You know how they say, “When life hands you lemons, you could also get some apples”? That’s how it felt for us. The Horizon Perfekt was acting up, but I managed to finish a roll of film—only to realize I had forgotten to bring any with me to Kyoto. Ironic, considering I had packed carefully to ensure I had enough film for this trip. But fear not! This is Japan, the epicenter of film photography… except that film has become scarce since Fujifilm, the main manufacturer, decided to stop releasing many film products. While heading to our next destination and looking for lunch, I took a chance and popped into a modern camera shop. Across the street was a ramen shop—though very few people use Google Maps in Japan, so information isn’t always reliable. I dashed across the street and found a roll of extremely rare Fujicolor 100 while my parents headed to the unassuming ramen shop.
I returned quickly, and my parents had discovered a chicken specialist butcher shop (鶏だしラーメン専門店) with a small alcove serving ramen and karaage. Because it’s such a small space, everyone must order a bowl of ramen to get seated, but you can add a few huge pieces of karaage (fried chicken nugget/tender) for just 300 yen (note: 1 USD = ¥150 as of March 2024). The choices were limited, so I ordered the chicken soy sauce shoyu ramen and some karaage.
Japanese restaurants typically serve food quickly, and this one was no exception. With around eight seats and people waiting outside, turnover is key. I was skeptical at first—how good could a ramen shop in a butcher be, especially with chicken bone broth? However, I was hungry, and the serving was huge and smelled delicious. My ramen was decent, but it confirmed my suspicion that pork bone broth is still the gold standard. My dad ordered the chicken soup ramen, which I hadn’t even known existed. The soup was creamier and more flavorful, pairing perfectly with the noodles. I wished I had ordered that instead! Still, the consolation prize was the incredibly juicy and crunchy karaage. Surprisingly, the last-minute afterthought side dish stole the show—it’s some of the best karaage I’ve ever had.
The sad part is that we’ll probably never cross paths with this place again. I doubt I’ll be back in Kyoto anytime soon, and I don’t believe it will stay open until I return; quality may also slip by then. Such is life on the road. It’s pure coincidence that we stumbled upon this amazing experience, and we shouldn’t dwell on it. These moments are fleeting glimpses in our chaotic and unpredictable lives. So, if you’re in the area, come try this ramen spot—or find your own delicious karaage experience!
Ranked: ***** Bo’s Best of the Best.
Issue 90. Volume 14. Chapter 2.
Visited: March 25th 2024. Monday at 13:00.
Address: 31 近建第二ビル １F, 〒606-8357 Kyoto
Website: https://www.instagram.com/menya_torihisa/