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Tenkaippin Ramen, a closer look
Aloha!
3/26/09 - Earlier this month we checked out a ramen shop that used to be genuinely Japanese in every way, but has since become a bit localized in certain aspects. This time, we'll check out a ramen shop that's still Japanese in just about every way, as it's actually part of a chain of over 200 restaurants found all over Japan and famous for an, uuuh, highly-memorable (and I'll leave it at that, for now) type of ramen, which we'll get to in just a bit...
Scott Suzui is the name, and he is both owner of Tenkaippin and host of the new television series Ultimate Japan on OC-16, through which he, his wife, and son visit various locales of interest throughout Japan, whether it be about food, race-car driving, temples, onsen houses, movie sets, or pretty much anything about the culture. Kinda like a modern Soko Ga Shiritai, I guess you could say. Though feigning fear in a lot of shows, making his wife do all the crazy stunts even as both she and their son are calling him chicken, I don't think you'll ever hear anyone calling him chicken in real-life! That's because those guns he carries on both sides ain't from baby-fat, for sure, and Suzui-san puts them to good use running a martial arts Shoot-fighting school. I know someone who actually went to his school, and according to him, Suzui-san is one hard-core, punchy local-Japanee you don't wanna mess with!
His restaurant used to be located in Waikiki, where it garnered the attention of many a Japanese tourist as well as many locals for a long time, but has now been re-located to a spot on Kapahulu Ave., in the same building as Starbuck's, Jamba Juice, and Kozo Sushi - and close to Zippy's, as you can faintly tell from the pic.
The atmosphere inside is bright, cheery, and clean, in the mode of classic Japanese ramen shops, and features a long center-bar with chairs around the perimeter. That big 'ol flat-screen up there features episodes of their Ultimate Japan television series, which wifey seems content watching. Wasn't so crowded today, but I've been here on occasion to the tune of a a packed house, with diners hungrily slurping away and a small line forming outside - I'm guessing it happens often, too, judging by the row of chairs they've placed out there! (above)
Before we hit the ramen, there's a couple of side-dishes to think about. The first was in the form of a fried karaage chicken, which came as a combination set with my ramen. Actually, I wanna say it was perfect, because Scott will probably find me one day and kick my ass, but as I write here today with beads of sweat pouring down my forehead and palms moist from inner tension, I must say that this... was... not... the best fried chicken... I've ever had. The outer crust was... hard... and the whole thing... a bit under-flavored. Phew! So there. I've stayed true to my consciense without compromise, despite the great risk of bodily injury.
Wifey's side was an order of fried rice, imbedded with bits of pork, onion, green onion, and egg. It was actually a bit of a puzzle trying to figure this one out - it wasn't the mushy, cheap grains often found in local-style fried rice, of course, but a kind of cross between Japanese and Chinese influences, if you ask me. The rice was lightly-flavored and definitely of a better variety, but not quite as fluffy as a top-flight Japanese rice, with a certain taste and touch of oil that kinda reminded me of Chinese-style fried rice, only without the longer grains. Whatever the case, it worked out well as a side dish.
And finally, on to the the ramen, but not quite the ramen, just yet. Having already tasted the ramen on a few separate occasions, I went instead with a ramen, this one called paitan. Also offered at several other spots, this mix of chicken, pork, and vegetable broth is simmered for long periods of time, releasing the sought-after collagen, as well as every other goodie locked-up in those-there bones, within the deepest parts of the marrow. Collagen is one of the elements that keeps our skin supple and elastic, preventing us from having dried, wrinkled skin that makes us look older. Now, whether that translates scientifically to healthier skin after eating a bowl of paitan, I'll leave that to the lab rats to consider, but hey, wifey seems to think so, and just the possibility is a great thing to look forward to while chowing down a bowl.
All I know is that soup (broth) is the food of love, and anything cooked slowly, for long periods of time, shows a grandmotherly type of care and captures perfectly the essence of down-home goodness at it's very best - in other words, it's sure to be healthy, if not for the body, then at very least, for the soul! But then again, anything healthy for the soul, if you believe it strongly enough, is sure to translate into healthy for the body, too, right? Only believe, is all!
Not sure if you can tell, but this bowl of paitan sure had a lotta love in it, coming thick, rich, and flavorful of both chicken and pork. On-top were garnishes of green onion, char-su pork, fukujin-zuke (red, pickled radish), and garlic chips, which I sure could've eaten a lot more of!
I've also had the shoyu and miso ramen here, both of which are very respectable, but alas, that was a while ago, and now it's finally time to introduce the ramen that built this particular house - kotteri.
At first glance, it almost looks like paitan, with the same toppings except instead of garlic chips, there were thin strips of menma, or bamboo shoots, marinated to a soft, tender consistency. Stir the bowl up, however, and you'll quickly find out what gives this bowl its legendary status.
Made from chicken boiled for over ten hours, it also, like paitan, releases collagen from the chicken, only this time, in much more concentrated form. We're talking about a heavy-duty, big-time taste and feel that'll leave you wondering whether it's actually broth or gravy! Definitely not a bowl for the meek-hearted, the thick, rich, fatty flavor is often a love-it or leave-it affair, being absolutely addictive to some while being a bit much for others. Though I love their paitan, I happen to be one of those wimpy guys who can't handle this super-luxurious, very intense broth. Wifey loves the stuff and always orders it when we come, but she's kinda gotta be in the right mood to enjoy it.
One thing for sure is that if you haven't tried it, you at least owe it to yourself to do so. I mean, there's no other ramen like it on the island, and who knows, you may be one of the many that fall in love with and become accustomed to the powerful sensory stimulation this hearty bowl carries, and soon enough, begin dismissing everything else as too weak and taste-less. And remember, you can always be like me and get your bolder partner to try it so you can sneak in a little taste while you stay safe with an order of paitan, shoyu, miso, or one of the other, more mellow flavors!
Happy eats, and see ya next time! Aloha!
Aku
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