[RAMEN] Totally Rethinking Japanese Ramen Quality XV (from April 8, 2002)

Ramen This Week: Totally Rethinking Japanese Ramen Quality XV

This report forms Part XV of our ongoing series, "Totally Rethinking Japanese Ramen Quality." Important disclosures appear at the back of this report.


いっぷく亭 Ippuku-tei

We spent the larger part of Saturday touring Tochigi prefecture. However, maps and Mrs. Ramen most certainly do not mix, and as I watched the occasional giraffe and zebra go by I wondered if we hadn't somehow ended up in Kenya. Anyway, lured by the promise of its reputation for gyoza, we headed to the city of Utsunomiya for dinner. (We had originally thought about going to Imaichi city for ramen, but decided that it was likely that we would only be able to locate Imaichi ramen. [寒ー. . . ]) After securing a handy Gyoza Map of Utsunomiya -- I kid you not -- we selected our target: Ippuku-tei, with big, fat, and juicy dumplings . . .

. . . full of cabbage. These gyoza were pathetic. Was this a fair representative of Utsunomiya's esteemed gyoza cuisine? Even more abhorrent was the fact that they do yaki-gyoza and soup gyoza using THE SAME DUMPLINGS! Sure, the yaki-gyoza were crispy. And they lined up together on the plate. But I don't even remember what these things taste like. Perhaps that's the worst thing I can say.

Incidentally, we also ordered the ramen. I don't remember what this tastes like either. Nevertheless, I do recall having the following telepathic conversation with the cook at Seppuku-tei:

Ham: Did you even try?

Him: What?

Ham: This ramen.

Him: We serve that?

Ham: Well, it's right in front of me.

Him: Oh yeah . . . . No.

That's the last time I ask for advice from a cop. Charsiu was pretty good, though.





IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: Don't go there.