January 2023, 3rd review. This is my third visit, so I'll keep it brief. "Yamahiko" is located within walking distance from my workplace, next to the popular tonkatsu restaurant "Naruto". It's a place where tourists don't come and locals, except for regulars, don't visit. But I love these old-fashioned ramen shops that have been around since the Showa era, they are so calming. When I visited, I was hungry, so I went for a set meal: - Tonkatsu set meal with a small ramen (1,200 yen) This set is perfect for those who want to have both tonkatsu and ramen but can't eat both separately because they will burst. How many places in Hokkaido offer a set with tonkatsu and ramen like this? It gives me chills just thinking about it. The tonkatsu was thin and large in size, but slightly over-fried, making it a bit tough. However, it was within an acceptable range considering the nature of the restaurant. The salt ramen that came later was served in a slightly smaller bowl, but it was filled with toppings and had that nostalgic Showa-era salt ramen taste. The fact that this set is only 1,200 yen at a small local restaurant is delightful. When you're really hungry and craving both tonkatsu and ramen, this place is the best!

In Otaru, heading to a sushi restaurant to have some seafood, but upon arriving in front of the restaurant, I suddenly changed my mind as I noticed there were a lot of seafood options. I decided to walk aimlessly and came across a ramen shop. The shop had a black curtain, a faded signboard with a red lantern, and a nostalgic facade that seemed to have been watching over Otaru's history since the Showa era. The shop was called "Yamahiko." I opened the wooden sliding door and entered the shop. There were no other customers, just a middle-aged lady sitting in front of the TV who greeted me. I ordered a soy sauce ramen for 550 yen and waited for about 9 minutes. During this time, two more groups of two customers arrived. The ramen came with green onions, wheat gluten, naruto fish cake, and chashu pork. The soup had a gentle soy sauce flavor, but the noodles were a bit soft and the soup was not very hot. The chashu pork was tender and melted in the mouth. Perhaps the vegetable ramen for 50 yen more would be a better choice. A beer with gyoza during the day, followed by ramen, was a perfect match for the retro atmosphere of the shop. The set menu (with a large beer) cost 1,500 yen, which was a great deal. Thank you for the meal.

The second time I went, it was a really hot day around 3 pm, and the place was empty for a while. The entrance was wide open, so I had a feeling there was no air conditioning. I had fried rice and soup, and I ate while sweating a lot due to the heat. This time, I felt the taste was a bit mild... maybe because I had walked a lot and sweated, so I needed more salt? The soup had a gentle taste with eggs. When I added more pepper to both dishes, I sweated even more. I had a little chat with the owner, and after leaving the restaurant, I felt cooler and the breeze was nice. I guess ramen is not a good choice in the middle of summer!

I've always been curious about this restaurant's appearance♪ I wonder if I've been here with my grandma before? But I have no recollection at all, lol. From the set menu, I ordered the fried rice & small salt ramen set for 950 yen. The fried rice (regular size) comes with pickled ginger on top, which is a must! The visual presentation is irresistible♪ (Is this the Otaru style? I haven't seen this in Tokyo before?) When I took a bite, it was hot! I almost choked for a moment, lol. My mouth felt like it was covered in a film, but the taste was nostalgic and delicious! Unexpectedly hot, but delicious! It tastes like the fried rice I used to eat at Chinese restaurants long ago♪ It has green onions, naruto fish cake, egg, and char siu, right? Really delicious! Nostalgic! I love it♪ This is what I like! This is it!! Sometimes I crave this kind of fried rice. It's not exactly fluffy, but I love it. The small salt ramen turned out to be quite big! It's not really small, lol. But the old-fashioned visual presentation is amazing! The soup is hot! My mouth, already affected by the hot fried rice, is now even more sensitive. It has a gentle flavor. It's a bit lacking in flavor for me, so I added some pepper, which made it better♪ I prefer it a bit saltier. The noodles are still not firm, lol, and despite being a small size, the portion is quite large! I asked and found out that it's about 2/3 of a regular size. It's nice to have a generous portion, but... do I really need this much with the fried rice? My stomach is too full! They have bottled beer, canned beer, and other alcoholic beverages available. It became a private party halfway through, so I had a fun conversation with the mama and enjoyed the atmosphere! The stove right in the middle of the restaurant is nice too! I want to come back for the fried rice again! Thank you for the meal♪

