I had the miso ramen (800 yen). The soup is thick and rich, with a unique and innovative blend of various flavors. The medium-thick curly noodles are chewy and delicious. The pork chashu and chicken chashu are tender, and the menma and sliced burdock have a nice texture. The round wheat gluten was just average. The soup and noodles were a bit on the small side. The rough texture of the soup was a bit distracting throughout. The atmosphere was not very appealing.

I've been eyeing the Saba Black Shoyu Set for a while now, but I never had a reason to go to the Shinro area until now, so I finally made a visit. I ordered the set with chicken tempura, which was a great deal. The visual impact of the black broth with two pieces of fu was impressive. Now, I've never had Saba before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The fish broth flavor was quite intense, even in the normal version, so I imagine the stronger flavored ramen must be even more impressive. Personally, I really liked it. Now, onto the highly anticipated homemade noodles. I remember reading somewhere that the owner used to work for a noodle company before starting his own business, so I had high hopes. The medium-thick curly noodles had a satisfying chewiness, but they were a bit firmer than I prefer. However, the chicken tempura in the set was incredibly delicious. I've never seen tempura at a udon or soba shop before, but this was a great addition. Noodles: Homemade noodles.

Boiled dried fish and kelp soy sauce (white) at Sapporo Shinro Ramen Style Maru Fu. Today it's over 35°C in Sapporo. It's my first visit. I ordered Boiled dried fish and kelp soy sauce (white) for 750 yen at the ticket machine. It was served in about 5 minutes. The bowl was slightly smaller than I imagined. The ramen had a nice visual presentation. First, I tried the soup. It had the flavor of boiled dried fish with the umami of kelp in the background. The noodles seemed to be whole wheat as I could see black specks. They were firm with a chewy texture. Very satisfying to slurp. The bamboo shoots and chashu were also very good. Thank you for the delicious ramen. Itadakimasu! #RamenEveryday

During this intense late summer heat, I hope everyone is managing to stay cool. Even though it's hot, it's not life-threatening. It's more like, "It's summer, so what can you do?" I feel like it's not a big deal! So why not have some hot ramen! Today I had the Shoyu Ramen with dried fish and kelp broth (white) for 750 yen. I thought it would be light and refreshing, but it was actually quite strong with a lot of dried fish flavor. I don't mind that at all, I actually like it. Anyway, this unbearable heat is reaching its limit. It was a delicious meal.

Around noon on a regular day, there were just three customers behind me. I ordered the classic boiled fish ramen set while looking at reviews. It took about 10 minutes for the order to arrive, and it was served to me by the staff without saying a word. The taste was subtle but you could still feel the boiled fish flavor. I personally prefer a stronger boiled fish flavor. The noodles seemed to be made with sprouted grains or whole wheat, which may be a matter of preference, but I liked them slightly firm and tasty. The chicken tempura came with ponzu sauce and mayonnaise, which went well with rice. Thank you for the meal!

