Tonkotsu ramen has disappeared from the menu, so what should I order? I like tantanmen, but the one here is not very spicy or numbing. Last time, I added the chili oil on the table to eat it, so I'll do the same this time. My partner ordered the light soy sauce ramen with a hint of sesame flavor, which is not very spicy or numbing either. As we ate, the spiciness decreased so we added more chili oil. Is this the only place where tonkotsu ramen has disappeared? I feel like I'm drifting away from this place...

Today, I decided to have lunch at a ramen shop that wasn't crowded because my hospital appointment ran late. I ordered my usual "salt tonkotsu" ramen and it arrived in less than 10 minutes. The seaweed was soaked in the soup this time, which was a bit strange but still edible. The soup tasted the same as always, but the noodles were a bit softer than usual. The service was a bit off, with the waitress bringing dishes before we even ordered them. One customer accidentally poured water from the table pot into their "lightly flavored salt ramen" without tasting it first, which may have affected the taste. Well, everyone has their own way of enjoying their meal. Overall, it was an okay dining experience.

When I came here, there were a lot of salt tonkotsu ramen. It only took about 10 minutes to be served. The soup was the same as always, but the noodles, which were meant for tonkotsu ramen, were harder than usual. Personally, I wish they had boiled them for another 15 seconds. Oh, I just remembered, they forgot to bring out the pickled ginger. Well, I know that kind of thing doesn't always happen here. Oh well! I'm full now. I tried some of my companion's salt ramen soup, and it tasted good today. Thank you for the meal.

I usually order tonkotsu shio ramen, but today I decided to try the tantanmen that I had eaten a few years ago. My partner ordered the usual shio ramen. There were two women at the table behind me who were talking loudly about children-related topics, despite it being recommended to eat quietly. I thought about yelling at them if they continued, but they left. In these times, I wish people would be more considerate. The tantanmen arrived. Then the shio ramen. Is this tantanmen? It was brown in color, but I remember it being red a few years ago, so I was surprised. Even after drinking the soup, it wasn't spicy. I added about a quarter of the table's chili oil into it. The noodles were not to my liking, they were curly noodles. Even when I tried my partner's shio ramen soup, it lacked the usual richness. Well, anyway, thanks for the meal. When I got home and checked the menu on Tabelog, the tantanmen seemed to be red. I wonder if something changed, or if they forgot to add the chili oil?

It's really greedy, but I wanted to get the "Chahan" from Tokiwadai for takeout because I thought it was delicious, but when I tried to call, I realized that there is no Tokiwadai in Asahikawa anymore. So, I decided to go to Toikanai where it is available, but found out that they close at 3 pm according to the information on Tabelog, so I had to give up. I thought about stopping by the last bakery on the way back, but it was closed. If I hadn't stopped at the bakery, I might have made it in time. It was a disappointing ending with one place missing and missing out on Tokiwadai's Chahan. However, just before Toikanai, I decided to try calling just in case, and to my surprise, they answered the phone, took my order, and even asked for my name. Either way, the information was wrong. Do they charge for the container too? I don't like that. It costs money to eat in the restaurant, right? Container fee is unnecessary. They don't even use fancy containers. Besides, Tokiwadai is more expensive than Gyoza no Ousho to begin with, so if Ousho charges for the container, it's understandable, but Tokiwadai shouldn't. I will lower my rating. In terms of appearance, there are more green onions in Tokiwadai. Ousho is more fluffy, but does that affect the taste? Both are not too strong in flavor, which I like, but Tokiwadai has a slightly stronger umami and richness. I thought there would be a bigger difference, but it's not that significant. Tokiwadai in Monbetsu is tastier. This is just my opinion.

I had lunch at a restaurant in Enbetsu for my regular check-up at the hospital. Since I couldn't go too far, I decided to have ramen at Ajinotokeidai. I ordered the Negi Shoyu Ramen, which I used to eat a lot in the past. Back then, I would add extra chashu, but now I think it's just right without it. However, the restaurant is quite crowded, especially during lunchtime. Despite that, the ramen here has a reliable taste. But in this day and age, it's a bit tough that there is no smoking section. The ramen itself is not as heavy as it looks, with a nice light soy sauce flavor that goes well with shichimi spice. I really like the stem wakame in the ramen at Ajinotokeidai. The price may be a bit on the higher side, but I quite enjoy the taste.

