by Mike Massey
I imagine the word "ramen" conjures up images of steaming hot Styrofoam cups for most of you.
Thankfully, I have been given this space to try and save you from your folly. You may thank me later. For now, just consider yourself lucky to live in Kanagawa, for you are perfectly positioned to sample some of the best REAL ramen Japanhas to offer.
You may be thinking to yourself, "What's so complicated about a steaming bowl of noodles?" Perhaps, after sampling the diversity available at each of the following sops, yo will feel differently. Perhaps not.
Caveat: Good ramen is not good for conversation. If you're looking for a place to sit down and relax with some rfriends, a ramen shop might be a poor choice. Oh, and be prepared to stand in line at any of the following places.
Ichirian: The first step (with order forms available in English!)
Location: Sakuragicho subway station, upthe escalator from exit 2B.
This place is a great first step for an introduction to the complexities of the way of the noodle. First off, you have to buy tickets for your food before you sit down. You can orer at you table, but you'll want at least a ramen ticket. You will also be expected to seat ourself. The illuminated blue lights on the panel when you first enter represent open seats. When you sit down in your semi-private ramen cubicle, you will be presented with an order form with no less than seven different categories. My personal suggestions are green onions and super chewy noodles, the rest you'll have to decide for yourself. Anything above double the "secret spicy sauce"�@is not for the faint of heart (I've only gone up to triple myself). One last thing: they offer noodle refills (known as "kaedama"). You can buy kaedama tickets when you arrive or you can order them from your seat. You'll be given a little metal plate which you can place on the red rectangle toget your noodles. Don't forget to save your soup! You can't get a soup refill!
Ippudo; Garlic breath awaits
Location; Yokohama station, inside Porta
While Ichiran is quite spicy, Ippudo is at the other end of the taste scale. Rather than spicy sauce and garlic, Ippudo ramen simply uses lots of garlic. The people lining up outside aren't mistaken, though, as it's very tasty. You can specify the texture of your noodles here, too, as with Ichiran. However, even though both places have a "chokatamen" (very chewy noodles) option, I have found that Ippudo's "kona otoshi" (supposedly one step above "cho kata" is about on par with Ichiran's "cho kata/" I leave these observations to you, my bretheren, to verify.
Santoka: And now for something completely different
Location: From the yokohama station Sotetsu line exit, walk past Yokyu Hands and turn left at the first major intersection. Walk down the comparatively quiet street, and it's on your left. I hope that's correct, anyway.
Santoka ramen is very different from the previous two. While both of them are the "Hataka" (Kyushu) style ramen, Santoka comes from Hokkaido. Don't miss the "shio" ramen here, the flavor is unlike any other "tonkotsu" ramen in the area. The noodles are already "al dente," so you won't have to do any special ordering. If you're feeling adventurous, you can order the "tokusen toroniku," which is limited to fifty orders each from 11am and 6pm daily. Arrive at eleven or six if you want to sample whis particular delight. You might have to wait thirty minutes or longer to eat here,but it's well worth it.
Yoshimuraya: Not for the faint of heart, don't go alone the first time.
Location: You'll pass it walking to Santoka, you can see one while standing outside the other.
This place is famous in Yokohamafor its rude owner. Apparently the guy is really mean, but I've never personally provoked his wrath. Give him a break, though, because his ramen is really good. Don't go alone the first time, that's my advice! Look at it this way: They have so many people waiting to eat their ramen, they have as many seats outside as they do in, and people still stand. It's gotta be good! In some cases, this "herd phenomenon" is not entirely supported by reality, but the reality of Yoshimuraya is that it is VERY good food. The major differences between this place and the others are twofold: the noodles are much thicker (they resemble udon), and you can add ass much garlic, vinegar, and spice (of many different varieties) as you want. You can also ask them to do your noodles and soup to order(my personal preference is "aji kome kata men," or strong taste , chewy noodles) Ask your favorite JTE to eat ramen with you, and try this place out! Just don't piss off the man...
Anyway, this is the end of our Yokohama ramen tour. All four of these shops offer "tonkotsu" ramen, but you might be surprised at the broad spectrum of variations. The next time someone asks you to go to the Yokohama ramen museum, now you can tell them you don't neet to , you already know where the good ramen is at. And it's NOT in a styrofoam cup.