Visited on a very cold day with snow blowing, since I came to Hokkaido, I thought I should try ramen at least once. I searched for a highly rated restaurant nearby on Google Maps and visited with a casual attitude. Since it's Hokkaido, I thought crab miso ramen would be good (a bit cliche). The ramen was very rich and I could taste the crab miso flavor, so I was satisfied. However, when I saw the sign saying I would get a 200 yen cashback if I gave them a 5-star rating on Google Maps, I felt disappointed (tourist spot ratings can be scary). The ramen made by the lady there was good, just be aware that it has quite a bit of garlic in it!

It's been a while since I visited Kitaiso. I noticed a sign outside for Ankake Yakisoba and it caught my attention. You can't order Ankake Yakisoba from the ticket machine, you have to pay with cash. They offer three flavors: soy sauce, salt, and miso, each priced at 666 yen. Pretty cheap! I briefly thought it might be the cheapest Ankake Yakisoba in Otaru, but then I remembered another place. Maybe the second cheapest? There aren't many places that offer miso flavor, so I ordered miso based on the recommendation of the lady. The Ankake Yakisoba that was served had a unique style with white leeks and red and white kamaboko on top. The dish was served in a bowl about half the depth of a ramen bowl. Let's dig in. The sauce was quite loose and there was quite a lot of it, maybe too much? It felt like they just added thickening to ramen soup. The noodles were completely submerged in the sauce. The noodles were like ramen noodles and as I ate, the thickening gradually disappeared, so it felt like I was just eating regular tanmen. The tanmen I had last time was delicious though. This Ankake Yakisoba felt like a different dish that resembled Ankake Yakisoba. I also received a stamp card, where 4 stamps get you a free bowl of ramen, a pretty good deal! It's great for regular customers. Thanks for the meal!

Visited "Menya Kitaitokoro" for the second time in December 2021, which opened in March this year. I originally planned to try the crab miso ramen that caught my attention last time I had the salt ramen, but then I remembered that this place was known for its tantanmen with salt, so I decided to go for that instead. The Tantanmen with salt (880 yen) was prepared by a male artisan last time I visited, but this time it was a one-woman show by an older lady. I thought the soup was a mix of pork bone and chicken broth last time, but when I tried it this time, I wondered if they had changed it. It seemed like a type that didn't require a lot of brewing time, or maybe my inexperienced palate couldn't discern it well. The thin, white noodles were slightly firm, and I believe the noodle shop was from Namporo, but it had a different feel to it. It was unusual to see disposable chopsticks in a paper bag at the chopstick stand, which may be part of their infection control measures. In Otaru, if you want tantanmen (soup noodles), you go to Gokou (Wu Shan), but the tantanmen here had a very generic taste, almost like something you would find at a family restaurant.

Sushi street's former taiyaki shop. It has been revived as a ramen shop. I ordered the salt tanmen recommended on the menu and received a free voucher for one ramen on my next visit, which expires this month. Yay! Also, if you post a review on Google and show it to the staff, you can get a cashback of 200 yen. That's a big deal! Salt tanmen... actually, it's my first time trying tanmen. It's loaded with vegetables. It was a bit difficult to pull out the noodles at the bottom. The soup has a rich flavor and tastes delicious. The saltiness is just right. The vegetables are crunchy, and the thin noodles seem to be a good match. It's quite good, isn't it? Before I knew it, I had finished all the soup. I'm satisfied with my first tanmen experience! I will definitely come back. Thank you for the meal!

I visited a ramen shop that opened on March 3rd in a location that used to be a taiyaki shop before my first visit in March 2021. The shop is small with only 5 counter seats, and the ticket machine was not yet in use. The recommended dish was the Tanmen, but I was also intrigued by the limited quantity of rich crab miso ramen. However, I decided to start with the Salt Ramen (780 yen). The soup, made from pork bones and chicken bones, had a light brown color with more sweetness (possibly mirin) than umami, reminiscent of the sweetness of the previous taiyaki shop. The noodles were thin from Sapporo Menkyo in Namporo, with a good firmness when cooked. The toppings included two slices of tender pork shoulder chashu, menma, green onions, fish cake, and seaweed. The shop is open from 11 am to 3 pm, closed on Wednesdays, but there may be changes in the future. Ramen shops along Sushi Street have often closed down quickly in the past, so I hope this one will last longer. I plan to try the crab miso ramen next time!

I visited in early December on a weekend. It was a bit late, so I was seated right away. I bought the rich crab miso ramen from the ticket machine. The ramen had green onions on top of a rich miso soup. The soup had a strong miso flavor with a slightly salty taste. The noodles were medium-thick and curly, providing a satisfying chew. I enjoyed it very much.

