Pork Feet Ramen @ Daimei TanTan Men, Momochi, Fukuoka

 

This was one of my more bizarre noodle hunts. Recommended by the owner of the bar that I frequent, I had to try this once he posted about this on Facebook. Thank you Jeremy, I owe you one. 

Found it!

Daimei TanTan Men is a simple Chinese diner located hear the Momochi beach area and Fukuoka Tower. As such, it is not that hard to find this place. The menu has the usual and typical Chinese fare like fried rice and stir fries. Tan tan men is their speciality, it is their name sake after all. However, I am here for only one thing. Once I heard about the pork feet, I was roaring to try. 

Oh yes...

So it was pretty obvious what I was going to order for my first visit. It should be noted that I came by right after 1pm, which meant that there was a crowd that I need to wait for before I can get a seat. Although the place is kinda pokey and small, the crowd cleared out pretty fast. And once I sat down, my food came over a few minutes after. Speedy it was. 

Gorgeous close up

Standing at 860 yen, this was a steal considering the volume and flavour. The whole bowl was massive and had a proper authentic Chinese feel. This was closer to a proper Chinese bowl than Japanese Ramen. And it does taste pretty authentic too. The broth was clean but somehow very punchy. There was a strong porky flavour but it is not tonkotsu. 

So good. 

The density reminds me of a clear soup that was cooked for a long period of time. It was still a little clear, so it made for a "crispy" texture, lacking a better word. There was some creaminess as well, probably due to the collagen from the pork feet. What an amazing combination of textures. The bowl also had various combinations of veggies, a bit uncommon if you compare to Japanese Ramen. It help round the meal and gave of a variety of textures as well. The marinated bamboo shoots really worked well with the rich soup and the fatty pork feet. 

How can this be so good?

Speaking of the feet, they were absolutely decadent. Each bite was bouncy and tender at the same time. And loaded with collagen and flavour. What an experience!The noodles themselves were pretty standard. It served more to be a vessel for the flavours to meld. Which is totally fine. But if you are looking for some groundbreaking noodles, you may need to look elsewhere. Still, it serves the job. The sleeper hit was actually the chilli oil based sauce that came with the meal. It was nutty, slightly tangy, and very spicy. Loaded with Szechuan spices, this was a real punch to the mouth and gave this meal an extra kick. I totally recommend this if you are into spicy food. 

Another angle of the front 

In the end, this bowl left me satisfied. It is not your usual beachside meal. But still enjoyable nonetheless. It should be noted I tried their fried rice, but it was not as good. So I will stick to the noodles for now. So if you fancy a go, the address is as follows:

Paveria, 2 Chome-3-2 Momochihama, Sawara Ward, Fukuoka, 814-0001