Last New Year's Eve, I heard a story about Gorou-san visiting Gobanten, and when I rewatched the recording that I hadn't seen, I found out that it was actually the first restaurant in Hokkaido! And I even saw the old man's left-handed pot stirring! I was emotionally overwhelmed and intensely wanted to go there. This weekend, I was planning to go to Sapporo for a certain "challenge", so I decided to make a detour to Tomakomai. I heard that it was crowded due to the broadcast, so I arrived around 2 pm. When I arrived at 1:40 pm, the parking lot was already full. There were some cars parked in a challenging way, but I managed to find a spot after waiting for 10 minutes. There was a wait of about 5 minutes inside the restaurant. I was seated at the farthest counter seat available. Inside the restaurant, there were Gorou-san's autograph and photos displayed, and some customers were taking photos (including myself, of course). I ordered the "Ramen Set (with bean sprouts, rich flavor)" which was already decided. I was debating whether to have it curry-flavored like Gorou-san, but ultimately I chose the salt flavor. By the way, the menu had various options that could be customized. It was possible before, but it was clearly stated on the menu. Unfortunately, the old man was not there, and a woman (probably his daughter) was cooking. There were two staff members managing the kitchen and the hall. Both the table and counter seats were packed, and it seemed quite busy. After about 15 minutes, the long-awaited set arrived. The vibrant pink ramen, two eggs with yolks, and a generous portion of white rice were just as I remembered. The ramen was still hot, and I had to be careful not to burn my tongue or lips until I submerged the bean sprouts in the soup. However, the salt soup had a perfect amount of oil, which was a unique type that was hard to find in other restaurants. The noodles were still firm. Perhaps they anticipated that the soup was hot, so they adjusted the eating speed a bit. The chashu was still tender with a mild flavor, but the menma seemed to have more flavor than before. It was more to my liking. The bean sprouts were stir-fried more thoroughly than the old man's. And the soft-boiled eggs were perfectly cooked. I ate one as it is with cabbage, and placed the other on top of the white rice to make a soft-boiled egg bowl. This was already a classic way of eating. After finishing all the ramen, eggs, and rice, I was comfortably full. Everything was delicious. When I paid, I received the usual service ticket. I have now collected 10 tickets, so next time I can get a 500 yen discount (^ ^) v. I left the restaurant a little after 2:30 pm, but there was a family waiting for a parking spot. It seems like they are still very busy due to the "Gorou-san effect", so I would like to come back when it's a little less crowded.

I went to work in Tomakomai. I was wondering where to go for lunch. I decided to go to this place that has been crowded since appearing in a famous drama on TV Tokyo. I was able to find a seat right away since it was still early for lunch. I chose the spicy moyashi ramen with shoyu flavor. I picked the highest level of spiciness, which was level 3. There are options for refreshing moyashi or rich moyashi, and I chose refreshing. The dish arrived and it was filled with moyashi, which helped balance out the spiciness. It was still spicy but enjoyable. I wiped off the sweat and enjoyed the noodles, which I have always liked. The taste has remained the same over the years, and I hope they continue to thrive. Thank you for the meal.

Tomakomai business trip. I accompanied a senior who has been on several business trips and seems to be a favorite. We ordered the same menu that Goro-san from "The Lonely Gourmet" visited. I ordered the Miso Curry Ramen with plenty of bean sprouts, which costs 1,020 yen. I asked for less noodles, and when they said half noodles were okay, I ordered that. When it arrived, it tasted like curry, like homemade curry. The bean sprouts were crunchy and sweet. Could this be the effect of stir-frying in lard? The noodles were Chinese noodles. As I ate, I started sweating a lot. Thanks to the lard, it stayed hot for a long time. I added two servings of grated garlic, which went really well with it. It was a delicious meal.

