Adventures in Ramen, Tanmen Ramen & Handmade Soba
[ savouring an onigiri ]
Chapter 1: Ramen
On our recent travels to Kyoto, Norah and I managed to find really fabulous food every night for less than 2,000 yen at each sitting. On the night we arrived, we asked the young man who checked us into our hotel room to recommend a good ramen place nearby and gave us directions to one of his favorite spots. After walking about three blocks in the rain we arrived at Kiramekino Aozora in the Shimogyo Ward.
[ Kiramekino Aozora - Shijo Muromachi ]
The glowing blue sign board and steamy kitchen on view through the window got me super excited to go in. Luckily, Norah understood that we had to actually order our food outside and pay at this kiosk before entering. We both ordered a bowl of ramen with chicken and vegetables.
[ Two bowls of ramen please ]
We left our umbrella in the stand outside and stepped through the doorway. The chef pointed us to two seats at the counter. We sat down and I watched with sheer joy as the chef made our bowls. His work space was so tiny that only he could fit in the kitchen. He had all of the ingredients prepped and stationed in little pots, bowls, and grill pans all around him. He ladled the creamy broth, pulled in the noodles with giant chop sticks, placed beautifully cooked slices of chicken in the broth right from the grill and then swooped and dived along the counter adding vegetables and accoutrements to our bowls. It was the dance of the ramen noodles. I was beside myself.
[ craftsmanship in a mini kitchen ]
I think within 5-7 minutes he handed a bowl of hot ramen soup across the counter to Norah and I. My noodle slurping skills are still in progress, but I did my very best to make as much slurping sounds as possible while I downed that bowl of soup.
Chapter 2: Tanmen Ramen + Gyoza
Norah found a place on our second night in Kyoto that served a spicy ramen that was loaded with grilled meats and vegetables. This time we ordered inside where we sat alongside a host of locals who rushed in off the street for a bowl of soup after work.
Norah expertly ordered our bowls along with a platter of gyoza (dumplings) all of which I ate along with generous cups of water to allay the spicy broth of our soup. The flavors were totally different from the night before but equally astoundingly delicious.
And did I mention that this soup was spicy? When I sat down at the restaurant I mentioned to Norah that it felt a little chilly inside the restaurant and I was glad to have a sweatshirt on. Well, by the time we finished eating I was sweating!!
Chapter 3: Handmade Soba
By our third night, I was really feeling that there was no way that we could find a third amazing place to eat for dinner. We had had way too much good luck on the first two nights. We scanned google maps looking for some options and saw this:
Norah and I hit the streets in search of this handmade soba noodle shop and our brisk walk down some dark side streets was electric with anticipation. There it was, an unassuming doorway and some sample dishes displayed in a lighted window out front. And some pink impatiens growing in pots along the curb. THIS was going to be a night.
[ Shoraku - Shimogyo Ward ]
While we stood outside deciding whether we should just open the door or what two more people showed up and formed a line behind us on the sidewalk. We did not know what to do so we just waited. About 10 minutes went by and then the door opened and a tiny woman wearing an apron and a head scarf came outside to count how many people were waiting. She was sweet, and gracious, and apologetic that we were standing on the sidewalk waiting to get in. I was beside myself with the pure joy of the moment.
A few minutes later she came out again and invited Norah and I inside. This restaurant was so tiny and so adorable. There were three tables hugged up against one wall and two one-seater tables lining the other wall. Every seat was taken. Our host sat us at the one available table and brought us menus and a ceramic cup with warm green tea.
I did not take many pictures because of the intimacy of the restaurant, but here is one that shows the door and the kitchen from where I was sitting. The restaurant is run by the woman who showed us in and her husband, who was busy in the kitchen preparing the food. I think they are both in their late 60's or early 70's. The host asked us where we were from and was very interested to hear about Hokkaido.
We ordered soba noodles with vegetables, tofu, and a set of tempura vegetables. About ten minutes later our host brought to our table a tray of fabulous food.
[handmade soba and tempura vegetables ]
[ look at the color of this pickled ginger! ]
Sharing the room that night with Norah and I was a family from Russia, a group of friends from Germany, and two solo diners from the Kyoto area. This one moment of shared experience, nourished by soba noodles carefully made by the chef and his wife, will stay with me for a very long time. When we said goodbye and began our walk home after dinner, the lights went out at the restaurant door. All noodles had been served for this night.
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