Shinro area in Kita-ku. I visited once before but my memory of what I ate last time is vague. As a result, I ended up ordering the same thing as last time. It's important to keep records like meeting minutes. There are about three parking spaces available. The interior of the restaurant has a stylish atmosphere, but it also has a homely feel with the mother serving customers. They offer Marufu, Saba, and unique ramen. It's a place that promotes Saba, but they even have baked sweet potatoes (laughs). I ordered the Saba Black Soy Sauce Set (980 yen). [Soup] The soup is strong with a distinct soy sauce flavor, although it's unclear which soy sauce brewery it's from. I prefer it to be a bit milder, so blending it with a lighter soy sauce might be better. You can taste the fishiness of the Saba and a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. It's a unique soup. It's a bit salty and intense, so finishing the whole bowl might be challenging. The vinegar adds a nice touch, enhancing the flavor. [Noodles] They use their own germ-enriched medium-thick curly noodles. It's like a thicker version of Asahikawa noodles. Despite the strong soup, you can still taste the richness of the wheat. The noodles retain a nice texture even after soaking up the soup towards the end. They have a chewy yet springy texture, which is excellent. The noodles have a unique character, which I think is good. [Chashu] They only had pork chashu this time, no chicken chashu. The pork chashu, which I believe is loin, is tender and flavorful. [Menma] The soy-flavored bamboo shoots are crunchy and perfectly seasoned. They have a great texture and softness. [Other toppings] The mitsuba leaves add a nice touch. The marufu absorbs the soup well and tastes great, but it might shine more with a lighter broth. The negi is average. [Chicken Tempura] This is delicious! It's freshly fried, and the batter is crispy! I also want to try the summer menu's chicken tempura set and maybe order the lunch chicken tempura separately. Many ramen shops are promoting zangi these days, but I prefer this chicken tempura ♥ They provide mayonnaise, special mayonnaise, ponzu, salt, which are great for flavor variations. You can dip it in the soup or enjoy it separately. [Rice] It comes with the set, and it's simply delicious. [Overall] The flavors are quite intense, so the strong Saba Black might not be to my liking. However, some people enjoy this kind of flavor, so choose according to your preference. I'm curious about the strong niboshi next time. I guess I'm just drawn to intense flavors (laughs). I also enjoyed the kombu simmered dish I took home (^^) It's good value for money, and I'm satisfied. Thank you for the meal♪♪

I ordered the lunch set No.8, Saba Black soy sauce set (980 yen) and also a seasoned boiled egg (100 yen) at this restaurant. Based on the reviews, it seems that the Saba Black is quite popular, so I decided to try it out. The lunch set comes with special mayonnaise, ponzu sauce, salt, and store-bought mayonnaise. The tempura seemed to be plain, so you can add your preferred seasoning. I really liked the special mayonnaise, it was similar to aurora sauce. The ramen had small fish in it, probably saba fish. Despite its appearance, it was surprisingly light and satisfying without any guilt. However, the noodles were a bit firm and tended to break when chewing, which I didn't really like. Considering the recent rise in ingredient costs, the prices here are reasonable and the cost performance is quite good. I would like to visit this place again. Although, I found it strange when a customer asked if they had fried rice and the staff replied, "No, we are a ramen shop!" Seems like they don't consider themselves a ramen shop if they serve fried rice. Really? (laughs) Thank you for the meal.

I visited "Sapporo Shinro Ramen Style Marufu" on October 26th for the first time. I went for lunch at 11:20 am alone. There are three parking spaces in front of the store. One customer is already parked. I entered through a white half-curtain. There is a ticket machine on the left. Stickers for d payment, auPAY, and PayPay are displayed at the entrance. Since it was my first visit, I chose the one in the upper left corner. Let's go with the Shoyu R (white) for 750 yen. Oh, I don't have a 1000 yen bill. I need to ask the staff for change or use the payment system. I managed with some change... How many 100 yen coins do I have? But what does "R" on the menu mean? Inside on the right is the kitchen with two staff members. There are counter seats across from the kitchen. There are table seats on the left side. There is one group of two customers already seated at the far end of the counter. The chairs are red plastic molded chairs, and there are red lunch mats on the white counter. It looks quite modern, but it's a bit messy with cups and seasonings on the table. Maybe it would be better to remove them. But the counter is quite spacious. It has a great depth. It feels spacious. There is a wide variety of seasonings. There was Kyoto Chidori vinegar. I wonder what it is used for? I don't think they had gyoza. Oh, with an explanation, adding a small amount of soup enhances richness and umami. After waiting for about 5 minutes, the ramen arrived. A white ladle has already been put in. The toppings include three leaves of Mitsuba, which have a nice color. It's the first time I've seen Mitsuba on ramen. The vehicle gluten is a bit different from the regular gluten you can buy in stores. It looks similar to the vehicle gluten I saw in Okinawa. With this type of gluten, it may be just right in terms of how it mixes with the soup. You can also enjoy the gluten. The chashu consists of one slice of pork belly and two slices of chicken breast. The noodles are medium-thin and slightly crinkled. They are pale in color. They seem to be aiming for the Shikopatsu type commonly found in Asahikawa, so maybe the noodles have a low hydration rate? It seems that the noodles are kneaded with germ and whole wheat flour. Some places offer whole wheat noodles, but I may not have had them before. Oh, but whole wheat flour includes germ, right? Did I misunderstand? The soup is a dried fish-based soup. There are some granules floating on the surface, maybe fish powder. The dried fish broth is quite good. I love it. Oh, but for health reasons, I'm refraining from drinking soup... It's tough. It was very delicious. Thank you for the meal.

