Bowls of deliciousness

When people think about Japanese food, sushi and tempura usually come to mind.  Ramen is definitely having it's five minutes of fame in the US right now.  Ramen restaurants were popping up all over Seattle in the past couple of years.  I enjoy a good bowl of ramen, but am not a fan across the board.  Every area in Japan seems to make a different style, featuring different broths, toppings, and even type of noodle!  I, of course, like some styles more than others.  My husband does not like pork broth, which makes the options pretty slim as the majority of ramen uses pork broth.  I'm sure over time, I will write about different types of ramen.  But today, I will only talk about the offerings at one ramen restaurant.

A short walk from our house is a little tiny hidden gem.  Taishoken (tie-show-ken) is a seven seat restaurant, only open for lunch.  It is tucked away on a small street where you have to know it is located, as you'd never stumble upon it.  So many restaurants in Japan are so good at what they do they don't feel the need to be super gimmicky or flashy.  A simple sign, a small menu, and a couple of seats are all they offer.  But, in my experience, these are usually the best food you'll find.

We haven't had the chance to eat at this particular ramen restaurant because of it's small size and limited hours.  But yesterday (after voting), it was time to check it out.  We arrived before it opened to make sure we got a seat.  Before the doors were unlocked and the banner hung outside (indicating the shop was open), a few stools were placed outside for people to wait.  Many restaurants actually do this, which is really nice since most don't have waiting rooms or large entry areas. 

Right at 11 am, the metal roll-up door opened and the owner put out the banner.  The man and woman running the restaurant (I assume a husband and wife team that own the restaurant) invited us inside.  We were instructed to sit at the bar, as there were no tables.  My husband order for all three of us and I paid for our ramen.  The woman took my money and put it into the ticket machine located in the wall behind our seats.  Tickets for what we wanted printed out, which she then took over to the kitchen.

Looking around the kitchen as we waited, we saw a noodle cutting machine and two spindles full of pasta dough ready to be cut; huge vats on the stove used to slowly simmer broth for a long time; and a "sink" full of boiling water and 9 baskets used for cooking each serving of noodles without having to drain water.  I enjoyed watching the ramen master prepare our lunch bowls.  He scooped different ingredients into each bowl and put fresh noodles into boiling water.  The man and woman worked seamlessly together, obviously perfecting their dance over years of working together. 

My husband ordered the bushi shoyu ramen (a strong flavored fish broth).  Despite it's strong flavor, it was well balanced and very filling.  Our mouths were left satisfied by the richness.

Our son selected tsukemen (cold noodles that are dipped into a hot broth).  He had fun dipping his noodles and ate an impressive amount.  Even though we ordered him the kid's size, it was a generous amount that required daddy to finish.  Daddy didn't mind helping whatsoever, as this was our favorite of the three dishes (although they were all very delicious).

I had the regular ramen (also a fish broth, but much lighter).  I thought the noodles and broth complemented each other perfectly.  My husband and I often switch plates halfway through the meal.  Although I was eager to try his, I found myself not wanting to give up my bowl. 

Although we were the first to arrive, within minutes of the doors opening, the restaurant was filled and a line began forming outside the door.  With our first bite, we understood the reason for the popularity.  We immediately knew we would be back again and again.