I received the rich crab miso ramen for 830 yen and the Tohia chashu for 250 yen at Menya Kitaiso in the nationwide local ramen relay Chapter 3 Chapter 4 by Hantsu Endo (*´∀｀*). The crab was delicious ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡. The chashu was a bit dry٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

(Fake) Ramen Oyaji, (Fake) Ramen Oyaji (Fake), Ramen, O•Ya•Ji Oyaji~╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ Tomorrow is Golden Week in the world, although it doesn't really affect me as I have to work most of the time σ^_^; Currently, there is a Hokkaido exhibition at Gifu Takashimaya, so it might be crowded during Golden Week! So, after work today, I came here *\(^o^)/* This time, the nationwide regional ramen relay is here at Menya Hokuei, a shop that was also held around the same time last year. The previous rich crab miso ramen left a mediocre impression, so I decided to try their signature menu this time. Before even entering the shop, I had already decided on ordering the Ushio (salt) Ramen for 780 yen (=^▽^)σ I waited at my usual window seat and when it arrived, the toppings included: - Chashu - Menma - Kamaboko - Chopped green onions - White onions - Nori For this price, the toppings were quite luxurious (^_^)v I tried the soup first, and it was quite delicious (*^ω^*). The soup flavor was completely different from the crab miso soup last time. The chashu was tender and delicious without much fat, which I usually prefer. The thickly sliced kamaboko and the texture of the white onions were also good (*^▽^*) I can see why this place is popular, the food is really good (^_^)a In these events, it's easy to get distracted by limited edition menus, but trying the shop's signature menu is important for a proper evaluation *\(^o^)/* I look forward to the next shop and hope for another great experience!╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

I was able to eat this ramen at a department store event where the rooftop beer garden is usually held. I ordered the rich crab miso ramen. It cost 830 yen. I saw that the deluxe version costs over 1,200 yen so I gave up on that. I saw someone eating it and it looked like it had chashu and small pieces of crab in it. After a while, the ramen was ready. I went to pick it up. The soup had a slightly salty taste of crab miso. The noodles were curly. Toppings included fish cake, green onions, imitation crab meat, and seaweed. You can add chopped green onions to your liking. The soup was a bit salty, but I finished it all. You need to drink plenty of water. Thank you for the meal!

April 11, 2021, lunch - Rich Kamini Sora Ramen... 830 yen. Participating in the "National Local Ramen Relay" from Otaru, Hokkaido. HASH-ROYAL on Twitter https://twitter.com/hashroyal HASH-ROYAL on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hashroyal/

(Fake) Ramen Oyaji, (Fake) Ramen Oyaji (Fake), Ramen, O・Ya・Ji Oyaji~ (◍˃̶ᗜ˂̶◍)ﾉ" After leaving Sanae Shokudo, we finally arrived at Takashimaya for the famous local ramen relay event by Hanatsu Endo. This time, the shop is from Otaru City, Hokkaido - Menya Kitaitoi. However, with low ratings and few reviews on Tabelog, why did Hanatsu Endo choose this place?! Maybe because they already featured Hokkaido ramen in the first round and didn't have any other good options? By the way, there was a Hokkaido Spring Fair happening at Takashimaya. Upon arrival, we purchased our meal tickets at the entrance. This time, I chose the Rich Crab Miso Ramen. Although I was tempted by the Shio Ramen, the highlight of this event must be this one, right? I waited for my order at a table by the window. The toppings included crab sticks, fish cakes, and chopped green onions. While the soup had a hint of crab miso flavor, it wasn't as strong as expected. I couldn't remember the taste of the ramen from a previous shop, but I think it might have been better. The soup was served hot, which was good. In the past, I had a disappointing experience with lukewarm ramen at another event, so I appreciated the hot temperature this time. Hanatsu Endo, please bring us some famous shops that are hard to come by at these events!

I visited Hanchoan Senba at Takashimaya in Gifu City after the Endo Hantsu's nationwide local ramen relay. There was a Hokkaido product exhibition going on downstairs, it's like a Hokkaido festival. I ordered the Shio Ramen (salt, 780 yen) as the crab miso seemed a bit risky and also because I had just eaten at the previous place. The soup was clear without cloudiness, but had a slightly amber color with oil floating on top. However, the salt seasoning was distinct and rich, contrary to its transparency, with a nice depth when combined with the sweetness of the vegetables. The noodles had a good chew to them, and paired well with the soup. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

This time, as part of the Han-Tsu Endo National Local Ramen Relay, I visited Menya Kitaiyo in Otaru. Despite the somewhat lonely rating of 3.03 on Tabelog with only 3 reviews, the place was bustling when I visited, possibly due to the Hokkaido Spring Fair being held downstairs. I tried to visit three days in a row, finally succeeding on the third attempt. I ordered the Rich Crab Miso Ramen for 830 yen, which had a strong crab aroma in the miso-based soup. The toppings included crab sticks, fish cake, and white leeks. The noodles were firm and held up well to the flavorful soup. I added some chili pepper for extra kick and finished every last bit. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. I might come back to try their signature Shio Ramen after the Hokkaido Fair ends on April 13th.