In September 2022, the bright and beautiful interior of the restaurant with a white theme. I ordered a mini char siu rice with rich dried fish soy sauce from the vending machine. It took about 10 minutes until it was served. I tried the soup right away and found it to be very rich. I love rich dried fish flavor, but this one was too intense with a strong umami taste that I personally don't like. The noodles were chewy.

A ramen restaurant that opened in the Shinro area in October 2018 is completely non-smoking. The location of the restaurant is near JR Shinro Station along Yokoshindo, about 290m from the elevated tracks of the former Satsuma Line towards Shindo. It takes about 7-8 minutes to walk from JR Shinro Station. The system is to buy food tickets at the ticket vending machine. On my first visit before 1 pm on September 15, 2022, I decided to visit another restaurant as my stomach still had some room. I looked at the menu and pondered. The main items seem to be anchovy and mackerel based, but I have never found anchovy-based ramen tasty in Hokkaido. Still, I thought it might be better than mackerel. I ordered a mini chashu bowl with anchovy and kombu soy sauce. The service was very good, and the atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. However, I personally did not enjoy the Hokkaido fish-based soup. I have cooked miso soup and ramen soup with anchovy and kombu myself and love that combination, but it just didn't work for me this time. Despite my personal preference, the overall rating of the restaurant is above 3.5, and there are many reviewers who have written positive things about it. The restaurant was very crowded and clearly popular. My taste seems to be quite different from the norm.

Soy sauce ramen (white) lunch set (chicken tempura + rice) for 950 yen, seasoned egg for 100 yen, total of 1,050 yen. This ramen has a good flavor of mackerel and tastes delicious. It is lighter than the black ramen, but still has a strong umami taste. The chicken tempura is decently tasty. It may not be good enough to make me want to come back for more.

Ordered the local chicken wonton noodles for the second time. The soup was clear and delicious, and the noodles were perfect. The flavors matched well, and just like with the mackerel last time, the seasoning was spot on. I drank every last drop of the soup. The wontons were also quite tasty. The chashu was delicious too, but I felt it distracted from enjoying the clear soup, so I ate it quickly. Much tastier than a certain high-end shop in front of Sapporo Station, even though it's over 500 yen more expensive. The menu is too extensive and I always have trouble deciding, but next time I'll try the dried fish broth. It's bound to be delicious.

Ordered the most popular mackerel soy sauce ramen. This is delicious. I wonder if the soup, with its high cost, can break even. The noodles are also good, with a strong wheat aroma and low hydration. This is a great match. If it were a little closer, I might become a regular customer. It would be perfect for a hangover.

Second time having Saba Black! The lunch set with Shoyu R (Saba Black), Toriten, and rice is still delicious. When you dip the round fu in the soup, its value increases (ﾟρﾟ)ﾎﾞｰｰｰｰ However, the Toriten is a bit bland and needs extra salt. It would be nice if there was a special sauce for it, like the karage sauce at Fuhou. The only problem is that I don't have many reasons to come to this area often, so it's hard to visit frequently. I wish they had a branch in the city center. Ta-da! ≡︎≡︎≡︎ヽ(*-ω-)ﾉ

