To all new students in 2022, drinking alcohol in one go is dangerous, so let's avoid it. Besides, you shouldn't drink alcohol until you're 20 years old. This rule remains the same even if the legal age is lowered to 18. Unless you've repeated a year or taken a gap year, then it's a different story (lol). This is not a crappy game... Anyway, this is about "Menya Ikki" restaurant. I visited during the weekday between Golden Week. The parking lot is behind the store. It's a bit confusing where to park, but the staff said it's fine to park anywhere. It was a workday, dealing with annoying customers... I was exhausted when I got home. I visited around 7 pm and there were no other customers. On the other hand, the neighboring "Private Room Izakaya Wagaya" seemed busy, probably because of Golden Week. The salt hormone ramen is popular, but I wasn't in the mood for salt, so I chose soy sauce. The Shoyu Ramen (with egg topping) costs 780 yen + 100 yen. The soup has a smooth taste with a hint of seafood flavor, which I liked. The noodles are Asahikawa-style, with low water content. In my personal opinion, the water content seems lower than other low-water content noodles at different shops. The chashu is tender and delicious. The egg is perfectly half-cooked. At first, I thought it was incredibly delicious, but I got a bit tired of it as I kept eating (lol). I thought it would be good to change the taste with yuzu pepper or something midway through.

Ramen shop along the Asahikawa City Nagayama, Ring Road. This area is a fierce battleground for ramen, with the Asahikawa Ramen Village nearby. Inside the shop, there is a ticket machine at the end. Since it's not a very big shop, it's not a problem to go further inside. The popular dishes here are the spicy miso ramen "Red Comet" and the "Salt Hormone Ramen". What to do, what to do? I like both spicy ramen and hormone, so... (laughs) I couldn't see any other menu items, and since there wasn't a line behind me, I hesitated and ended up buying a ticket for the "Salt Hormone Ramen" (880 yen). There were no customers waiting outside, so I was served in about 6-7 minutes. First, I took a sip of the soup. It has a salty taste but with a rich flavor. I can taste a pork bone flavor, but also a hint of seafood. It's a soup that I quite like. The noodles are Asahikawa-made, thin, low-water noodles, typical of Asahikawa. The menma is salted, with plenty of leeks and bean sprouts, along with the hormone. The crispy texture is delicious! Ramen and hormone go well together, but when eating hormone, I feel like having a beer... Is it weird to associate ramen with beer? (laughs) Salt Hormone Ramen is delicious! Thank you for the meal!

I visited Menya Aikisama for dinner and tried the 2nd spiciest option, the Red Comet, for 980 yen. It's a ticket machine system here. Let's go with the spicy ramen, Red Comet. It was served in about 10 minutes. It looks great. The spiciness at 2nd level was just right. They also offer soy sauce ramen and miso ramen, but the appearance is similar.

"Menya Ikki" I came alone to Asahikawa for business in Nagaoyama, so I searched in Nagaoyama. The famous shops seem to have been exhausted, with more and more shops opening, but still, new shops are popping up here and there, and sometimes you come across surprising ones. This time, I had heard of this shop and it seemed like a ramen shop I had seen before. When I arrived, it was indeed the ramen shop I had always seen. This area is also a fierce battleground. "Ichiban" was crowded. There is also "Misono". Moreover, "Ramen Village" is nearby. There is a parking lot behind, quite spacious, and a few cars are parked. Well, it seems crowded, right? But there are no customers. What's going on? This place is part of the Isshin group. Well, I had eaten here the other day. I wish I had gone to a different ramen shop. It's a one-man operation by an older gentleman. Yes, there is no friendliness. I immediately took a picture of the ticket machine, so please forgive me. The green guy is the Green Ranger, right? There are two posters of the enka guy, so it's the right ramen shop. There is a TV. I bought "shoyu" from the ticket machine. The counter has 7 seats without any gaps. There are 2 sunken tables. Instead of an air conditioner, there is a fan. Today is hot, and the noise from the TV is annoying. Is it because of Corona or the heat? The windows are open, facing a busy road, so the noise from passing cars is bothersome. Not annoying, but a stuffy setting. Oh, there is an air conditioner above me, right? Well, there are no customers in the middle of the day, so the air conditioner is a luxury. Who is it a luxury for? In 7 minutes, it's not right in the middle of Asahikawa, but Asahikawa shoyu still looks good, but when you start eating, the appearance is different. You can feel not only tonkotsu but also seafood. The noodles are Asahikawa's thin, low-water noodles, but not Katou. When you look at the noren, it says Asahikawa Seimen. It's delicious. Green onions go well. The chashu seems to be tender and fruity, but it's delicious. Because it's chashu, I eat it all. Menma with tonma... it feels sweet in this ramen. The texture is soft. The only thing... I might not like it. The soup on the surface is Asahikawa, but only on the surface. A rather dark-colored soup emerges. It's not just tonkotsu, there is complexity. It feels like soy sauce for Asahikawa. Or rather, the mellowness is weak. It's delicious but a bit salty. It's a shame. My throat gets dry. The older brother is a nice person, I think. I thought so after hearing his final farewell. Good luck."