This time I ordered Curry Moyashi Ramen Miso [Rich]. I was able to enter the shop smoothly this time, but as usual, the owner was not at the shop due to poor health. I'm a little worried. Also, the turnover of customers still seems slow. The curry ramen is delicious, but honestly, I'm not sure if this is [Rich]. However, I like the noodles and especially the chashu here. Next time, I might try the curry ramen shoyu. Curry ramen is always a safe choice, right? Tomakomai.

I stopped for lunch on my way back to Muroran. This time, I listened to my dad's request (lol). Our destination was Ajinogoban. It's been 8 years since I last visited. I'm a fan of their salt ramen, but this time I remembered Inogashira Goro-san eating it so enthusiastically... We ordered the Curry Bean Sprout Ramen (miso) rich style for me and my son! My wife and daughter ordered the "light" version! The dishes arrived. Oh! The curry and miso soup with stir-fried crispy bean sprouts on top! It stimulates the appetite. I took a sip of the soup. The curry and miso make a good collaboration! It has a nice richness. Putting the crispy bean sprouts on the spoon with the soup is also delicious! The noodles were also nice and chewy. We finished it in no time. Thank you for the meal.

During a drive, I suddenly felt like eating ramen and found a shop through a quick search. Oh, this is the shop that appeared on "The Lonely Gourmet"! I found out after entering and seeing the sign. I ordered the light miso ramen with bean sprouts. My daughter had soy sauce ramen. The bean sprouts were crunchy. The miso soup had a rich flavor but a refreshing aftertaste. Delicious! My daughter tried the soy sauce soup and said it was tasty too. Normally I prefer miso, but I might like soy sauce more this time. I want to try the rich ramen next time. I want to come back before it starts snowing again.

Visited on July 13, 2023, the restaurant "Aji no Gojuban" in Tomakomai City, which became even more popular as a filming location for "The Lonely Gourmet." I originally loved the rich salt flavor and had visited a few times before, but never expected to see it on "The Lonely Gourmet"! The parking lot behind the store was full, so I had to wait a bit. I ordered the "Curry Bean Sprout Ramen + Rich Soup + Set Meal" that Inogashira Goro-san ate. I must have seemed like a total fanboy (laughs). The highlight here is the bean sprouts stir-fried in lard, giving the ramen a fragrant and rich flavor that can rival even the curry taste! It was delicious! The noodles were my favorite medium-thick curly noodles. Please savor the deliciousness of the bean sprouts. Also, for an extra 20 or 30 yen, you can make it rich, so definitely go for it! The set meal comes with a soft-boiled egg, cabbage, and rice. It's a satisfying set, so I highly recommend it! Thank you for the meal.

It was around 1 o'clock on Sunday, and the parking lot behind the restaurant was empty, so I was able to sit at the counter right away. I ordered the Char Siu and Bean Sprout Ramen with soy sauce, which was supposed to be rich, but it wasn't that heavy. It was just a tasty ramen from a regular eatery. The noodles didn't stretch until the end, which was a bit strange.

When it comes to Tomakomai, Hokkaido, the Hokki Curry is famous. I like curry, but I'm not interested in hokki, so I came to this restaurant. It seems like the restaurant that was featured in the end-of-year special of "The Lonely Gourmet" in 2022. It's located very close to Tomakomai Port. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:30. There were about 10 customers inside, but I was seated right away without waiting. When I left the restaurant at 12:00, there were only 3 customers, so I wonder if it's not that crowded on weekdays? I ordered the Ramen Set Meal for 1170 yen. The flavor was a rich curry miso. Isn't this the same as what Gorou-san ordered? The "rich" part is stir-fried bean sprouts in lard, and it's really delicious! This is a must-try. Despite being described as "rich," it's not heavy and has just the right amount of richness. At first, I was wondering if curry and miso would go well together, but they actually complement each other quite nicely. The curry is surprisingly spicy. The Ramen Set Meal also comes with a fried egg and cabbage for some reason. I wanted the egg, so I chose it, but I wonder why this combination? The soup and noodles were delicious too! If that's the case, do I really need the Hokki Curry here?