◆Warm Tsukemen Showdown...Part 1Tsukemen has established itself as a genre of ramen. The basic concept is to eat "cold noodles" with "warm dipping soup." I used to have a hard time with the temperature difference between the noodles and the soup, but now I have completely embraced cold tsukemen. However, after a long time, I decided to try the taste of "warm tsukemen" at two different shops in a row. For the lunch session, the first stop is Marufu.=================================Marufu is known for its rich soup made with mackerel and chicken, along with homemade noodles. The shop is located in Shiroishi, a district in Sapporo. It is close to Shiroishi Station, along Yokoshindo street. There are three parking spaces in front of the shop. Around 11:30, I entered the shop through the open mesh door, enjoying the cool breeze inside. Today, I will be trying warm tsukemen, specifically the rare kettle-cooked tsukemen. I selected the button for "Kettle-cooked Tsukemen R" priced at 850 yen from the ticket machine. I have heard of "kettle-cooked udon" before, but "kettle-cooked tsukemen" is a new concept for me. Normally, udon noodles are cooked and then cooled in cold water to firm up and enhance the texture. However, kettle-cooked udon is served without being cooled in cold water, maintaining the hot state of the noodles. This style is known as "kettle-cooked." Similarly, regular tsukemen noodles are also cooked and then cooled in cold water before serving. This is what we commonly refer to as "hiyamori" or cold tsukemen. Trying tsukemen in an udon-like style, I realized that ramen, udon, and soba noodles are all made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour, which explains the similarities in how ramen and udon are eaten. I also learned that there is a kettle-cooked soba style in Izumo where the noodles are served hot without being cooled. This shared history among the three noodle brothers makes me more interested in udon and soba. But I digress. After purchasing the ticket, the dish was served in about 7-8 minutes. The hot noodles were placed on a tray by the owner, Mr. Fujishima himself. The noodles were still immersed in boiling water, just like kettle-cooked udon. The serving size was 300g, quite substantial. On the other hand, the dipping soup was served in a separate bowl. The chashu pork slices were placed on a flat plate. There was one piece of pork belly and two pieces of chicken breast. Let's dig in. First, I tried a strand of noodles on its own. The freshly boiled hot noodles had a rough texture due to the wheat germ, and they were homemade thick noodles. They were cooked slightly firm, giving a unique mouthfeel. The dipping soup was a rich blend of chicken broth and mackerel, with a thick and sticky texture that coated the noodles well. I scooped up the hot noodles from the boiling water, dipped them in the hot soup, and put them in my mouth. The noodles were slightly chewy and had a firm texture. I savored the texture of the noodles rather than slurping them down. Next, I added the chashu pork slices from the separate plate. I waited for the meat to absorb the heat of the soup and reached the perfect tenderness before eating. The meat was juicy and delicious. I slurped up the noodles, which became increasingly tender as they absorbed the residual heat. Oh no, the rich dipping soup splattered on my shirt. I wish I had a paper apron. I still have a lot to learn about eating elegantly. Now that the noodles are done, I asked for a soup refill. The cloudy broth with added dashi was delicious.

2nd time: White soy sauce (750), Soy sauce R (Saba Black) 780, Thick Saba soy sauce R (Black Improved) 880, Rice 80. White is between the first salt and soy sauce, giving a feeling of sardines! It has a rough texture like fish powder salt, but you can also feel a bit of transparency in the taste. Compared to black, it feels insufficient. When you increase the intensity, the taste becomes cloudy, but not too much. Eating it for the second time may make you slightly tired of it. R is still the best in terms of balance between intensity and heaviness. R > Intense R > White.

I came to this area for work, and decided to try a ramen shop that I had been wanting to visit. However, to my disappointment, it was closed for the day. I quickly searched for another nearby restaurant and found this one. Luckily, there was one parking spot available in front of the store. Without much prior knowledge, I hesitated for a moment in front of the ticket machine, but ended up ordering the lunch set with soy sauce ramen (with mackerel broth) and char siu rice. The visual presentation was impressive and I had high expectations. As I took my first bite, and then another... Wow! This is delicious. The flavor is addictive and the balance is perfect. The mackerel flavor is strong, but it blends well. The soup soaking into the round wheat gluten is also a great combination and very tasty. The char siu was tender and had a flavor that I liked. The only downside was that the char siu on the char siu rice was thin and small. I wish there was a bit more volume. Nevertheless, the taste is excellent! The service from the lady in charge of the floor was also very good, with a lovely smile. I will definitely come back again. *I love you*

