鶏喰 （～TRICK～）(Niwatori Trick Yokohama)

Recently Tabelog (kind of like the Yelp of Japan) announced its top 50 selection of ramen shops. One stood out right away because of an English word: Trick. Was it a trick? What did this mean? There were too many questions for me to answer. On the very next day,m after reading the list, I noticed an instant ramen in the local Family Mart of the same name! Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I hastily bought the instant ramen and thought that it was pretty good. This experience intrigued me. I made my mind up to visit Trick as soon as possible.

Open from 11-2 and then again for dinner at 6, I thought my best bet was to try to go on a weekday during lunch. There was still a line of people waiting outside on a rather chilly February day, but I diligently waited to try Trick's ramen. They have been in the top 50 for a few years and proudly display their awards in the window for the waiting patrons to see:

How exciting! Offering both shio and shoyu flavors with their signature chicken meatball and 3 kinds of meat, Trick is certainly a unique shop. It is also quite small with a hightop counter and one table that was most likely an after thought due to their popularity. I ordered the shio and sat watching chef Noboru Nishigaki work his magic. In fluid movements olive oil was placed in bowls, meatballs and dumplings were transformed into toppings, eggs were cut with string, and just like that it was over. A tall bowl of shio ramen was placed in front of me:

Topped with one slice of red onion, thinly sliced negi, nori, roast beef, pork, chicken, a chicken meatball, a wonton, an egg, and baby greens, Trick's bowl is no joke. It is a bowl bustling with flavors. Is that rosemary on the chicken? Yes. Is there olive oil in the wonton? Yes. Each element brought its own flavor. The noodles were also a standout here.

A light and thin buck wheat cooked on the softer side really held the shio for a satisfying slurp. I confirmed with Chef Noboru Nishigaki that what I had tasted was correct and he was all too happy to answer me. He also complimented me on my slurping skills. Trick serves up a friendly atmosphere and a truly unique bowl of ramen. If you ever find yourself in Kannai take a walk down the road and visit Trick. 5/5 

Twitter, facebook, tabelog, a link to the top 50 Ramen Shops, and as always the map!