Won't The Real Fukuoka Noodle Please Stand Up.
Quick when I say Fukuoka noodle, you say …
Hakata Ramen?
You get a B for basic because I gave that answer to you two posts ago.
You have been brainwashed by the media that Hakata Ramen is the poster child of Fukuoka.
The city and airport are a reassurance of that mirage. People queuing up for Ichiran, Ippudo, Taiho, Nagahame at the yatai etc.
But once you venture away from the city for, say 15 minutes by car, the voices of Tonkotsu Ramen fade out.
A different tune emerges.
Don, don, don.
For those aiming for A+, the answer is udon.
In Japan, the Mecca of udon was claimed by Sanuki, Kagawa prefecture in Shikoku. Hence you often see ‘Sanuki’ 讃岐 written on dry and frozen udon packs. The Kobe to Japanese beef.
And that is the texture most people are used to - firm, chewy, al dente translucent.
Fukuoka udon is soft and fluffy.
The first time my wife brought me to her hometown, straight from the airport, our first stop was her favourite udon place.
I remember slurping on the noodles and thinking, man this udon is never-ending, like long strands of sponge.
The soup is also lighter and sweeter, with toppings unseen on the mainland like goboten (burdock root tempura).
And scallions, they top it with unlimited scallions. With a kettle of dashi because your noodles will soak up all the stock.
On every trip, my wife will eat this udon right after she touches down, and right before she takes off.
The other reason udon is the public dish of Fukuoka. is because it was priced and made for the public.
A bowl of udon costs 500 yen - a gold coin.
Ramen is in the corner shapeshifting between 700 yen and 1500 yen, pleasing the highest bidder.
A plate of curry in the city cost more than our udon lunch for two yesterday.
It really screws with your perspective. Am I a gourmet, or just a victim of a con?
Also, ramen is a young man’s game, you can only take it when your body has no problem digesting the intense amount of sodium, fat, and carbs. Suitable for people 16-28, before and after that, falls under udon’s territory.
Often, I’m not sure for who or why I’m writing about this.
How many of you will actually visit Fukuoka? Despite my pushing the city on NYT, I really don’t want people to come.
(No, this is not reverse psychology.)
My secret wish is to lose my job, rely on my wife’s family, and become a deadbeat tour guide for Fukuoka. Maybe manage an Airbnb with broken air-conditioning.
But, I really don’t want people to come.
(Yes, it’s terrible.)
If you do decide to take an extra two hours of plane or five hours of bullet train(why?), search for Maki no Udon.
Order the kids set - okosama set.
You get a small udon with tempura prawn, sliced beef, and half an egg as toppings, a small bowl of chicken rice, a plate of pickle on the side. 550 yen.
I usually add vegetable tempura (kakiage).
It’s like a glitch in a JRPG game, and everyone is keeping their mouths shut.
They have branches at the airport and bus terminal but come on, you know the ‘terminal’ stands for terminal disease.
The proper shops with tatami matts are scattered around the suburbs.
But, it’s a pain right?
(Don’t come.)
Why bother eating like a local?
(Udon come.)
So much easier being a tourist.
(Just udon do it.)
Three posts in a week!
Happy Chinese New Year indeed.
Trust me, before I arrived I planned to post every day. That’s not as funny as the running shoes that never left my luggage. (I did run twice this month .. from the car to Lawson to buy fried chicken.)
So this post is my procrastination and a micro love song to Fukuoka.
We are leaving for Tokyo tomorrow, so I’m packing my emotions.
I have no memories of arriving (thanks COVID), but the sadness of leaving is undeniable.
Life hey.
I will miss being a part of a bigger family.
The winter sky.
My wife being distracted.
Most of all, we’ll miss the babysitters.