I had visited this restaurant a few times before, but every time I went the curtain was not up. When I passed by for another reason, the curtain was up. It seemed like I had bad timing and I almost gave up. I felt like eating "fried rice" so I called ahead and found out that the owner had passed away, so the restaurant had been closed for a while. The wife was now running the restaurant alone, and they had irregular closing days for the time being. The soup was only available around noon, so I timed my visit accordingly. The soup seemed to be different each day, as they were still experimenting with it. The "fried rice" for 600 yen was cooked in a wok by the wife behind the counter. I was a bit worried, but the wok technique seemed promising. The dish that came out was a typical fried rice from a ramen shop, with egg, chashu, green onions, and red naruto. It had a decent flavor with the chashu, even though the lard coating could have been better. The soup seemed like it was from ramen, but lacked a bit of richness. I might hesitate to order ramen next time. The curry rice was also affordable, so I might try that next time. It must be tough for the wife to run the restaurant alone, but I hope she keeps up the good work.

I stumbled upon an old ramen shop and decided to go in. I had a ramen set and a vegetable ramen. I got approached by a drunk old man (laughs). The noodles were a bit overcooked. It was just a normal, average restaurant.

Today, I had the day off and after dropping my daughter off at the station, I felt like eating pork cutlet curry, so I came here. I arrived at 12:55, which is the end of the normal lunch break for most people. This place is run by a husband and wife, and at this time, there were no other customers... the husband was lying on the counter watching a TV drama from the national broadcaster. "Welcome!" he greeted loudly, but he didn't move from his position, completely absorbed in the TV. I ordered the pork cutlet curry. The husband acknowledged the order but didn't move... After about 10 minutes, the dish was served. It was a bit small. The curry was average, maybe store-bought. I could only see carrots as the visible ingredient. The pork cutlet was tender, well trimmed, not too hot, not too thick, and not fatty. It was a light and easy to eat dish, maybe suitable for women and elderly customers. Priced at 650 yen, it was decent. I found it a bit strange that the curry was 550 yen, while the pork cutlet curry was 650 yen. For an additional pork cutlet, it was 300 yen for the pork cutlet curry and pork cutlet bowl, but 350 yen for the pork cutlet set meal... I left feeling a bit puzzled. Nevertheless, I think I will visit again.

