keipon0414
"Menya Ikki" is located in Asahikawa, and I went there alone because I had some business in Nagayama. I searched in Nagayama, but it seems like I've already tried all the famous ramen shops, and the number of shops keeps increasing, making it feel like there's not much left to explore. Nevertheless, new shops are popping up here and there, and sometimes I come across surprising ones.
This time, I heard about this place, and when I arrived, I thought it might be the ramen shop I often pass by. And sure enough, it was the same ramen shop I always see. This area is quite competitive, isn't it? "Ichiban" was crowded, and there's also "Miso no," and to top it off, "Ramen Village" is nearby with a pretty spacious parking lot, and there were several cars parked there.
So, it seemed crowded, but when I walked in, there were no customers. What's going on? This place is part of the Isshin Group, just like the one I ate at the other day. Well, it would have been nice to try a different ramen shop.
It's a one-man operation today, and there's no friendliness. Anyway, I'll spare you, but I took a picture of the ticket machine right away. The guy in green, the Green Ranger, took my order. There were two posters of enka singers, so I knew I was in the right ramen shop. There's a TV here.
I ordered the "shoyu" (soy sauce) ramen from the ticket machine. There are seven counter seats with no gaps. There are two raised seating areas, and instead of air conditioning, they have fans. It's a hot day today, and the noise from the TV and the heat from the ramen shop are making me irritable. No, it's not irritable; it's stuffy. Oh, there's an air conditioner above me, isn't there? Well, since there are no customers right in the middle of the day in Asahikawa, the air conditioner is a luxury. Who is it a luxury for?
The Asahikawa shoyu ramen looks good, but when you start eating, it looks different. It's not just tonkotsu; I can also taste seafood in it. The noodles are thin and low in hydration, but they're not from Katoh. Looking at the curtain, it says "Asahikawa Seimen," which is good. Green onions go well with it. The chashu is probably tender, and it has a fruity flavor, but it's delicious chashu, so I eat it all. The menma and the tonma in this ramen taste sweet to me. The texture is soft. The only thing is, I might not like it. The surface of the soup is Asahikawa, but only the surface. A fairly dark-colored soup emerges. It's not just tonkotsu; it's complex. It's not as mellow as you'd expect from Asahikawa, and it's not very salty. It's complex, but it's salty. It's a shame. My throat gets dry.
The guy working here seems like a nice person. I thought so after hearing his final farewell. Keep up the good work.