Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san SP

RAMEN JIRO VS KOIZUMI-SAN

KOIZUMI-SAN VS MOUKO TANMEN NAKAMOTO

KOIZUMI-SAN VS 1 STAR MICHELIN JAPANESE SOBA NOODLES TSUTA

This is the story of Koizumi-san who loves ramen.

THIS DRAMA IS FICTION, BUT THE RAMEN SHOPS AND PASSION FOR RAMEN ARE REAL

SOBA HOUSE KONJIKI HOTOTOGISU SHINJUKU, TOKYO

Your food is ready.

SALTED SOBA WITH RED SEA BREAM AND HAMAGURI CLAMS

Thank you for this meal.

Thank you for this meal.

-What... This is outrageously delicious! -What did you expect.

Last year, Konjiki Hototogisu was awarded one star in the Michelin Guide.

It is now a world famous ramen shop.

-Incredible. -This shop is now in Shinjuku Gyoen

but it used to be in Hatagaya.

That's right. This is where Koizumi-san and I made our first ramen memory together.

Konjiki Hototogisu's soba soy sauce is added to the soup simmered in pork and pig's feet

then, unusually for ramen, it's mixed with hamaguri clam soup.

Your senses must have dulled to call this just "ramen".

My mistake.

After moving, the salt ramen's use of hamaguri clam and red sea bream

has been fine tuned to perfection, creating a delicate rich flavor to be proud of.

And the surface is garnished with various heretofore unseen and untasted sauces.

And not just Japan, they already have shops in two foreign countries

so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call this the apex of ramen shops.

Man, isn't it nice having young ladies visit your restaurant?

When this place was established, they only had about five customers.

But the boss here kept practicing and practicing, until five became ten, then fifty, then one hundred

His customers increased, and he even got a Michelin star. Isn't it amazing?

Sorry, I'm the popular ramen blogger, Long Island.

I'm sure you've heard of me.

You haven't?

This never happens. I'm always hearing from lots of places in my blog comments.

By the way, you seem to know an awful lot about this restaurant.

Suddenly quiz.

What did they start doing here after moving to this location?

Homemade noodles, right?

Not bad. But that was only a warm up.

So, what's this?

It's the highest grade of the difficult to find bellota ham.

Even a small amount carries a rich flavor.

I'm a little bit impressed. Next question.

So this establishment has expanded to other countries as well.

One is in Vancouver, Canada. And the other is...?

Singapore.

Also, not to be rude...

But the one in Canada is in Toronto, not Vancouver.

-What? For real? -Yes.

Oh... Toronto is basically Vancouver at this point.

So anyway, you, you, you, You gonna eat that? It's getting soggy.

I was completely taken in by Koizumi-san.

You desecrate the ramen by not even tasting it!

That's right, that's right.

Why don't I show you how it's done...

Hang on! I'll eat it, I'll eat it.

Thank you for this food.

TODAY'S RAMEN

Thanks for the delicious meal, chief.

Gonna be a nice blog today.

Hey, wanna go to one more? It's my treat.

-I will go with you. -What!

In your seats, please.

It's time to begin class.

Sensei, Koizumi-san hasn't arrived yet.

-She was feeling sick today. -What!

She was feeling well yesterday though...

I'll check on her after school.

-You know where she lives? -I do not...

Sensei, could you tell us where Koizumi-san lives?

-I can't. -What?

Nobody knows where Koizumi lives.

CHUUKA SOBA NISHINO HONGO, TOKYO

What are you looking for?

I came here once with Koizumi-san. She was so complimentary of the food

I thought if we came here we might bump into her.

She wouldn't come if she's sick.

Thanks for waiting, here's your pepper soba.

It looks delicious.

Kombu and shiitake mushrooms are added to soup

simmered in dried sardines, blended with clam soup.

Lastly, two types of Japanese pepper are deftly used

to create a subtle yet stimulating flavor.

It's like you're possessed by Koizumi.

Don't just sit there, hurry up and eat.

Ramen must be eaten fresh.

-Thank you for the food. -Thank you for the food.

It's true, the Japanese pepper adds a subtle punchiness. Delicious.

For sure.

Father?

Jun, to come here you must be a ramen connoisseur.

You can't help but want to experience the chef's incredible ability

to combine such different ingredients into a holistic flavor.

That's right. You can't help but want to experience the chef's incredible ability

to combine such different ingredients into a holistic flavor.

That's what I just said.

-What? -Why'd you repeat it?