October 2016 (3 additional images added) The day before coming here, I had some unsatisfying curry cutlet, so I wasn't feeling quite right when I arrived. I had been curious about the curry cutlet here since my last visit. I was surprised by the prices - a regular curry is 550 yen, but the curry cutlet is 100 yen more at 650 yen! Despite the price, I decided to go for the ramen set at 1,000 yen. The 100 yen cutlet had me wondering what it would be like, but they fry it fresh after you order! Here it is! The curry cutlet here has a visible cutlet and it's quite tasty for the price. The curry might be a bit generic and it's hard to identify the ingredients, but overall, it's a pass! The ramen in the set I chose was soy sauce flavor, and the noodles seemed like they might be from a local noodle shop - smooth and soft, but the flavor was just okay, not very rich. The toppings were decent, with surprisingly tender chashu. For the price, it's hard to complain. However, there's one small annoyance - during the daytime, the husband and wife who run the place always seem to be arguing over trivial things, with the husband usually starting it. It reminds me of another ramen shop in Hanazono, but it's not a very pleasant atmosphere here! October 2014 After a night of drinking in the Hanazono area, I couldn't resist stopping by for a bowl of ramen on my way home. I ordered the curry ramen. Last time I came during the day, I remember the ramen being cooked by the old man, but this time it was the wife in the kitchen. The curry ramen here has a thin soup with a taste that seems like store-bought curry powder. It's easy to eat with a mild spice level, and the noodles are smooth and soft - not for those who prefer a noodle-forward dish, but if you think of it as a nostalgic taste from the past, it's surprisingly enjoyable! The chashu, with its marinade and tenderness, stands out in this curry ramen, so if you skip the chashu and add thinly sliced pork belly, you might end up with a ramen that tastes like curry-flavored pork soup, and surprisingly, it might be delicious! This curry ramen has a nostalgic taste that even children could enjoy, which is a good thing. It's confirmed that this place is a rare gem in this era. August 2013 I heard that this place has been in business for about 40 years. But I can't recall ever eating here before. Oh well, I decided to visit "Yamahiko" within walking distance from my home. I ordered the ramen for 500 yen and also wanted to try the fried rice, so I went for the fried rice set (900 yen). I chose the salt ramen, and although the portion was a bit small, it had toppings like chashu, menma, naruto, boiled egg, seaweed, and wheat gluten, giving it a good appearance. The taste was a simple and nostalgic one with an animal-based soup and a dash of seasoning, the most familiar taste that brings comfort. The fried rice also came in a vintage-looking dish, giving off a nostalgic vibe. The taste also seemed unchanged from the past, simple yet deep in flavor. The regular customers were having curry rice, and even though the curry cutlet was 100 yen more, they meticulously bread and fry it after you order! Maybe next time, I'll aim for the curry cutlet (laughs). The shop is run by the husband and wife, and even though they seem to argue in front of customers, it's a sign of their close relationship (I'll just see it that way). As the oldest ramen shop in the area, I hope they continue to do well in the future.

Otaru Yanagawa Street. It's right next to "Naruto." The first time I visited was about 25 years ago. ~I had curry ramen~ April 2016. After finishing overtime, I arrived in Otaru with an empty stomach. I couldn't make it to my home uphill... I needed to refuel. Although I had some energy stored, I couldn't dash instantly... I ended up stopping at Yamahiko. I ordered curry ramen. It's quite light. It's not the thick soup I had imagined. It's more like a curry-flavored soup. Maybe because I was very hungry, I finished it all. It was good that I finished it, but now I have to climb uphill to get home. I overfilled myself. Thank you for the meal. ~Exquisite fried rice near Otaru Station!~ September 2011. Around Otaru Station, after 8 pm, the streets are deserted and lonely. It's quite difficult to find a restaurant open at this time. "Yamahiko" is one of the few places around Otaru Yanagawa Street that stays open until 10:30 pm, indicated by the red lantern with "ramen" written on it. This place is located next to the nationally famous "Naruto" for its fried chicken. Today, I missed lunch and got back from work late, without having dinner. Moreover, on the bus ride back, a passenger pressed the stop button near a service area due to a restroom emergency. After about 3 minutes, the bus started moving again, only to be rerouted on regular roads due to highway construction... resulting in a 10-minute delay... and finally arriving in Otaru. It was well past 8 pm when I arrived in Otaru, but seeing the red lantern lit up at Yamahiko was a relief. I had their fried rice (550 yen). The fried rice here is simply "delicious!" I hadn't eaten anything since morning, and the hunger was like a seasoning... The rice is fluffy, not moist, with a fragrant and slightly firm texture. The spiral naruto and thinly sliced chashu enhance the deliciousness. The slightly salty fried rice might be the reason why I kept eating spoonful after spoonful. The cold water in the pot was also delicious. Alternating between fried rice and water. With the Chinese soup included, all for 550 yen. I regret not getting the large size... but it's late at night... and there's the long uphill walk back home... being full might make it difficult... Thank you for the meal. ~One-coin ramen in Otaru~ April 2011. A dining room where you can eat ramen for 500 yen. I had soy sauce ramen. It's definitely not "cheap means bad tasting." It has an old-fashioned taste. Let's call it a classic ramen. The soup is lighter than it looks. The chashu is well marinated in soy sauce. When you put the chashu in your mouth and sip the soup, it feels like you're drinking a rich soy sauce ramen broth. It doesn't have any distinctive features, but after finishing it, you naturally feel like saying "thank you for the meal." The menu lists "salt ramen" at the top. There are also many rice dishes on the menu. "Katsudon" is probably "pork cutlet bowl," but I couldn't help but laugh at the price of adding one more cutlet for 300 yen. (Tonkatsu set meal with extra cutlet: 350 yen) Tonkatsu set meal, katsudon, katsu curry with an extra cutlet means consuming at least two cutlets... I wonder what kind of cutlet that is...

