地球の中華そば (Hoshino Chuukasoba Isezaki Chojamachi)

This summer I am determined to try the top 10 ramen shops of Kanagawa as listed by tabelog. I have been to number 1 and number 4, but now it's time for number...5. 地球の中華そば  (Hoshino Chuukasoba) in Isezaki Chojamachi roughly translates to Earth of China. My thoughts are that soba is a noodle made of buckwheat and buckwheat comes from the ground. Regardless of the meaning it is number 5 and a must visit for me. If you go be prepared to wait in line. There was already one formed at 11:45 and they open for lunch at 11:30:

However the woman that helps manage the flow of the line is quite friendly and helped me navigate their machine to make sure I got what I really wanted: Tan Tan Men. I waited for my bowl while observing two quiet chefs in a relaxing atmosphere. Soothing music and slurping customers were the only sounds heard at Hoshino Chuukasoba. With a smile from the waitress my bowl was served:

The bowl itself is full of complex flavors starting with black and red pepper and ending in what I believe to be star anise. Not only was the broth a knockout, but so were the noodles, a thin buckwheat perfectly holding the ground meat and spices classic to Tan Tan Men. I have experienced mouth on fire Tan Tan and this is not one of them. It has a high level of spice but there is no numbness or dulling of the flavor due to heat. Finishing an excellent experience was a perfectly gelled and seasoned egg! I would like to return and try their take on shio, which looked equally as delicious. 5/5 

Tabelog and a map :D

Homemade Ramen 麦苗 (Oomori)

There is no avoiding a line at Homemade Ramen in Oomori. Even arriving 15 minutes before they open for dinner there will be people that are waiting before you. Perhaps that's because they only opened 2 months ago and everyone can't wait to try a new ramen shop. A new shop that's already in the top 500? Seems suspect. The first round of customers took about 45 minutes to be served and shortly after that they were already closing for dinner at a count of 23 people. Homemade Ramen is a stylish shop outside and in, decked out with reclaimed wood and rustic decorations complete with earthenware cups and bowls.

Their menu is limited to anchovy shoyu with varying degrees of toppings. Choosing the special (it comes with all the toppings including a wonton) I took a seat. I noticed that despite the shop being well designed otherwise that perhaps they could have used the same attention to detail in the kitchen. Their service was slow because they can only make 3 sets of noodles at a time. As the say patience is a virtue and I waited diligently for my bowl. Finally it was served!

2 cuts of pork, pork loin and pork belly, an egg, a shrimp wonton, ribboned negi, and of course obligatory menma and nori top Homemade Ramen's anchovy shoyu broth. Homemade ramen's real champion are their noodles: straight and firm buckwheat with a nice bite. The cook on the pork loin was quite nice and flavorful but the belly could have used some more heat, as the fat wasn't completely rendered out the way it should be. Standard menma, and what tasted to be somewhat stale negi, as well as an overcooked egg were definite drawbacks. The base was a unexceptional shoyu, and a little too oily for my tastes. Homemade Ramen is not worth the wait or the line even if the atmosphere is nice and the noodles are homemade. 3.5/5

Map, twitter, and tabelog