-It was a little hard to understand. -But you got the gist of it.

Plus, the extra noodles come with seasoning.

It's good just how it comes, or when dipped into the soup.

Delicious.

And the wontons packed in there taste great as well.

It's easy to understand why it got the Michelin Bib Gourmand award.

MIZUHARA HIROMITSU

Thank you.

-It's unusual seeing just the two of you. -Koizumi is out with a cold.

I haven't seen the other girl, either.

Misa? She's studying again.

She's studying abroad . Don't make it sound like she got held back.

She sent a picture from where she's studying.

So these days even high school students study abroad.

No, a nice cool mutant wouldn't ruddy applaud.

I said, "high school student study abroad"! My pronunciation is terrible, so work with me!

-Your food left a bad sensation? -No, listen! I said pronunciation!

-Who cares, I'm worried about Koizumi-san! -You're overreacting.

She'll be over her cold in two or three days.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Koizumi-san...

-It's been two weeks already. -Something terrible must have happened.

Her cold must be so bad she's in critical condition.

Is anyone here a doctor!?

Come on, cut that out.

K--k--Koizumi-san!

-I guess you were really sick to be out so long. -Just a cold.

But to avoid spreading it, I waited until the virus was completely destroyed.

But I'd be happy to catch a virus from you, Koizumi-san.

-Let's get ramen to celebrate your return. -No thanks.

Ramen...

Oh? You're not planning on stalking Koizumi-san today?

-Not today. -Why?

Since Koizumi got sick until she recovered this morning

she can't have eaten a single bite of ramen.

Ramen...

That means she'll be eating ramen for the first time in two weeks.

So I have to let her do what she needs to do.

FUKUJU SASAZUKA, TOKYO

I'm happy for you, Koizumi-san.

I should have known. Of course the place she would pick

after a two week break from ramen would be Fukuju.

Founded in 1952, the chef cooks in a large kettle not often seen today

he drains the noodles with finesse, and is still going strong after all this time.

CHEF KOBAYASHI KATSUYA

To choose this restaurant as the starting point

for her first foray back into the world of ramen...

Brilliant.

Yes, she is.

It was delicious, thanks.

-Hurry up, you're blocking the entrance. -Sorry.

We're starving!

That's good...

Uh...

That's Sumire's cup noodles.

Yes, I just moved here from Hokkaido last week. My relatives in Hokkaido sent this to me.

In 1964 Muranaka Akiko-san opened a ramen restaurant in Nakanoshima, Sapporo.

The day she opened, a customer told her, "I've never had ramen like this. It's so good."

That was the beginning of Sumire's storied history.

You seem to know a lot about it. Would you like to try some?

I wouldn't dream of it...

You seem hungry though.

Here, help yourself.

I have lots more at home.

-Zumi! -Zumi?

Since when was that Koizumi's nickname?

Zumi, who's this girl?

Sorry. I'm Ogawa Noa.

Last week I moved here from Hokkaido. I'm in class C.

-Nice to meet you. -You're from Hokkaido?

What's you're business with Koizumi? I mean Zumi?

Nothing, we just met. I don't really know anyone in class yet.

Let's be friends then. I'm Jun, the head of the class B leadership committee.

-Thank you. -This is Yuu.

Don't be like that.

That's Koizumi. She really loves ramen.

I can see that.

Koizumi-san, what ramen would you recommend?

Don't ask her that!

I refuse to answer.

What would I recommend?

Don't waste my time with such a troublesome question.

I'm sorry, I'm being too pushy, even though we just met.

Did you mean ramen from a restaurant? Or ramen from a store?

When, where, with whom, for what purpose? I don't even know what your tastes are.

Stock, sauce, oil, ingredients, flavor, intensity, balance, noodle shape and thickness...

Uh...

Going by yourself, or with others? Distance from the train station?

Location, atmosphere, disliked ingredients, side dishes

dipping noodles, oil with soba, locally sourced ingredients, etc.

And that's just the beginning.

It would be irresponsible to recommend ramen without that information!

That was so thoughtless of me...

I'm sorry!

THE NEXT DAY

Koizumi, walking home with us today?

You must be looking at pictures of ramen again.

Hm? What's that?

A ramen restaurant, but no ramen in the pictures?

They're pictures of the seasonings on the tables.

-Seasonings on the tables? -When I look at these pictures

I imagine what seasonings I could use and imagine ramen I have not yet tasted.

These are the seasonings at Tsujita.

The standout is the Hararyoukaku black pepper blend.