Sapporo Miso Ramen

I admit that I really don't find ramen an overly appealing meal. It is a sort of Japanese style fast food and is usually pretty greasy and bland (well, at least to me). Shawn enjoys it though and has been known to go for a bowl of ramen for lunch fairly often. He and a friend found a place that they really like and have gone there a few times, each time telling me that I don't know what I am missing by not going with them.

On the weekend, before going to a friend's housewarming party, I decided that it was about time that I tried this place that I had been told so much about (that, and we didn't feel like cooking). It is a tiny place, only 8 seats in the entire shop, and we met two friends there so we took up half the restraunt. This shop, like many others, has a vending machine near the door where you order. You push whatever button you want for the type of soup you like and whatever extras you want and then put in the cash and it spits out a ticket. You take the ticket to the owner/server/cook and he makes your meal for you. We ordered miso ramen, a Sapporo specialty.

Here is a shot of the soup when it was delivered to me. Honestly, I have to admit that this was pretty tasty ramen. The pork was cut in thick tender slices and there was lots of other tasty additions. Our friend brought some sake in from the conveni nearby (the vending machine at the ramen shop doesn't have a button for beer) - you can see the small bottle in the photo too. So we dined in fine Japanese style, slurping noodles and drinking sake.

When we finished our meal, it wasn't all that late so we chatted for a while and finished the last of the sake (not a common practice in a small ramen shop that only has 8 seats, you are supposed to eat your food and get out so that the next customer can sit down). It wasn't busy and the shop owner told us to take our time and not rush out, there weren't any new customers anyway so we felt ok sitting for a while.

The owner disappeared soon after telling us to take our time. We didn't think much of it until we got up to leave. We stood on the sidewalk discussing whether we should leave since there wasn't anyone left in the shop. In mid-discussion, the shop owner came running back down the street with a 6-pack of beer in his hand (and a tea for our pregnant friend). He ushered us back into the shop and handed us the beer, telling us that it was a present for us. Wow, a present for what.... taking up space in your shop??


Not ones to look a gift horse in the mouth, we enjoyed a beer with the guy (his name turns out to be Kubo-san). He mostly spoke Japanese which was ok since we had a translator with us. So we sat for a few hours and talked with him about his business and life in Sapporo while he prepared soup stock for the next day. It turned out that he had sold out of ramen so he closed the shop early (while we were sitting there finishing our sake) and decided to celebrate his successful day with a beer and picked up some for us too. I guess he didn't want to be rude. He was an interesting person, and certainly makes good miso ramen.