Today, I had a baseball game in the morning. It ended in a 1-1 tie. Well, I got one hit so that's good, right? (laughs) After that, I was tired and took a nap. It's hot. Too hot! Let's cool off in the car. I decided to head out without a specific destination. I arrived in Enbetsu Town. It's time for dinner. In long drives, you have to eat at a restaurant that catches your eye or you'll regret it later. Many places are closed on Sundays and our store closes early. So, without further ado, I entered "Ajino Tokeitai Enbetsu Shop." It's located in a shopping mall with stores like "COOP" and "Megane no Prince." Since I wasn't given any specific instructions, I chose a seat by myself. They have Enbetsu Shop's original "Vegetable Ramen," etc., but I decided to go with the usual "Butter Corn Ramen" in miso flavor. I also added a "Half Fried Rice." The food has arrived. Hmm, it seems like there are fewer ingredients compared to the Ajino Tokeitai near Sapporo. Let's dig in. The ramen is a bit spicy with a hint of sweetness, not as sweet as the usual Ajino Tokeitai. The "Half Fried Rice" was delicious with fluffy rice. The restaurant seems to have a good number of customers and is well-established in this area. Thanks for the meal~

I went when it first opened and it was just okay. I heard it's really delicious now.

I had some errands to run in Tohoku, so I decided to stop by. It was really hot in Tohoku. I was thinking of having some cold soba, but then I thought, since it's summer, maybe cold noodles would be good too? So I saw the sign for Tokachi Tohoku Branch and decided to go in. It was just before lunchtime and starting to get busy, so I timed it well. A friendly waitress came to take our order. I asked if they could make the ramen without lard, and she kindly said they could. I ordered miso ramen without lard, gyoza, and rice set, while my companion ordered cold noodles. I suddenly felt like having rice when I saw the menu, so I changed my order. It took a little while for the food to come out, but almost at the same time, each dish arrived. The miso ramen was a bit bland without the lard, and the gyoza seemed like it was store-bought. According to my companion, the cold noodles were not much different from making them at home. Overall, it was just okay. It's a shame there's no picture of the miso ramen. Maybe they forgot to take one.

I had some errands in Toogaru and decided to visit the newly opened Ramen restaurant at the Toki no To. When I arrived around 11:30, there were already 4 customers. It seems like this chain restaurant is quite popular everywhere. Even though it's a chain, each store has slightly different flavors, and some even have original menus, so I like to visit local branches. Among the ones I've tried, the Abashiri store had a unique taste. I think the subtle differences in how they follow the manual must affect the flavor. It's good to have some variation and I've never had a bad experience at this chain. The quality is always high. The taste is delicious, of course. It's like the standard for Sapporo Ramen. They also seem to offer Chinese rice dishes as well. They highly recommend the mini ramen and rice set. It's a good deal. The interior of the restaurant is clean and overall, I had a very positive impression.

"Ami no Tokeitai" located along National Route 242 in Tohoku Town. I visited during lunchtime. There were about 6 customers inside when I entered. I chose a table by the window. Looking at the menu, they had a variety of dishes including their original menu. I decided to go with the classic choice of miso ramen this time. The regular size was 700 yen, but I added 100 yen for a large portion. A few minutes later, the ramen arrived with toppings such as chashu, menma, bean sprouts, and green onions. I tried the soup first, it was surprisingly flavorful. It was a bit salty though. The noodles were a bit firm. Overall, the taste was decent. Thank you for the meal.

■October 5, 2009, I had to go to Enbetsu town for work. I felt like having ramen, but of course, ramen specialty shops are rare. I noticed a place called "Ajino Tokeitai" and decided to go there. I ordered tonkotsu ramen. Hmm, I wonder when was the last time I had ramen at a clock tower? Was it in Wakkanai? While pondering this, my bowl arrived. Hmm, the soup was rich and salty, almost making me feel like my blood pressure was rising (laughs). The toppings included chashu, seaweed, bamboo shoots, green onions, chopped kelp, and pickled ginger. It's sad when there are not many ramen shops around, but I guess that's just how it is different from the city.

While on the move, I passed through Enbetsu Town and it was lunchtime. I decided to have lunch at a safe chain ramen restaurant called "Taste of Tokeidai" because I quite like it. It was a bit crowded with a wait of three groups, so I wrote my name on the waiting list and waited in a chair in the back left of the store. This place somehow lacked energy from the staff. There were no greetings or hellos. Even when tables were cleared, they didn't bother to seat the next customers. It seemed like no one had assigned roles, and there was no one managing the waiting list. While waiting, a few customers who arrived later thought that the seats were available and entered the store on their own, sitting at the counter seats! And yet, the staff took their orders as if nothing had happened! I and the other customers who had been waiting patiently were indignant. When I expressed my anger, saying "We've been waiting for a while now," the staff hurriedly led us to other available counter seats without even apologizing. The ramen took a long time to be served. The motsu nira ramen was boiling hot, with a lot of scum on the surface when it was brought to me. It was extremely hot... (laughs) The gyoza was a big disappointment. It was soggy and filled with only cabbage. No meat was to be found. They seem to pride themselves on their size, but this was a bit disappointing. It was a day when I learned that not all chain restaurant services are the same.