サツプラ
I visited for lunch on my day off. I had been trekking on Shirai-dake in the morning and thought about having some hot ramen before heading back, so I checked out the ramen options from the car window. I saw a sign for a big lobster ramen. "Oh, they use lobster," I thought to myself. Lobster must be a high-end ingredient, as I don't have many opportunities to eat it in Hokkaido. Intrigued, I decided to visit this shop for the first time, and the shared parking lot with the neighboring izakaya was convenient. The shop's sign mentioned lobster tsukemen, ramen, and abura soba. Upon entering, I saw that there were other customers, but they had already been served, so I didn't have to wait long. The friendly male staff made a good impression. Now, onto the menu. The top two items were lobster tsukemen and ramen. I was also curious about the stone-grilled tsukemen, but since I was in a ramen mood today, I decided to order the following:
- Today's Order: Lobster Ramen, 990 yen (tax included)
The shop offers free upsizing for all items, which is enticing, but I didn't want to waste the morning exercise, so I opted for a regular serving. The ramen arrived in about 7-8 minutes. It had a slightly rich miso ramen appearance with lard floating on top. The red powder sitting atop the white negi caught my eye. I'm not sure of the official name, but for this review, I'll call it the lobster essence. First, the soup. It seemed to have a lard-based surface, so I mixed it well before taking a sip. The first impression was, "Ah, lobster." It was a hot dish, which was perfect for a cold day. The saltiness wasn't too strong, and I could taste a solid richness. It had a gentle sweetness and a robust flavor, which I was told was achieved by using plenty of vegetables for the broth. The noodles were slightly curly, thick noodles with a slightly flat and angular shape. They were homemade noodles with a great chewiness. I prefer firm noodles, so I was pleased with the texture. It seemed a bit unusual, but as I continued eating, I found that it paired well with the rich soup and was deliciously chewy. There was a sheet of nori and finely sliced kikurage, which provided a nice crunchy texture that complemented the miso ramen well. The chashu was thickly sliced and easily fell apart. It was seasoned just right and tasted delicious. The flavored egg had warmed up nicely in the soup. Now, back to the soup. As I continued eating, I got used to the lobster flavor. The "lobster essence" I mentioned earlier gradually dissolved into the soup, allowing me to enjoy the lobster flavor throughout the meal without getting tired of it. There were no condiments on the table. Perhaps they wanted customers to enjoy their proud soup as it is? The lobster flavor, gentle sweetness, mellow richness, and a hint of spiciness all worked together to create a well-balanced taste. Of course, thanks to the lard coating, the temperature remained consistent until the last bite. I finished the entire bowl and it was delicious until the end. The shop seemed to use a variety of ingredients, and at 990 yen for a bowl of ramen, it felt a bit pricey for a regular serving. However, with the free upsizing option, it might not be too expensive after all, though you might gain some weight. I'd like to try the tsukemen next time, and the abura soba also piqued my interest. Thank you for the meal.