The ancient Japanese city of Kyoto is rich in every aspect of culture, from temples and shrines, the ancient tea houses and beautiful maiko, to the flavor of noodles unique to the capital of old Japan.
The Mamezen Soba is no exception. Served as an "omakase set" (chefs choice), the ramen comes in a unique soymilk broth and a yuba donburi rice bowl to accompany.
Mamezen was created by a young Japanese chef named Yonegawa Minoru. His family owns a simmered tofu hotpot restaurant called "Toka". The Tofu is made also a soymilk broth, leading to it's distinctively "Kyoto" luxurious taste and texture. Having worked there for many years, Minoru noticed that the locals rarely came to eat Tofu, even if the broth was something special. Of course, people would come from afar for this unique taste, but not the locals! Why? He wanted to serve the locals food that was in keeping with his roots, so he decided to open a ramen shop - classic Kyoto - and try to create a delicious ramen cooking in soymilk.
The fact is that ramen broth is generally very bad for you - extremely high in both fat and salt content. Children and the elderly are particularly told not to drink the soup when they've finished the ramen. The Mamezen soup is therefore unqiue in that it is made with a gently Kyoto dashi broth and healthy, rich soymilk. You can drink as much as you like, even when pregnant!
So, how does it taste?
Truth be told, it's a bit of an acquired taste and probably isn't for everyone. The soup is pungent with the smell of Kyoto fish-based dashi, yet silk smooth from the soymilk. You have have it even stronger by asking for "koime". The noodles that Chef Yonegawa uses are much thinner than regular ramen noodles (chuka soba), and personally I like mine to have a bit more meat on them. The delicate noodles are particular in fitting with Kyoto culture, though.
Check out the Mamezen Noodle shop next time you are in Kyoto for a unique taste sensation. Call ahead first though, as the shop is often closed.
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