鷲尾★ジロー
Today's lunch is at "Wadashi Chuka SOBA Yamawasabi," which opened in March 2020. The restaurant is located along Hiragishi Street, on the left side as you head towards Makomanai from the subway station "Hiragishi Station." There used to be a different ramen restaurant here before. It's a second-hand property. You can easily spot it with the large storefront sign. On the other hand, the parking lot is a bit hard to find. If you go down the road next to the dry cleaner in front of the shop and proceed a little, there are two parking spaces on the left. Walk in under the curtain and enter the restaurant. There are many menu options displayed around the ticket machine, making it hard to choose. Since it's my first visit, I choose the "Yamawasabi Chuka SOBA (Salt)" for 750 yen, as it's also in the restaurant's name. I sit at a seat at the back of the counter and take another look at the menu. In addition to the "Yamawasabi Chuka SOBA" that I ordered, there are other Chuka SOBA options like "Sea Bream," "Duck," "Asari Clam," "Dried Sardines," and "Wadashi." It seems like a shop that focuses on the broth. Furthermore, there are various side dishes such as "Chicken Pon" and "Duck Roast" posted on the wall. It's a shop with a wide variety of side menu items. You can see the skill of the owner, who comes from a Japanese cuisine background. The dish arrives in about 5 minutes. A beautiful Chuka SOBA is served in a stylish white ceramic bowl with two types of char siu, flavored egg, mizuna, green onions, menma, and grated wasabi in the center. It looks beautiful. Let's dig in! First, the soup. Oh, it has a clear taste. It's a golden double soup made from chicken broth and Japanese broth extracted from bonito flakes, kelp, etc. The noodles are medium-thick straight noodles with a high water content. They have a good texture that goes well with the golden soup. The noodles are provided by Nishiyama Seimen. Grating the wasabi on the side and melting it in the soup before drinking it adds a unique spicy kick that is irresistibly delicious. Wasabi, also known as horseradish, is a hidden specialty of Hokkaido. It's a unique idea to serve ramen with wasabi as an ingredient, which is also in the restaurant's name. The char siu comes in two types, chicken and pork. The combination of the mildness of chicken breast and the kick of wasabi is exquisite. The creamy flavored egg is also delicious. As you eat, the unique spiciness gradually builds up. The stimulation makes you tear up. So, once again, I finish every last drop of the soup, feeling satisfied. What a delicious combination of "Japanese broth umami and wasabi kick." It starts delicious, gets spicy in the middle, and ends delicious again. After eating, you feel a strange sense of refreshment. You can enjoy not only the taste but also the beauty of the presentation. Next time, I want to try the "Sea Bream Broth" and "Wasabi Ochazuke." Thank you for the meal! *This was the 145th meal of 2020 (visited on November 10, 2020).