During Silver Week, I had a three-day weekend and it marked the start of my late summer vacation. I thought about where to go until the night before, but I wanted to go somewhere I could easily go to and come back from! So, I arrived in Otaru ♬ Yes, I wanted to come here~♩♪♬ It's close to the station and has good access, and the atmosphere is also lovely! And the menu starts at just one coin!!! The ramen arrived quickly and rhythmically♪ The classical appearance is also good♪ The clear soup, which at first made me doubt if it was just hot water, has the umami flavor of a squadron but also a kind and delicious taste♪ The perfectly cooked curly noodles are just right! The flavorful chashu♬ The well-seasoned menma♩♪ The hard-boiled egg is also my favorite~( ´∀｀)♬ Oh no! Even though I have another appointment, I almost finished every last bit of it (￣▽￣;) They have a variety of set menus, so I will definitely come back here~♩♪♬ Thank you for the meal♪(★,,’З’)b

Next to the famous "Naruto" restaurant, there is a shop with a nostalgic Showa-era exterior that caught my attention. The prices on the menu displayed outside were reasonable. Feeling a bit peckish, I decided to step inside. There were no other customers, and the owner was reading a newspaper. When I entered, he put down the newspaper and greeted me. The restaurant had an old-fashioned feel, reminiscent of the Showa era. I ordered the "Salt Ramen" (500 yen) which arrived in about 6 minutes. The soup was a slightly salty chicken and pork base, with thin Chinese noodles. The toppings included Naruto, menma, seaweed, chashu, boiled egg, and wheat gluten, all generously portioned for the price. The chashu had a strong flavor, and the wheat gluten soaked up the soup nicely. Despite its casual atmosphere, the menu was quite extensive, making it a convenient and enjoyable dining experience.

◆Otaru "Yamahiko" Salt Ramen◆ While strolling around Otaru, I came across a quaint ramen shop called "Yamahiko." Whenever I see a place like this, I can't help but want to go in. The interior of the shop had a nostalgic feel, with a stove in the center that seemed like it belonged to a movie scene with actors like Takakura Ken or Sugawara Bunta. I was the only customer, which made me a bit nervous as I looked over the menu. I noticed "Salt Ramen 500 yen" written on the far right. I assumed that they must really recommend their salt ramen. I ordered the salt ramen and waited for about 5 minutes. The bowl of ramen had a nostalgic feel to it. The naruto (fish cake) was the Hokkaido version, as expected. The noodles were medium-thick curly noodles. I slightly regretted not asking for them to be cooked firm. The flavor was a bit saltier than I personally prefer, but being in Hokkaido, it's understandable that the flavors are richer. The atmosphere seemed like it would attract a lot of manual laborers. And the price of 500 yen is very reasonable. While busy popular shops are great, there's something nice about the relaxed vibe of a place like this.

