だいぼん@京都
This restaurant that caught my eye during my commute seems to have moved here. It used to be in a less prominent location around the front of Yamashiro High School. That spot is now a ramen shop called "Sakuraya." It seems like it's still relatively new. The interior of the restaurant is clean and about 80% full of customers. I sat at the counter at the back and immediately ordered the "cold raw soy sauce udon." The wait time was relatively short, probably because they boil the noodles as needed. With 80% of the customers present, there didn't seem to be any issues, but I wonder how it would be if it were less crowded.
Now, the raw soy sauce udon arrived, looking shiny and glossy. Toppings included grated daikon radish, green onions, lemon wedges, all the standard choices. The common practice is to take a bite of the udon noodles alone first, but I accidentally poured soy sauce over them. Without mixing, I pulled out the noodles without soy sauce and ate them. Hmm, the noodles are slightly thin but have a firm chewy texture with good elasticity. Nicely chilled and refreshing to eat! I then combined them with the green onions and daikon radish. Yes, it's delicious!
I decided to add more raw soy sauce. The udon is undeniably delicious, but personally, I felt that it didn't quite match my preference. I prefer "thick noodles with a strong bite." I like noodles that are so firm that my jaw gets tired from chewing. For example, in Kagawa, there's "Udon Honjin Yamadaya," and in Osaka, there's "Tenpunmori" in Daikoku-cho. (Not many people may know the relationship between these two shops). These "strong bite noodles" are like macho men, while the noodles here are visually beautiful and gentle but have a strong core, like a capable woman.
Towards the end, I squeezed lemon over the last bite. Yes, it's refreshing and satisfying. I think the udon here is quite good. My favorite type of udon at nearby shops is the "santaku" style. They have thick, strong noodles, like "muscular finesse." (I'm starting to worry if that description makes sense). But I'm sure there are many people who prefer the noodles at Yoshimatsu. Next time, I might try the "hiyakake" style.