らぁめん夢 (Raamen Dream Higashi-Kanagawa)

Is it real or is it a dream? My ongoing quest to uncover the best of the best in Yokohama revealed Raamen Dream near Higashi-Kanagawa station. I have also been on the lookout for shoyu flavors and though Ramen Naka Naka was good, I thought there must be better shoyu in the Yokohama area. Located near a park on a busy main road, Raamen Dream is not immediately impressive or noticeable. It isn't boutique for sure, and probably already had my heart from its very basic setting. Counter only seating and not many at that, but with a great view to all the action in the kitchen. I ordered the special which comes with nori, an egg, three slices of chashu, spinach, negi, 3 wontons, and a syringe of smoked dashi!

Without adding anything I tried the base, which my friend and I observed was made by combining the obligatory shoyu, oil, and a stock from the stove, and then more oil. It was absolutely superb. Our ramen chef moved with an impressive amount of attention to deatil.  My friend also asked for no pork and he refunded us for the missing pork. How kind! This is what I really love about independent shops, kindness and attention to detail. We both agreed that there must have been something to the oil. A deep flavor, but without being too heavy. Best shoyu I have had to date (though it is a flavor I need to explore more). Other standouts? A perfectly seasoned egg, which was heated for our consumption and very smokey thick chashu. I tried the dashi on the spinach because that was the only element lacking flavor, but I don't think it was needed overall. This is a standout bowl all on its own. 5/5

Their twitter, tablelog link, and a map!

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!

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!

瞠 恵比寿店 (Miharu Ebisu)

Ebisu is a stylish area within about a 15 minute walk to Shibuya. Going there for a day and wandering around window shopping is highly recommended. After a day of exploring you may be hungry and in the mood for ramen. I know I usually am! I was there just yesterday visiting with friend having a few beers at Yebisu Yokochu, a transformed enclosed alley featuring many smaller shops hocking beer, oden, yakitori and amongst other foods. We got there a little too early, but I would like to return when it is bustling with people! After the beer I wanted ramen so off we went to Miharu Ebisu. To keep in step with its trendy surroundings Miharu is a sleek shop with a wooden counter, jazz music, and limited toppings, which for some reason, include Tabasco sauce. Their staff, dressed in black is a little too serious for me, but I bought my ticket and took a seat. This is a fish based ramen and I chose the standard with an egg. However it seems that their most popular dish is their 油そば (fatty soba). I regret nothing! But if I return I would like to try this dish packed with toppings and noodles:

Out came my ramen as sleek as the shop itself. No bells and whistles here. Just nori, a thick slice of chashu, green onion, menma, and an egg:

This is the correct amount of menma, unless otherwise requested! Base was a nice, but fairly standard bonito, populated by firm noodles. There are no complaints, but no particular praises here at Miharu. Egg and chashu cooked perfectly but both cold. I tried the Tobasco, a first for me at a ramen shop, and it was interesting, but not something I would do on a regular basis. This is a solid bowl of ramen but not a spectacular one. I also felt like the staff was a little cold if not rude. Overall Miharu is a 3.5/5.

Tabelog, twitter, and as always a map!

つけ麺 櫻坂 (Sakura Zaka)

On a cold February evening, there is nothing better to lift one's spirits than hunting for ramen. A friend and I did just that in the Shibuya area the other night. So this makes this another double review! I have written about Shibuya before, and in the more popular areas there are many chain shops, but we were after something different. Something off the beaten path. My friend uses an app to find good ramen called ramen map! Technology is so exciting. This is how we located Sakura Zaka. The red pin on the map indicated that it is a popular shop. In we went. A cozy, familiar interior that I associate with old style Japan was a welcome comfort from the cold.

There are three flavor options at Sakura Zaka, miso, shio, and fish. My friend decided on the fish and I decided on the shio. Each of us chose the option that came with extra chashu and egg. I was delighted to learn each came with an egg and a half!

Both came topped with ample amounts of negi and chashu hiding just below the surface. On the left is the shio and the right is the fish. Both seasoned and rich in flavor, our only complaint was that we felt that the base was on the slightly oily side (not the best for either shio or fish ramen, after all, we weren't expecting tonkotsu). That is a detractor for some and a plus for others. Though cold, the chashu was cooked perfectly and falling apart in the stock. A+ there! But another hidden surprise was the menma, You can see it in the shio bowl right next to the egg. I don't really enjoy menma and so that much in my ramen (there was really a lot) was a slight detractor. Condiments available were only pepper and chili pepper flakes, though I think the flavor was quite good on its own merits. I would have like some sesame though! For me Sakura Zaka is a solid 4/5, a great egg and chashu, but too much menma and grease.

Link and a Map!