"First Impressions in August 2014" This is a popular ramen restaurant near Otaru Station. It is located about two shops south of the famous "Naruto Main Store," towards the Central Market. Although it is a ramen restaurant, they also offer curry, set meals, and rice bowls, giving it a more cafeteria-like feel. The biggest attraction is the reasonable pricing, with each ramen flavor priced at 500 yen and the most expensive menu item being the Vegetable Ramen Set (with gyoza and rice) at 850 yen. I have visited twice before and tried the "Shoyu Chashu Ramen" and the "Fried Rice." The shoyu ramen is a simple dish with toppings like menma, boiled egg, seaweed, wheat gluten, and chashu. The chashu ramen comes with three large slices of chashu, which is a great deal considering it only costs an additional 150 yen on top of the regular ramen price. The shoyu ramen broth is dark in color but not too rich in flavor, rather light and goes well with the translucent Chinese noodles. The fried rice is also simple and light, but the portion may feel a bit small. However, for 550 yen with egg drop soup included, it is a reasonable price. If you want a larger portion, you can opt for a 100 yen upsize. The restaurant has four 4-seater tables and a counter that can accommodate 2-3 people. It has a nostalgic feel to it, not necessarily unclean but not exactly spotless either. It is not a tourist-oriented establishment but rather a place where locals come for their daily meals, so it serves its purpose well. If you are looking for a casual and affordable meal in Otaru, this could be a good option. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ◆ Ramen (each flavor) ¥500- ◆ Pork Cutlet Curry ¥650- ◆ Stir-Fried Vegetable Set Meal ¥750- ◆ Gyoza (5 pieces) ¥300- ※ As of August 2014 ===========

Today is Friday, and after quickly preparing, we took a break to continue the Otaru diary. So, in the evening in Otaru, we had a delicious dinner with hairy crab, herring sashimi, large button shrimp, small but large button shrimp, king crab, salmon roe, large surf clam, turban shell, natural scallops, and scallops. After filling our stomachs, we walked back to the hotel and gathered in the lobby to confirm tomorrow's plans. Just as we were about to disband, Tamachan mentioned that the hotel serves free soba noodles at night. Everyone hesitated for a moment, but only the girls, Miwa and Ranran, seemed interested. I was about to announce that I would go search for noodles, but Mayumichan beat me to it, saying, "Let's go." So, I said, "Well then, I'll go look for noodles." Everyone praised me, but I felt a bit embarrassed. I walked alone through the quiet streets of Otaru at night, reminiscing about the delicious fried chicken I had for lunch. I remembered a quaint shop nearby and decided to visit it. The shop was small and cozy, with a friendly owner and his wife. I ordered a large bottle of beer and some gyoza, and watched the baseball game on TV with the other customers. I was full from dinner, but when the owner brought out the tonkatsu set, I couldn't resist. The tonkatsu was crispy and delicious, served with cabbage, tomato, cucumber, and mayonnaise. The ramen I ordered was a unique salt ramen with fried tofu, thick curly noodles, and a clear salty broth. It was a satisfying end to the night in Otaru.

Ramen Yamahiko Theme: Hokkaido Ramen Ramen Yamahiko 3-16-15 Inaho, Otaru City Heading towards the Yoichi River on Route 5, past JR Otaru Station, turn right at the first traffic light. When you see Otaru Grand Palace on your right, make a left turn at the next corner. About 50m ahead on the left, you'll see a place that looks quite flavorful with an older couple running it. Ramen is priced at 500 yen, while fried rice is 550 yen, which is quite cheap. However, the set menu of fried rice and half a bowl of ramen costs 900 yen, which doesn't seem very cost-effective. Despite this, I ordered the fried rice and ramen (1000 yen) and when it arrived, I understood why one might gain weight from each portion... Taking a sip of the soup... Mmm, it's mellow and soy-based, not as greasy as it looks. It gives off an old-school ramen shop vibe. The noodles are medium-thick curly yellow noodles, which pair well with the soup. As for the fried rice... It's okay, not too bold or too subtle in flavor. The impact might be a bit weak... Overall, it feels like a place where locals frequent.

I suddenly crave the fried rice here and I keep coming back. Right next to it is "Naruto," famous for its young chicken, so if you aim for that, you'll find it right away. I always order only the fried rice, so I don't know the taste of other menu items, but the fried rice has a classic and reassuring taste with traditional ingredients. It comes with egg soup for only 550 yen, which is cheap! The egg soup is a bit bland, so feel free to sprinkle some pepper from the table (laughs). It's an old-fashioned, cozy ramen shop.