A popular restaurant in Tomakomai that was also featured in "The Lonely Gourmet". I had the spicy miso ramen with thick pork broth. It's a flavor I personally enjoy and I can see why it's popular. However, if I go too often, I might end up gaining weight (laughs), so I'll try to be careful and only go occasionally.

It's rare for me to work on a Sunday, but since I'm working in Tomakomai, I decided to have lunch here. I've seen this place on "The Lonely Gourmet" before, and it's always crowded, but I was able to get in easily this time. I often find it hard to come here because of the long wait times. The menu was new, so I decided to try the curry ramen with soy sauce, but without bean sprouts. The soup was refreshing and had a good level of spiciness. You can really taste the quality of the base soup. This is the best curry ramen I've ever had. It was light and went well with the toppings and noodles. Some may say it's a bit pricey, but considering the current situation, I think it's understandable. I was satisfied with my meal. Thank you for the delicious food! (-人-)

I visited Tomakomai for the first time. I had the "Hokki Curry" at the "Platto Shokudo" and finished it, then hopped back on a rental bike to visit nearby tourist spots like Tomakomai Port, the Tsubameyama Shrine, and the Midorigaoka Park Observatory. Feeling settled in my stomach, I decided to have lunch at the restaurant "Aji no Gojuban" featured on the TV show "Kodoku no Gurume." I ordered the "Curry Bean Sprout Ramen" with a recommendation for miso flavor, which was the one they had on TV. The rich and delicious soup, a perfect match of curry, miso, and lard, arrived in just 10 minutes. The curly noodles were coated well with the flavorful soup. I quickly finished the dish with bean sprouts, chashu, sinachiku, fried tofu, and chopped green onions. Despite feeling full after two lunches in two hours, I returned the bike at Tomakomai Station and headed to Noboribetsu Onsen.

I arrived before 11:00 am on Friday, May 12, 2023. I parked my car in the back parking lot of the restaurant and went inside. I sat at a vacant counter seat and ordered the rich curry miso. I visited the restaurant after watching "The Lonely Gourmet." There was only one customer, so it was not crowded. Otaru and Muroran are famous for curry ramen, so I decided to try it. It took less than 10 minutes for the dish to be served. The sound of stir-frying bean sprouts was comforting. The flavor was rich, and the curry was delicious. The added aroma of the stir-fried bean sprouts made it even more appetizing. I added some garlic from the table to change the flavor and finished my meal.

I tried Sapporo ramen for the first time. I chose the miso ramen, opting for the rich flavor. The stir-fried bean sprouts in lard add a nice aroma and stimulate the appetite. The toppings are traditional, and I especially liked the addition of wheat gluten. The soup is a warm miso flavor, not too spicy and suited my taste. I finished it all in no time and thought it was a standard Hokkaido ramen. I enjoy this kind of taste as a daily meal.

It's been over half a year. It's 2023 and I tried going to the restaurant a few times, but the parking lot was full so I had to give up... The influence of TV is amazing, right? So, I came to the parking lot early before the opening time. Of course, I parked in the number one spot. It's a weekday, after all. But by the opening time, the parking lot was full of cars. As I entered the restaurant, customers started coming in one after another. The salty moyashi ramen, it's been a while. I missed it. Huh!? Huh!? The moyashi seems more burnt than before. The amount of moyashi seems to have decreased! The noodles also feel like there's less... Even though it was made by the owner. I know they give extra moyashi and noodles to male customers other than me, who were there at the time. But why not give me some extra too? It's a little sad. When leaving the restaurant, the parking lot was full and there was a line waiting. But every time, the ramen burns my mouth ===========

