I originally wanted to go to this Youki because it is consistently ranked in the Hiroshima top 5. But since that one is only open at night and I was looking for lunch, I decided to try the Youki in Yokogawa that is supposedly run by another family member. So I arrived at the peak of lunch to a packed house--always a good sign! With only three things on the menu (ramen, rice ball, and beer), this was my kind of ramen house. The ramen was unusually light for a Hiroshima-style chuuka soba that usually screams shoyu, but the flavor was flat-out fantastic. And the noodles...wow! I normally don't notice the actual flavor of noodles when I eat ramen, but this homemade batch was very different. The clean, salty flavor of the noodles noticeably stood out and its inherent sliminess was remarkably good in a unique sort of way. If I hadn't eaten an hour earlier, I could have easily ordered another bowl!
From Hiroshima Station take the Sanyō line one station down to Yokogawa and it's about a 6-minute walk from there. Fortunately, I had a friend drive me there so I won't be able to tell you the exact route. They are open from 11:30am to 2:30pm and from 4:30pm to 9pm and closed on Sundays.
Other sites that mention Youki Yokogawa-ten:
Showing posts with label Japan-Hiroshima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan-Hiroshima. Show all posts
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Shanghai Souhonten (上海総本店) - Hatchobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
Shanghai Souhonten is consistently in the top 10 when searching the various ramen rankings of Hiroshima City. Since it was so close to my hotel and because they open so early (gotta love Japan!), I knew I could squeeze a bowl in for a late breakfast. The first thing you notice when you walk in is a huge tub of oden sitting in a nasty-looking vat that appears like it hasn't been washed for years (see second-to-last slide). Apparently it is self serve at 100 yen/piece. I didn't try it because at first I wasn't sure if it was safe, but now I regret it. I bet it was good! Anyway, the ramen here is typical Hiroshima with that strong shoyu flavor that gives me goosebumps. This place, in particular, tasted like I was licking burnt shoyu from a pan. Awesome! The menma also retained that deep shoyu flavor without being mushy. The chashu was fairly dry but still tasted good and the starchy noodles stood up well to match the soup.
From Hiroshima station take the Hiroden Streetcar (#1, #2, or #6) to Hatchobori. Then it's about a 5-minute walk in the North direction. You can also take the #9 streetcar from Hatchobori to Jogakuinmae, but I found it better to walk. They are open from 10:30am to 9pm and closed on Sundays.
Other sites that mention Shanghai Souhonten:
From Hiroshima station take the Hiroden Streetcar (#1, #2, or #6) to Hatchobori. Then it's about a 5-minute walk in the North direction. You can also take the #9 streetcar from Hatchobori to Jogakuinmae, but I found it better to walk. They are open from 10:30am to 9pm and closed on Sundays.
Other sites that mention Shanghai Souhonten:
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Suzume (すずめ) - Nishi-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
Suzume is possibly the most popular ramen shop in Hiroshima. The ramen is excellent, but as the shop owner proclaims: "They only come to see the Kobukuro signature." I doubt that. Suzume also has ties to Shimai, but I'm not exactly sure where they intersect. The soup consists of a rich tonkotsu and chicken base with a good amount of shoyu. I like it and I'm sure you will too.
From Hiroshima Station take the #2 Hiroden Streetcar to Koami-cho. Walk over the bridge and make a left on the first street heading South. After a few blocks you'll see Suzume on your right. Open from 3pm to 9pm. Closed on Sundays and every 14th of the month.
Other sites that mention Suzume:
From Hiroshima Station take the #2 Hiroden Streetcar to Koami-cho. Walk over the bridge and make a left on the first street heading South. After a few blocks you'll see Suzume on your right. Open from 3pm to 9pm. Closed on Sundays and every 14th of the month.
Other sites that mention Suzume:
Shimai (しまい) - Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
Shimai has been around for years. But according to my friend, the original shop closed when the owner passed away. And it wasn't until his son resurrected the recipe and reopened at a new location years later. Naturally, one would like to know how close the son came to the original soup, but sadly...I'll never know. This Hiroshima-style Chuuka Soba is very salty. It's practically a tonkotsu-shoyu with added salt. It's good, but probably not worth the trouble getting here. The gyoza is also their specialty and they are filled with garlic and chives. They were kickin'! (along with my breath).
The new location is very, very far from the main city. If you don't have a car, then I wish you all the luck in finding it. I apologize for not being able to provide precise directions, but like I said before it's probably not worth the trouble. Open from 11am to 9pm. Closed on Wednesdays.
Other sites that mention Shimai:
The new location is very, very far from the main city. If you don't have a car, then I wish you all the luck in finding it. I apologize for not being able to provide precise directions, but like I said before it's probably not worth the trouble. Open from 11am to 9pm. Closed on Wednesdays.
Other sites that mention Shimai:
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Ichimasa (いちまさ) - Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Japan
Hiroshima is one of my favorite cities. And Ichimasa is one of my favorite ramen/udon/soba/bento/donburi-ya's. I could be biased since our families have known each other from way back before I was born, but no...this place is a hidden gem! It's a tad far from the excitement of the main city, but go ahead and be adventurous. Try the ramen, try the udon, try everything, and take a couple bento's to go. You'll be happy you did.
From the Hiroshima Peace Park, get on bus 24 in the West direction. (If you're on the side of the street with the Museum, then make sure you cross the street first.) Get off at Yoshijima Byouin Mae. After getting off the bus, backtrack to the intersection you just passed and head West down the street with a Police Box on the corner. Follow that street all the way down and you'll see Ichimasa on your left. Call for their hours.
Other sites that mention Ichimasa:
From the Hiroshima Peace Park, get on bus 24 in the West direction. (If you're on the side of the street with the Museum, then make sure you cross the street first.) Get off at Yoshijima Byouin Mae. After getting off the bus, backtrack to the intersection you just passed and head West down the street with a Police Box on the corner. Follow that street all the way down and you'll see Ichimasa on your left. Call for their hours.
Other sites that mention Ichimasa:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Day 20 - Experiencing Peace in Hiroshima
If you haven't been to Hiroshima, I recommend that you try. It's a very historical city that will grab you by the heart and show you what makes it beat. I have history here as well. My father was born in Hiroshima and was 3 years old when the bomb was dropped. Luckily, his family lived on the other side of a hill that shielded them from the blast and radiation. Everybody, at least once in their lives, needs to visit Hiroshima and its Peace Museum. I first came when I was nineteen and it changed my life forever.
As you may have seen in the slideshow, I visited three ramen-ya's today and one crazy izakaya. The first was Ichimasa, which is run by the old owners of Ebisu Market in Fountain Valley back when it was just a market. [Many thanks to the Doi family for taking me out tonight!] The other two are staples of Hiroshima Ramen. I'll give full reviews when I get back home, but Suzume was some of the best tasting shoyu-tonkotsu I've had yet...
As you may have seen in the slideshow, I visited three ramen-ya's today and one crazy izakaya. The first was Ichimasa, which is run by the old owners of Ebisu Market in Fountain Valley back when it was just a market. [Many thanks to the Doi family for taking me out tonight!] The other two are staples of Hiroshima Ramen. I'll give full reviews when I get back home, but Suzume was some of the best tasting shoyu-tonkotsu I've had yet...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)