とんちゃん
I am currently serializing my experience of visiting Sapporo during the New Year's holiday. On the second day of the New Year, we decided to have ramen for lunch. However, most ramen shops are closed from the 2nd onwards, but luckily, a ramen shop near my parents' house was open. So, my family of three went there. The name of the shop is "Raamen Ginpalo" (Ginparo) Hokuenzan branch. "Ginpalo" is a ramen shop that opened in Ebetsu City in 2001. According to their website, the shop's ramen features a pork bone soup base made by simmering finely cut pork knuckles for a long time, using a special oil to lock in all the flavors and aroma in the soup, and finishing with sesame and fried garlic. They also have a winter limited "Double Fish and Chicken White Soup Soy Sauce Ramen" which combines fish and chicken white soup with soy sauce. The shop was crowded with customers, and it seemed like many people wanted to have ramen from the 2nd of January. The most popular dish at this shop is the "Pai Ku" ramen, which is prominently displayed at the top of the menu. The standard menu includes the "Fragrant Ramen" with soy sauce, miso, and salt options. The shop offers a variety of side dishes such as Negi Mayo Chashu Nori Maki, Pai Ku Don, Tori-Tori Tamago Tsukune Don, and Meat Gyoza. All menu items are available for takeout. The ramen is served with noodles, toppings, and soup in separate containers to prevent the noodles from getting soggy. During my previous visit, my son and I liked the soy sauce ramen and miso ramen with Pai Ku Don. This time, I had miso ramen, my son had spicy ramen with miso and Pai Ku Don, and my wife had salt ramen. The miso ramen came with a large, black bowl filled with Chashu, Menma, and Negi toppings, with plenty of white sesame and fried garlic chips on top. The pork bone soup was very smooth, without any gamy smell, and had a sweet taste. It was rich but had a refreshing aftertaste, making it a satisfying soup. The fried garlic chips added a garlicky flavor to the soup. The curly, medium-thin noodles had a chewy texture. The Menma was tender with a slight crunch, and the seasoning was mild. The pork shoulder Chashu had a good balance of meaty texture. The stir-fried vegetables included bean sprouts and onions. We also ordered extra small rice to make a simple porridge by pouring the soup over it, which was delicious. The salt ramen had the same toppings as the miso ramen but with a milky white soup that allowed the flavor to shine through. My son, who loves miso ramen, opted for the spicy miso ramen this time. As for the Pai Ku Don, it was a dish of pre-marinated pork belly fried in oil, which had a sweet and savory flavor that paired well with the rice. It was addictive.