I ordered the Shoyu Ramen with a coupon from 567 Ramen. It arrived in just 10 minutes. The soup had a good amount of lard and was hot, but not too hot. The Shoyu flavor was delicious without being overpowering. The noodles were thin and curly, typical of Asahikawa Ramen, and paired well with the soup. The bamboo shoots were firm and had a square shape, providing a nice crunch. The chashu was tender and fatty.

Today I went to work in this area. Now, what should I eat today... I'm torn between curry, ramen, or a set meal... This will probably be my last visit to this area for a while, so I want to try a new restaurant. I found a place that meets the criteria - the Red Comet. It seems like many people order the super spicy miso dish. The name is related to Gundam, but I've never actually seen it (I'm a 50-year-old man). When I was in junior high, my favorite anime were Space Battleship Yamato, Galaxy Express 999, and Lupin the Third. As a lover of spicy food, I have to challenge the Red Comet... I bought a ticket from the machine. There's a poster of the owner running, which seems to indicate it's a lively place (based on reviews on Tabelog). I entered around 11:15 am and was probably the first customer. I heard a quiet "welcome." The ticket machine was actually at the back of the restaurant (laughs). I was a bit surprised as I thought it would be right at the entrance. I ordered the Red Comet. The spiciness goes up to 5 times, but I don't want to lose the taste, so I chose 3 times (with an extra 50 yen). I also wanted to add extra chashu (300 yen). The total bill ended up being higher than I expected. I sat at the counter. I love watching the cooking process. I saw a wok on the stove. They added bean sprouts and then lit the fire. I was surprised because usually you hear a sizzling sound first. After a few seconds, it started crackling... The chashu was pre-sliced. It was taken out of a large Tupperware from the fridge and then microwaved. I realized they warm up the chashu because if you put cold chashu in the soup, it will cool down the soup, so they warm it up first. They added spicy powder and probably chili oil. They put in 3 spoonfuls. I guess it's for the 3 times spiciness level. The timer went off, indicating the noodles were done. I was excited to try it. I decided to start with the soup. It was sweet and flavorful with spiciness kicking in later. The soup wasn't piping hot, so I could drink it without cooling it down with my breath. The noodles had a good chewiness and were easy to eat. The spicy soup coated the noodles nicely. The chashu was fatty and tender. I think they warmed it up to melt the fat. It had a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The vegetables seemed slightly simmered. The spiciness was mild for me (3 times). I think 4 times would have been perfect, and the challenge level is probably 5 times. The red powder on top added some heat. There are also related restaurants like Sanjou Ichirin (relatively close by) and a late-night shop in Asahikawa's downtown. Sanjou Ichirin doesn't have a ticket machine, but the menu seems almost the same. I'd like to try that place too. Thank you for the meal.

I suddenly remembered, it was supposed to be a sister store... are they the same? Let's compare and eat ♬ I remembered... it was "San-daime Isshin" ♬ Isshin is facing a wide street, so it's a bit difficult to enter the parking lot... Here... they have a ticket machine... (￣▽￣;) I hesitated for about 30 seconds... and clicked! It turned out to be the same as Isshin's last time... [Red Comet] ♬ 980 yen, spiciness level up 4 for 100 yen. No additional spiciness for levels 1 and 2! Level 3 = 50 yen, Level 4 = 100 yen, Level 5 = 150 yen. [Nostalgic] ♬ 700 yen, butter topping for 100 yen. Huh?? Butter topping on soy sauce ramen~? Please serve it on a separate plate... ( ˘•ω•˘ ).｡oஇ I'm eager to taste it... haha The staff is not particularly friendly... but they work efficiently... I can hear rhythmic cooking sounds from the kitchen ♬ Here comes the hot red one ♬ It's spicy, so it's not delicate but full of stimulation ♡ I was in the mood for super spicy today, so my stomach and brain were waiting for this ♬ The vegetables are crunchy! The soup has a good depth and the sweetness is moderate, with a strong umami flavor from the sautéed vegetables, very delicious ♬ The noodles are the type I like, with low water content ‪(๑'ڡ'๑)♡ The "Nostalgic" soy sauce ramen is delicious as always ♬ The butter... well, it's not bad, but I still prefer it without (o´艸`) The soup of the standard ramen... doesn't look completely clear, so I don't know if the day will come when I will try it, but "Red Comet" and "Nostalgic" are my favorites ♡ When I crave for some excitement again, Isshin or Ikki will be my choice ♬ Thank you for the meal~(*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡

This tenant, I thought it was hard to keep a fixed tenant, but surprisingly, the ramen shop named Ikki seems to be doing well. I remember there was a pork bowl, Korean home cooking, a nail or esthetic salon, and another ramen shop. Now, this Ikki is said to be part of a group with names like Sandaime Isshin and Yamanami Keisuke. I've been wanting to visit both of them. Yamanami Keisuke's place always seemed closed whenever I passed by after drinking. Maybe I was too early. So, I happened to see a free paper and decided to visit. The person who seemed to be the owner was standing with his arms crossed, looking a bit intimidating, but I didn't mind and went inside. Inside, there was a family waiting for their order. I hesitated a bit in front of the ticket machine, but chose soy sauce ramen. I wasn't in the mood for spicy ramen. But since I was hungry, I added an egg and chashu rice bowl to my order without hesitation. At this time, there was only one person working at the shop. It took a bit of time for each order to be prepared. We waited for about 15 minutes. It's not the longest wait for a ramen shop. Well, it's not lunchtime, so there's no need to rush. Finally, the ramen arrived. It looked delicious. It was a cloudy soy sauce broth with curly noodles. Recently, I feel like there are more places using straight noodles. But I prefer curly noodles. I took a sip of the soup, and its richness was evident. But it wasn't overly salty, it had a thick and smooth texture. It seemed to have a harmony of pork bone, vegetables, and seafood. The seafood flavor was strong, almost as if they added fish powder (they might have actually done that), but it didn't have any unpleasant fishy smell. It balanced well with the pork bone and vegetables, creating a smooth and mellow taste. Delicious. The noodles were low hydration and slightly chewy. It reminded me of Asahikawa ramen. The chashu had a good amount of fat and was delicious, although some may have mixed feelings about its thinness. I also enjoyed the meatiness of the chashu rice bowl, so I was able to appreciate various flavors. My partner had miso ramen with gyoza. She said it was a bit salty, but she enjoyed it.

I tried the Akai Suisei Double at a ramen restaurant along the Asahikawa Ring Road that I had been curious about for a while. The noodles were medium-thin and curly, making them easy to eat. They paired well with the soup and were delicious. I also had a Chashu Don, which was on the richer side and felt quite heavy in terms of calories. I found a ramen place that I would like to visit again.

I wanted to have ramen for lunch, so I finally went to the restaurant I had been curious about. It's located near the loop line and has a spacious parking lot. I couldn't decide what to order with the ticket system, but then I noticed the Red Comet ★ and decided to try it, even though I'm not a fan of spicy food. The staff kindly made it slightly less spicy for me, which made me happy! And it was delicious! The ramen had a sweet and savory flavor, with plenty of vegetables and my favorite curly noodles. Above all, the staff at the restaurant were friendly and made the place very welcoming. I definitely want to come back and try more flavors!

124th visit since I started keeping track. First time at this shop. I don't like ticket machines, but don't underestimate it - the soup here is quite delicious with both animal-based and seafood flavors. The rumor about it being lukewarm was improved as it was served piping hot. The noodles from Asahikawa Seimen are medium-thin with a strong curl. The firmness of the noodles is just right. It's a rare shop that stays open late. However, it seems like there's only one staff member handling everything, so it took about 20 minutes to get my bowl. Overall, I'm satisfied. I'm curious about trying the Red Comet and White Shoyu next time. They also had Morumen on the menu, but it's a rare salt-based flavor in the city. I wonder how it tastes? I ordered the soy sauce ramen in large size (+100 yen). Thank you for the meal.

