ONLY in JAPAN Welcome to Fukuoka these are the Hakata
ramen stands or Yatai in Wakasu and I came here for one reason particular eat
some ramen there isn't any dish more famous in Fukuoka than tonkotsu ramen
here along the Naka River is an area dedicated to pop-up ramen stands that
look like shacks strangers sitting shoulder-to-shoulder around a ramen chef
eating and drinking throughout the night it's a traditional site from decades
past it's not easy to pick a you tied to visit most visitors aren't from Fukuoka
it attracts many more tourists and locals these days the ramen here is
decent basic tonkotsu ramen but way overpriced for the quality which is why
most locals take a pass only visiting when they need that quick trip down
memory lane yatai tonkotsu ramen it's great when you're hungry but the taste
is nothing special just the basics
no spoon at your tie you drink from the bowl
there are some things to note about eating here it is nice to get that
old-world ramen experience eat outdoors and meet new people but the staff is a
little pushy the ramen is nothing special and it's just too overpriced for
what you get so where do the locals go I wanted to find out the Nakasu area is
loaded with ramen shops you don't have to go just to the yatai on the Riverside
you can go to one of many ramen shops in this area and the one I'm about to take
you right now is really really good this is you UNARI RAMEN open from 6:00 p.m.
to 6:00 a.m. I guess you could say it's open for breakfast Nakasu is Fukuoka's
entertainment district which is why ramen is so popular here it's either the
first or last meal of the night I ordered the highly recommended Gyokai
tonkotsu ramen for 720 yen
the chashu pork is blow torched the bowls are heated to maintain the correct
temperature it's a professional touch
the noodles are cooked in boiling water
the chef adds the tonkotsu broth makes the dashi fish soup stock
the noodles are shaken dry
add it to the soup and then set to settle the flavor
next up is that blow torched chashu I asked for a special topping a half boiled egg add
a little negi for the finish
Wow Gyokai tonkotsu ramen is lighter than the usual tonkotsu ramen because of the
mix of the fish soup stock it leaves you refreshed not weighed down you can tell
because it's not too oily on the surface it's a wonderfully balanced taste the
noodles slightly firm perfect the noodles the chashu, the soup all the
ingredients just come together and that's what makes this shop really
really special the broth also has pieces of onion in it which I really loved
folks when you have really really good ramen I'm talking about the best ramen
it changes you you can't go back from that moment there's good ramen and then
there's great ramen this is great ramen and once you've had this experience of
going to that level you can't go back this is life-changing
now add that half boiled egg and go even deeper to the farthest end of the ramen
galaxy that's where heaven is but take note those heavenly gates are only open
from 6:00 to 6:00
so this is the Fukuoka Tenjin area it's about a 15-minute walk from Nakasu and
behind me you can see very interesting - two yatai
and it seems on a lot of the street corners here in Fukuoka in the center
you'll see little stands serving ramen but I've come to Tenjin for one reason
in particular here lies the cheapest tonkotsu ramen in
the city and I'm going to see if it's worth the 280 yen that's right I said
280 yen or about two dollars and fifty cents that's about 70% cheaper than the
price of most normal bowls here do we get what we pay for
or will it exceed our wildest expectations the shop calls this the
Oishii ramen it's got to be good with a name like that customer turnover here
is fast staff working in overdrive from open to closed for two hundred and
eighty yen it exceeded the yatai ramen and quality taste and price yeah you've
got to go here now 280 yen is is like a fraction of what you pay for ramen in
most places but man that's billing and the average stay of people eating the
ramen there is 3 minutes literally the guy sat down next to me he ate it got up
wait left and then he had a smoke awesome that's the Fukuoka ramen experience
man go in eat your ramen real fast go out and have a smoke. Are you getting it?
this is a serious ramen town I made one more stop on my ramen binge tour the
newly opened Ramen Stadium in a Nakasu shopping mall it's like a museum inside
very clean and easy to navigate many famous restaurants with satellite shops
in the same stadium ramen stadium
pay us a vending machine I went for the basic tonkotsu ramen. Yes! Katamen.
Wait a moment. Boom! That's a beautiful bowl of ramen with a very well-balanced tonkotsu
broth this is the new face of ramen in Fukuoka from yatai stands to shopping
malls if you didn't get that ramen fever before you came your will by the time
you leave Fukuoka. Itadakimasu. Never mind those planes and trains it's all
about the adventure of meeting new people on the road and seeing the
lesser-known corners of one of the world's safest and most beautiful
countries if you liked it hit that subscribe button and watch another one
of ONLY in JAPAN shows