tsuchinoko81
Good morning. I'm Private Tsuchinoko. I felt like having tonkotsu ramen, so I came to Hakata Furyu in Ueno. It's solo lunch again today. I arrived at 1:00 PM. Hakata Furyu is popular because they offer up to 2 free extra noodle servings and their prices are reasonable. Inside the restaurant, there is a digital ticket machine right at the entrance. It's a bit disappointing that they don't accept electronic money. Nowadays, more and more people don't use cash. They have various types of ramen, but I decided to go with a simple "Tonkotsu Ramen" for 650 yen! Cheap!! However, the prices will increase from October 2022. It will go up by 100 yen! It's understandable due to rising prices. When I handed the food ticket to the staff, I showed them my app coupon for a free "Chashu Plate" and got that as well. It's a really great app, so I recommend it! You can choose the firmness of the noodles from the following options:
- Barikata (7 seconds)
- Kata (15 seconds)
- Futsu (25 seconds)
- Yawa (50 seconds)
I decided to go with "Barikata" this time! The food was served in just 2 minutes. One of the charms of Hakata ramen is how quickly they serve the food. The soup is really white! The soup is very clear. When I took a sip, it was very light! There was no pork smell. Even people who don't like strong smells should be able to enjoy this tonkotsu soup. The taste is mild, so some people might add "kaeshi" from the beginning. However, to be honest, the soup lacks a distinct flavor. I personally prefer a soup with a stronger pork smell and richness. Now, let's talk about the noodles. When I picked them up, they were quite thin. With this thinness, the noodles mix well with the soup when slurped, which I like. Slurping them, the soup quickly enters your mouth. Since I ordered the noodles to be "Barikata," I felt a bit powdery when eating them. If you don't like that powdery texture, I recommend ordering them as "Futsu" or "Yawa." But, many customers around me seem to order them as "Barikata"! Is it the most popular choice? Next, let's look at the toppings:
[Green Onions] There is a decent amount of green onions, but if you love green onions, it might be worth adding extra toppings for an additional charge. By the time you order extra noodles, the green onions might be gone.
[Wood Ear Mushrooms] With a crunchy texture, when you eat them with the soup, you really feel like you're eating Hakata ramen. I wonder who was the first person to add wood ear mushrooms to Hakata ramen. I'm curious.
[Chashu] One slice of chashu comes with the ramen by default! When I tried it, it had a ham-like texture. The taste is quite bland. To be honest, it's not delicious. I felt like I didn't want to pay extra for toppings.
[Chashu Plate] I got this chashu with the free coupon from the app. After ordering extra noodles, I added all of these to my bowl. It looks like this! It's nice that it comes with green onions! I ordered the extra noodles as "Yawa." They are served separately, so it's best to order them when you've eaten about half of your noodles. When ordering extra noodles, you use this plate. But... most people just say "More noodles, please" (laughs). I tried the extra noodles, and they were quite firm. I'm glad I didn't order them as "Barikata." Since the soup becomes mild, I added this "kaeshi." It boosts the saltiness and tastes great! There are "Beni Shoga" and "Karashi Takana" on the table. I think the best part of Hakata ramen is adding these condiments to change the flavor! However, "Karashi Takana" is very spicy, so it's best to add it gradually. There are also "Kizami Ginger," "Garlic," and "Sesame" as other flavoring options, but you need to ask the staff to use them. After having the extra noodles, I was full! It was delicious! I want to come back again (´∀`) Thank you to everyone who always reads my reviews. I know my writing is a bit rough, but I hope it can be helpful in evaluating dishes.