In March 2018, I visited a ramen specialty shop near JR Minami-Nagayama Station in Asahikawa City, close to the intersection of the Asahikawa Ring Road and 2nd Street. The shop's specialty is the "Red Comet" spicy ramen and the "Salt Hormone" ramen that I tried this time. The Salt Hormone ramen is a popular menu item, which is a salt-flavored hormone ramen. The shop operates on a ticket system, where you purchase your order at a machine in the back and hand it to the staff. I received a free topping of egg with my order, thanks to a "winning" ticket that came out with my ramen ticket. The ramen arrived with plenty of thick hormone slices, along with leeks and bean sprouts. While hormone ramen is usually served in miso flavor, the salt flavor was surprisingly good. The noodles were the classic Asahikawa style with low water content, and they were delicious as well. The salt-flavored soup was rich with a hint of saltiness, and I personally really enjoyed the taste. Asahikawa is known for its popular ramen shops, but don't underestimate the ramen shops in the suburbs, as they can also offer some great options in this competitive ramen scene.

The restaurant is open until midnight. I ordered the Red Comet, which is the spicy miso ramen, from the ticket machine at the back of the shop. It cost 950 yen. I started with the soup, which I ordered at double the spiciness level, but it was more like a mild level of heat. It was smooth and the spiciness matched well, but I felt that it lacked depth or complexity. The regular size was 950 yen, without the option for a larger portion. If you opt for a larger portion, the ramen would cost over 1,000 yen. I kept trying to find the worth of the price in the soup and noodles, but I couldn't quite finish it, unsure until the end.

I had the Red Comet Ramen (2x spiciness) at Menya Ikki located along the circular road in Eiyama 10-jo 5-chome, Asahikawa City (priced at 950 yen). The ramen comes with green onions, bamboo shoots, and other vegetables like wood ear mushrooms and bean sprouts. The chashu pork is tender and plentiful. The Red Comet Ramen is a spicy miso ramen. Menya Ikki opened in August 2016 and operates on a ticket vending machine system. The restaurant has a counter with 7 seats and two tables for 4 people each. Water is self-service, and smoking is prohibited during lunchtime. The menu includes basic options like salt ramen, soy sauce ramen, and white soy sauce ramen for 750 yen each, with miso ramen priced at 800 yen. They also offer nostalgic ramen for 650 yen and student ramen for 500 yen. Specialties like Salt Hormone Ramen for 850 yen and the Red Comet Ramen for 950 yen are popular choices. They also have a soy sauce ramen made with sake kasu. The noodles in the Red Comet Ramen are from Asahikawa Seimen, known for their delicious low-water content noodles. The spiciness of the Red Comet Ramen at 2x level was just right, but if you prefer it spicier, you can add more for an extra charge. The tender chashu and crunchy bean sprouts made the meal enjoyable. Thank you for the meal!

When riding the Asahikawa Loop Line, you can see the words "Red Comet Ramen" of Ikki-san! If you have seen Gundam once, you can't help but react to those words. Especially if you like Gundam, you have to try it (^_^) I visited on a weekday lunch with only 3 groups of customers. I pressed the "Red Comet" button on the ticket machine and told the owner to make it twice as spicy. The owner, who seemed busy, was working hard alone, so I had to wait for about 15 minutes until the ramen was served. While waiting, I watched the TV show being broadcast on the large TV in front of the counter. To briefly explain the Red Comet, "Char Aznable, a pilot of the Zeon forces, rides a red Zaku with three times the mobility of the standard green Zaku, feared by the opposing Federation forces as the Red Comet." What I regretted when ordering was that I should have chosen 3 times the spiciness (+50 yen). While lamenting this, the Red Comet Ramen 2 times arrived. It looks delicious♪ The soup's color doesn't convey spiciness, so I took a sip of the soup... and then another... Huh?... Not spicy (・・;) Even after mixing it, it's not spicy! You can choose spiciness up to 4 times (+100 yen) or 5 times (+150 yen), but I feel like I could handle 4 times or 5 times. Furthermore, the soup is piping hot for ramen, but Ikki-san's ramen has warm soup, which would be fatal for Char.

I stopped by a new restaurant on a whim. It was a weekday, maybe that's why I was the only customer. As I entered and was about to sit at a counter while watching the big monitor, the staff silently gestured towards the ticket machine. I thought they would take my order verbally since it was my first visit, but it turned out I had to buy a ticket. I wish they had said a word. The taste wasn't bad, but it was disappointing that there was no greeting after buying the ticket. What I had that day was this.