らーめん中々 (Ramen Naka Naka Hakuraku)

Lately I realized that I have overlooked a very popular flavor of ramen: Shoyu. Shoyu is a soy sauce broth that's usually on the lighter side. It was just what I was after during my most recent ramen research. Enter らーめん中々 (Ramen Naka Naka), famous for both its shio and shoyu flavors! This is a shop located in a small alleyway in Hakuraku. I have written about this area before, but it bears repeating that Hakuraku is an interesting area that harks back to 1970's/80's Japan. Think Formica counter tops, nicotine stained ceilings, small dimly lit yakitori and oden shops, and vintage posters. Hakuraku appeals to a strange nostalgia I have for all things decades old.

Ramen Naka Naka is no exception to the alleyway aesthetic that I so enjoy. Sliding doors open to a cozy, small, counter only shop. 

Their simple menu only has a few options, a welcome site in an age with too many options. Can you tell I've been warped by nostalgia? I went with my friend. I ordered wonton ramen and he ordered negi ramen. We were able to watch as our bowls were composed of soysauce and all the toppings.

As you can see there are few variations to both bowls: negi cooked with pork vs wonton, chashu, and bok choy. Each had very thin sliced negi and garlic. Highlights inlcude a perfectly seasoned egg, very nicely cooked chashu, and delicious gummy wontons. The noodles were also thin, but crinkly, which we both thought were cooked perfectly. We agreed that the addition of pepper (the only condiment offered) helped bring out more flavor. The base was nothing special, but overall not a detractor because towards the end of our bowls we felt the flavor mixed well with all the bits of negi and garlic left over. Naka Naka has a solid shoyu bowl of ramen: 4/5.

Map and a link to tabelog!

豚星。(Buta Hoshi/Pig Star Motosumiyoshi)

After all the chicken ramen and light shios I have had lately I started to crave a deep fatty pork experience. Still on the look out for the top ramen shops in the area I narrowed it down to 豚星 (Buta Hoshi). This roughly translates as pig star and it is totally within walking distance of my home! Would it be a shining star among the top ramen shops listed in Kanagawa? It was something else, that's for sure.

Buta Hoshi is a neighborhood shop and it seemed like a lot of regulars and locals were eating a late lunch/early dinner yesterday, as I strolled in around 4 o'clock. Their interior is at the opposite end of the boutique scale: dimly lit counter seating with very low seats and an open kitchen. Toppings that you may want to add are listed above the kitchen and you should be ready to choose a few or just know how to order them all (which I did). Having studied the menu I selected a large portion of the special spicy bowl.

It came out and I felt like Alice. Had I just shrunk by 20 percent or was the bowl really that big? It was really that big. This picture does not do the scale justice. I thought: my god, what have I done? Topped with a mountain of bean sprouts, cabbage, garlic, pork fat, with a snow peak of hot chili powder, Buta Hoshi makes a seriously challenging bowl. I penetrated the surface and ate through most of the toppings.

Buta Hoshi uses a thick noodle that went well with their base, but I found the whole thing a little too spicy. Their super thick pork slices were cooked well, but nothing special, yet I did see them sell two whole pork rolls to people that put them in ziplock bags, so it must be popular. If I return I will be sure to order the small, for as much as I tried, I couldn't finish. I want to try their regular bowl devoid of any spicy extras and I take this as a challenge! Bring on round II!! However, this particular time Buta Hoshi gets a 3.5/5 for unimpressive pork and too much spice.

Tabelog, twitter, and a map!

らぁ麺やまぐち (Ramen Yamaguchi Takadanobaba/Waseda)

This week I was still questing after the top ramen shops listed by Tabelog and I ended up at a shop near Takadanobaba, らぁ麺やまぐち (Ramen Yamaguchi). They have made it to the top a couple years running and of course proudly display their awards. Their minimalistic shop has no condiments and a kitchen tucked away in the back. I actually really enjoy watching ramen chefs at work, so this was a slight disappointment. I managed to sneak a peek from my vantage point:

It seemed to take longer than usual for a simple shio, but out came my bowl complete with 2 slices of chicken, a sparse gathering of baby greens, thinly sliced negi, menma, and an egg:

OK, sometimes I forgive a lack of condiments if the bowl is truly deserving of no alterations, but I would have been happy to add some pepper. What Yamaguchi really has going for it is the base. A bountiful banty flavor that was both complex and light. Thin buckwheat style noodles were slightly overcooked for my liking, but the additional bowl of egg noodles was spot on. However I was unimpressed by the cook on both slices of meat. The white meat had a gummy feel and the other slice lacked any flavor at all. Sadly, the egg was also overcooked. I felt a little disappointed as I finished and wondered how Yamaguchi made it into the top 50 twice. Not my cup of tea, but perhaps someone else's? 3.5/5

Tabelog, their official blog, and a map!