Today, I visited Marufu-san's restaurant. I saw it being introduced on a TV show with Takatoshi and was curious to check it out. The parking lot in front of the restaurant can fit three cars, but it depends on your luck. They have taken measures against COVID-19, with a screen door at the entrance and paper masks available, which is a nice touch. The interior has a counter and table seats, and it is very clean and welcoming, making it suitable even for families with small children. I ordered the most popular Shoyu R lunch set from the vending machine, and it took a bit of time for the food to be served. The soup had a hint of mackerel but was very easy to drink and delicious. Eating it with the rice was especially delightful. Thank you for the meal.

I have returned from my business trip, not a ramen trip within Hokkaido, back to Sapporo (//∇//). Just like how mothers often come back from trips and say "there's no place like home," even though the regional ramen was delicious, I still crave Sapporo ramen when I return home. So, I headed to Marufu in Shiroishi, Sapporo, for the fourth time. Despite not being in a very accessible location, I keep going back. This time, I'm going to enjoy their "tsukemen" for 850 yen. Tsukemen is a menu item that is surprisingly difficult for both the makers and the eaters. It wasn't until around 2018 that I began to appreciate the cold aspect of tsukemen. Before that, I always ordered hot tsukemen. At that time, I didn't quite enjoy the sensation of the dipping broth getting colder as I ate. In Hokkaido, outside of Sapporo, I have yet to find a tsukemen that is delicious enough to enjoy cold. I arrived at the restaurant at 1:30 pm. As usual, the place was crowded. I waited for 15 minutes. Then, a rich tsukemen with a strong mackerel flavor appeared. Let's dig in♪ First, the noodles. I picked up a thick noodle without dipping it and slurped it. Oh, it's firm and delicious! The noodles, tightened with cold water, are special noodles with wheat germ. The udon-like chewy noodles have a great gluten texture. Now, I dip these cold noodles into the hot dipping broth. Delicious (*⁰▿⁰*) delicious♪ The base of the dipping broth is chicken broth. It has a rich and thick taste with high viscosity. The addition of mackerel flavor adds an indescribable richness to the fish and chicken broth. Topped with chicken and pork chashu, mitsuba, green onions, and bonito flakes. The moist chicken and rich pork chashu are delicious. It would be even better with bamboo shoots. However, the rich dipping broth and 300g of thick noodles can be a bit heavy on the stomach towards the end. Nevertheless, delicious tsukemen makes you forget about the temperature of the broth. The taste of the noodles seems to surpass that. Now, after finishing the noodles, I'll have the soup-wari. I pour the soup-wari from the teapot into the remaining dipping broth and enjoy the mackerel flavor to the last drop. I finish the soup-wari to the last drop, and it's delicious (*´∀｀*) Once again, I finished eating and drinking everything. Indeed, a "Sapporo-style rich tsukemen." A bowl that makes you feel like you've returned to Sapporo. The flavors of the noodles, toppings, and dipping broth stand out. Now, what should I eat next time? There seems to be more to explore, so I'm looking forward to it. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal♬ *35th bowl of 2021 (visited on April 24, 2021).

Visited around 11:30 am on a Saturday in February 2021. There are parking spaces for 3 cars in front of the shop. The shop has colorful chairs, a counter with 5 seats, and two 4-person tables. My wife ordered the most popular Shoyu R (Saba Black) and I ordered the second most popular Shoyu R (White) lunch set. It arrived in about 10 minutes. I could taste the umami and bitterness of the dried fish, but it was well balanced and didn't feel out of place. The straight noodles were chewy and delicious. There were two types of chashu, both soft and melt-in-your-mouth. The lunch set came with rice topped with chashu, which was tender and tasty. I enjoyed dipping the rice into the ramen broth. More customers started coming in as we ate, and the shop quickly became full. The Saba Black ramen had a rich flavor but was still light and easy to eat. I finished it quickly because it was so delicious. I would like to come back again to try other ramen dishes.