tatsutora
Recently, there have been more opportunities to visit Hakata Station. The other day, my husband and I went to Hakata Station for some errands, and we were thinking, "Where should we have lunch at Hakata Station?" We decided to try the new Hakata-style ramen shop that had opened at the station, "Yokohama-style Ramen Kakuzoya." This ramen shop is part of the wave of Hakata-style ramen shops that have been opening in Fukuoka recently. Although I haven't had Hakata-style ramen much before, I can see why these shops continue to open in Fukuoka. Let me share my experience of dining at "Yokohama-style Ramen Kakuzoya."
The restaurant is located on the 8th floor of Hakata Bus Terminal, right next to Hakata Station. When you think of ramen at Hakata Station, the popular "Hakata Ramen Street" with shops like "Ramen Nibanko" might come to mind. "Yokohama-style Ramen Kakuzoya," however, is located next to "Spaghetti Pancho." It's easy to spot with its lanterns and banners. The restaurant has a glass front, making it easy to see inside. On the day we visited, there wasn't a long line, so we were able to enter without waiting.
We purchased our meal tickets from the vending machine on the right side as we entered. The menu offers two basic ramen options: soy sauce and salt. There are various ramen dishes with different toppings. They also offer sets with extras like gyoza, and you can add additional toppings. Of course, being a Hakata-style shop, they also serve rice. During weekdays lunchtime (11:00-14:00), you can get a free bowl of rice. Unfortunately, we visited on a Saturday, so we didn't get the free rice.
We ordered the "All Toppings Ramen" and the "Gyoza Set" for my wife. The restaurant provides various condiments on the table, which is not commonly seen in Fukuoka's tonkotsu ramen shops. They also explain how to customize your ramen and enjoy the rice. This was helpful for me, as I don't eat Hakata-style ramen often. I appreciated the tips, especially on how to eat the rice.
You can adjust the noodle firmness, soup richness, and oil level when ordering. I initially ordered everything as normal but ended up customizing it to my liking (noodle firmness: firm, soup richness: rich, oil level: normal). After a few minutes of waiting, our ramen and rice were served!
The "All Toppings Ramen" came with chashu, spinach, quail egg, egg, and seaweed. The soy sauce pork bone soup was rich but not greasy, making it easy to drink. I chose a rich soup, and it was just right. The thick noodles were satisfying, and they soaked up the soup well. The taste was flavorful, unlike some Hakata-style ramen I've had before. It had a good balance of flavors, and the pork bone flavor was strong. I also tried adding black pepper, chopped onions, and grated garlic for a different taste.
The egg was not as runny as I expected. As for the rice, I followed the instructions to wrap the rice in seaweed soaked in soup and added some pepper. This is not a common way to eat at regular ramen shops, so it was a new experience for me. Overall, it was a delightful meal.