ばーむくうへん
It has been a while since my last visit. I missed lunchtime, so I am grateful for the restaurants that are open all day. Since it's cold, I think I'll go for the plain udon today. I'm curious about the taste of the broth. I can't help but write about the taste of wheat, which is the main ingredient for udon, but it's essential to mention ASW, which dominates as the wheat supplier for udon! Without talking about ASW, which accounts for the majority of the udon's main ingredient, what else can I say? Marugame Seimen and ASW, the two popular secrets, need to be explored. While slightly tempted by rice dishes, I stuck to my initial choice of wakame udon. There are plenty of tempura options to choose from. Even though I know I'll feel heavy later, I can't help but want to choose different tempura. I started with my favorite chicken tempura. I thought about getting a smaller one, but they're all quite big! Oh, there's pumpkin tempura! Lotus root tempura is also popular. If there was sweet potato tempura here, I would definitely want to try it. I gave up, jokingly, after my back teeth protested. The chicken tempura is quite large, so I have a feeling my stomach will be full. I went to the broth server to pour the broth myself. I see, it's nice that you can pour as much as you like without wasting any. Wakame udon - regular size 400 yen + chicken tempura 150 yen = 550 yen including tax. I think the wakame is imported, but it's quite tasty. They generously topped it with green onions, which added a nice touch of green in the vegetable-scarce dish. The chicken tempura is made from boldly cut chicken breast, with no fascia removed, but the batter had good oil drainage. It was quite warm and crispy. The batter wasn't overly sweet, and it was a straightforward and delicious chicken tempura. And now, the udon that I'm curious about...? Hmm, it has a good firmness. The noodles are smooth, white, and beautiful. I think the texture is good. It's past the lunch rush, so maybe the udon hasn't been sitting for too long. The broth is well prepared. The seasoning is subtly light, which I like. Of course, it's not a high-end broth made with premium ingredients like those at udon specialty shops. There is a slight roughness, but for everyday udon, it's satisfying enough. This udon made with ASW flour. The noodles themselves don't have much flavor, but with the delicious broth and good texture, you can eat it quickly. A thicker broth... wouldn't be a problem at all for meat or curry udon. In conclusion... ASW is quite good! Domestic wheat is indeed delicious, but the amount produced cannot meet all domestic demand. Agricultural products cannot increase production suddenly, so I hope it gradually spreads. We will likely coexist with imported wheat products that have a good balance of cost, taste, and quality. The future is still uncertain in terms of price, import volume, etc. ...Surprisingly, the green tea at Iyo Seimen was delicious. It's a self-serve tea server, but it was made with proper tea leaves, not the lowest-quality powdered tea commonly found in revolving sushi restaurants. I was tempted to get a refill. It's nice to be able to drink proper green tea at an udon restaurant. It helps reset the aftertaste of the broth and tempura. The condition of the udon may vary depending on the timing of your visit, but at this price, it's within a reasonable range. As a broth enthusiast, plain udon is the best value for money. If it were nearby, I would definitely want to visit often.
