I don't know if this was the first place I had Tonkotsu Ramen 豚骨, but it is where I ate it most frequently. In addition to only serving one kind of broth, they also would serve it with a lot of extra spices, and the levels had really blunt names, at least that is what Mai told me. The extra spicey ramen was optional and I stuck with just the pork bone broth most of the time.
To get to this shop I had to bike a bit out of my way. What I would usually do is visit on the weekend, go to the e-Jungle internet cafe then after getting my fill of the internet I would bike here for a bowl of ramen and some draft beer. This place also lets you press fresh garlic into your ramen. Some places have seseame seeds you can add too, but I just like to add fresh garlic.
Another aspect that made this ramen shop was the atmosphere. It might not have been the best ramen, though I liked it a lot, but it had the best atmosphere. It had a weird collection of action figures on display at the door. The walls were covered in Reggae albums and Reggae music was constantly playing. And every and I do mean every time I ever went there 2001 A Space Odessy was on the TV.
I also had a good understanding with the chef. We never talked much, he was always too busy but he always recognized me when I came in. A truen ramen chef mostly communicates in grunts and gestures. I think I was the only foreigner who frequented his shop. I was the only foreigner who frequented a lot of shops in Toyohashi.
A new source of regional ramen insight and photos in English has emerged.
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