version of his own. With a bit of luck and perserverance, this original ramen became an instant hit. Then, in 1964, Kato-san was involved in a car accident and experienced a severe case of amnesia. He never regained his memory and it was thought that his exquisit ramen recipe would be lost forever. That is when his son, Naozumi, and grandson, Nobumasa (who is also the head of the museum), gathered the memories of all their relatives and townspeople and began to recreate this famous soup. And finally just last year, 60 years after this tragic accident, it is believed that this recreation was painstakingly attained.


The shoyu ramen is flat out the best I've ever had. The very first thing I noticed when trying the soup was an unnatural burnt taste that left my taste buds spinning. It turns out that the lard is charred before being inserted to the broth. Wow! This cloudy soup does not disappoint. The toppings (chashu, menma, negi) were great as well. You can also add raw garlic if you like. There's plenty of it in a jar on the table. The noodles were also outstanding. I must be living a dream.


Komurasaki - Kumamoto City: While others were inserting raw garlic to their ramen, Komurasaki had the delightful idea of grilling it to emphasize its spice. Its mild tonkotsu nature blended with chicken bones are further enhanced with this grilling technique.


I ordered the Oosama-ramen, their most popular one. The soup reminded me a lot like Shinsengumi back home, but with a lot more to offer. The toppings (chashu, menma, moyashi, negi, mushrooms, and charred garlic) were plentiful and overwhelming. The thin hakata-style noodles were also a hit. I thought about only taking a few sips to save room for others, but I ended up finishing the entire bowl. It was too good to let waste.


To be continued...

Tokyo Ramen Trip 2008 - Day 2 (Part 1)

SHINYOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM (Part 1)

Someone once told me that the ShinYokohama Raumen Museum was tsumannai (boring). They obviously weren't a fan of ramen! This museum is great! Only us ramen crazies can truly appreciate an establishment like this. I'll try to do my best to bring the museum to you in the pics and paragraphs that follow. I might also be going back during the week, since it was just way too crowded on this Sunday. Plus, they only serve gyoza during the week. (Forgive me if the pics don't look very good. I don't have any editing software on this computer since it's not mine.) Also, ShinYokohama is about an hour outside of Tokyo so don't let my title mislead you.


Featuring 8 different ramen shops from around Japan labeled as the "new generation of ramen," the ShinYokohama Ramen Museum has something every ramen fan can enjoy. Too crowded and too enamored to try them all, I did manage to wait in 30-minute lines for 2 of the 8 ramen shops. All of the shops serve "mini-ramen" so don't worry about wasting any if you feel like trying them all.


Here is the lineup:

1. Ido Shoten - A unique mild tonkotsu shoyu broth from Wakayama.


2. Shinasobaya - Considered "the Demon of ingredients," owner-chef Minoru Sano is notorious for being a devil on all fronts. He'll even kick you out of his shop if you're cell phone rings while you're in there. His mild broth is prepared with several kinds of chicken and tonkotsu.


3. Keyaki - A miso flavored soup from Sapporo prepared by chef Hideki Nitori, who has a mission of creating a dish which appeals to all five senses.


4. Ryushanhai - Features the unique "karamiso ramen" invented in 1960 from Yamagata.


5. Hachiya - Grilled lard never sounded so good. From Asahikawa city.


6. Harukiya - Founded in 1949 after WWII, this is the oldest ramen shop in Tokyo. Featuring a home made hand-kneaded noodle in a shoyu-based fish broth.


7. Fukuchan - Hakata-style ramen with a sharp, rich taste. They invented the tradition of adding raw garlic to your ramen.


8. Komurasaki - A mild tonkotsu-based soup with grilled garlic chips, originating from Kumamoto.

To be continued...