くい吉
Today, I went shopping at Cainz Home in Omagari, and at my girlfriend's request, we decided to visit Ramen Wa, located right across the street. We arrived around 3:30 pm and were the only customers at that time. We ordered the Ume Shio Wasabi Ramen (850 yen) that caught my eye, and my girlfriend ordered the Shoyu Ramen (750 yen), along with the Kimchi Fried Rice (850 yen) that she had been wanting to try. While waiting, I noticed that the names of the main and branch stores in Chitose and Ebetsu had changed, which made me feel a bit nostalgic as I had visited the main store in Chitose several times before. I wondered if the menu had changed as well. Soon, the ramen arrived. The bowl was generously topped with wasabi that made me wonder if it was too much. The soup was a creamy white pork bone broth, not too rich but rather light in flavor. The noodles were Sapporo-style yellow curly egg noodles, not too firm but not too soft either, allowing the noodle's flavor to come through nicely. When I dissolved the wasabi a bit and tried it, I was surprised to find that it wasn't spicy at all. In fact, the aroma and flavor of the wasabi were there, but it wasn't spicy. Thanks to the aroma of the wasabi, it became even more enjoyable to eat. I even tried eating just the wasabi, but I still couldn't feel the spiciness. It's a mysterious wasabi that retains its aroma even though the spiciness is almost non-existent. Eating it with the side dishes like kimchi, umeboshi, and seaweed allowed for various flavor combinations, making the meal very enjoyable. The chashu was made from pork belly, so the fatty part was melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the lean part had a good texture. My girlfriend's shoyu ramen also had a noticeable pork bone flavor but was light and easy to eat. Those seeking a stronger pork bone flavor might find it lacking, but I personally enjoyed the taste. The Kimchi Fried Rice was simple but delicious, with the kimchi adding a nice touch to the dish. I wished there was even more kimchi in it because it was so tasty. I think they might have used pork bone soup in this dish as well, and it was also very easy to eat. Also, the dish was served in a deep plate, so it looked more generous than it actually was. Overall, the food was easy to eat but still satisfying, leaving us feeling full and content. The entrance of the restaurant advertised "Kotsari" (rich flavor), and indeed, the food was easy to eat but still provided a sense of satisfaction. It was a great restaurant, and even though I don't come to this area often, I will definitely be back next time! Thank you for the delicious meal!