"Lonely Gourmet New Year's Eve Special" appeared in 2022 at the same restaurant. Visited at 13:15 on a weekday, with several local customers present, including an elderly couple and possibly their grandchild. The restaurant had a counter with 7 seats and tables, and there were Goro-san's autographs and photos displayed. Due to the shop owner's poor health, evening business was temporarily suspended as indicated by a notice. The order was placed verbally for "Curry Bean Sprouts (1000 yen) + Rich Flavor (+20 yen)" with a choice of miso, shoyu, or salt flavor. The "Rich Flavor" option involves stir-frying the bean sprouts in lard to add richness and umami. The dish arrived in less than 10 minutes, with a hot soup surface covered in oil film (lard). The miso-based curry had a slightly spicy flavor, complemented by the crispy bean sprouts stir-fried in lard, which was very enjoyable. The latter part of the dish was delicious with the flavor of the vegetables. The noodles were chewy and well-coated. The noren curtain read "Hokkaido Kuma-san KK," and the ramen was filled with ingredients such as chashu, fried wheat gluten, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, half-boiled egg, and green onions. Overall, it was a delicious ramen with a nostalgic Showa era vibe. I was impressed and believe that the other options like shoyu, miso, or salt-based ramen would also be delicious in their own way. However, there was a noticeable amount of artificial seasoning used, which made me quite thirsty afterwards. I observed that a significant amount of white powder was added during the cooking process. If I have the chance, I would like to revisit and try a normal ramen (shoyu or miso) next time. The bean sprouts and rich flavor option is a must-try. I am also interested in trying the bean sprout ramen set with a sunny-side-up egg that was featured on TV (1200 yen)."

My true favorite is soy sauce or miso! Finally, I was able to visit the ramen shop that my wife used to go to as a child! It has become famous recently on TV shows! My wife always used to order soy sauce ramen, but I went against her advice and ordered miso instead! The soup was made with white miso and had a rich flavor from lard and vegetables. I ordered a large portion and ate it all without thinking. Personally, I would have preferred it to be richer for a stronger punch.

Last time, I ordered the salt that everyone was ordering, but this time I went with the curry miso flavor, rich (with lard). I was considering getting rice as well, but decided against it. Next time, I finally want to order the set meal with a sunny-side-up egg.

At the end of the year, I waited in line for over an hour at a ramen shop that was featured on "The Lonely Gourmet." The slow turnover seemed to be a major factor in the long wait, rather than just being crowded. The staff were not very efficient. More than half of the customers inside were waiting for their ramen. Now, getting to the point, I saw the curry moyashi ramen miso set on TV, but I felt like I wouldn't be able to finish it, so I opted for the curry moyashi ramen (miso) instead. The ramen was delicious. The chashu was on the chewier side, which I like, but overall, I think Daio's ramen is better.

On New Year's Eve 2022, the setting for the special episode of "The Lonely Gourmet" on TV Tokyo was in Hokkaido! I watched the recording on New Year's Day because I go to bed early, and the first place that appeared was "Aji no Gojuban" in Tomakomai city! I made a promise to visit, and surprisingly, I visited Tomakomai for work on January 7th for my first visit! The parking lot was full as expected, with a line forming! I ordered the salty bean sprout ramen (rich flavor) = *Bean sprouts stir-fried in lard to enhance richness and umami. Perhaps due to the absence of the owner, who was not feeling well, I'm not sure, but it was delicious, although honestly, it didn't meet my expectations... It was my first ramen of 2023! The curry bean sprout ramen that Goro ordered on the show seemed to be popular, right?

Moyashi Ramen with Salt Flavor is priced at 940 yen, with an additional 20 yen upgrade option for a "rich" taste. This time, I ordered the regular version with medium-thin curly noodles, cooked al dente. The toppings included bean sprouts, chopped green onions, bamboo shoots, fried tofu, chashu, and naruto. The soup was a clear golden color with a mild salt flavor, not too salty, making it delicious until the last drop. So far, it's nominated as the number one in the salt flavor category in Tomakomai. The chef's smile was also pleasant. The Moyashi Ramen with Salt Rich Set seems to come with a fried egg, which I'm interested in trying even though I doubt I can finish it all. Thank you for the meal today.