くらまん
During the year, I tend to eat more miso ramen in the cold winter and salt ramen in the hot summer. However, there are times when I crave a gentle and soothing soup for my tired stomach, especially after consuming too many cold drinks. A good choice for this is a soup made with red snapper broth. Although there are several places that serve delicious red snapper broth, this time I decided to visit "Tomika" which I had never been to before, and specifically the main branch. I visited on a weekday in late July, a few minutes past 11 o'clock. There were no other customers when I arrived, so I sat at the short side of the L-shaped counter. Within 10 minutes, the place was fully occupied except for the corner seats. There is a ticket vending machine on the left as you enter, which I initially missed. I ordered the "Red Snapper Salt Ramen with Red Snapper Tea-Soaked Rice" (1330 yen) with a soft-boiled egg (130 yen) on the side. I was curious to try the red snapper tea-soaked rice as well. The interior of the restaurant is clean and has a sophisticated feel to it. The wooden counter tables and chairs with backrests create a comforting atmosphere. The lone staff member at the restaurant was also very pleasant. The ramen arrived in about 7 minutes. The noodles were neatly folded with slices of chashu and maple-shaped wheat gluten on top. Along the edge of the bowl, there were shreds of shinachiku arranged neatly. The presentation was beautiful and charming. The soup had a refined taste of red snapper, with a well-balanced combination of a rounded salt sauce and red snapper broth. When scooped with the lotus root, the soup looked clear and pure. It felt like a soup that is gentle on the body, without any impurities. The noodles were straight and thin, with a smooth and soft texture, but not overly soft. I ordered them firm, and there was a female customer who ordered them even firmer, but I personally found the default firmness to be a perfect match with the soup. The shinachiku, chashu, and egg were all delicious as well. The tea-soaked rice at the end was also delightful, with the red snapper slices marinated in a tasty miso sauce, sesame, and red snapper broth, creating a depth of flavor with a refreshing taste. Regardless of the season, this is one of the salt ramen dishes that I would want to eat. Thank you for the meal.