Tori Paitan @ Kojuku Tori Paitan Ramen Nishiki ,Ramen Stadium

 

Fukuoka is so synonymous with ramen, that we have 3 main ramen food courts in the form of the Ramen Runway in the airport, Noodle Street in Hakata Station and last but not least, Canal City's Ramen Stadium. It was a sad day when it was reported that it would be closed indefinitely. 

Welcome home!

So when it was reported that the Ramen Stadium will reopen its doors on April 17, after almost a year of closure, I was very elated.  It was not just a simple renovation, but a total revival. New shops came in from other prefectures, so you do not have to worry about just slurping into tonkotsu. I do love a good tonkotsu but we can get it anywhere in Fukuoka by now. And one of the spots that caught my attention was Tori Paitan Ramen Nishiki from the northern prefecture of Akita. 

Decisions, decisions....

As the name suggests, its main claim to fame is creamy white chicken soup. They do have other varieties like shio ramen, shrimp broth and tan tan noodles. However, as this is my first time, I have to go with the classics. Standing at a modest 1130 yen, a bowl with some charshu and egg came in handsomely in that price. 

Oh boy!

The bowl came in hot and ready to rumble. And it was just incredible. All the elements were arranged nicely and had a soft glisten to it. It may be the fat which may not be a good thing to tell my doctor. But hey, I do work out everyday and I eat beyond 5 servings of fruit and veg, so I think I can make a pass. But what is not a pass was the taste of the broth. It was absolutely delightful. It has a creamy element to it, similar to a thick soy milk but something dairy like. The taste of the chicken was also subtle and sweet, which is different if you compare it to tonkotsu.  Since this type of broth takes a long time to boil and having a creamy texture, it has often called the chicken cousin of tonkotsu. It is not a wrong analogy, but it is too simple. There is something about chicken which is more refined than pork, and I am really enjoying this. 

Let the slurping begin

Of course, soup is not the only thing that makes a bowl of ramen. Fortunately, the noodles really carry the load. It had a nutty flavour along with a mild woody aftertaste. If you can imagine a loaf of freshly baked bread but in a strand, you can figure out what I am trying to say. you can even see the specks of grains on the noodles, showing that this is the real deal. The broth being so thick, felt like glue on the noodle strands, making it the right vehicle to absorb all that liquid gold. 

Sunset in a spoon

The toppings were no mere companions too as the eggs were cooked to perfection and the yolk looked like a setting sun. The charshu, which is not chicken in case you need to know, had a nice and tender bite to it. It definitely felt like the shoulder part of the pig which has a slightly granular texture, and added a contrast of texture and flavour to the soup. What provided a lot of contrast was some fresh chopped onions. It may sound strange, but the peppery and slightly acidic fresh onions gave this a special zing to it. It does smell a little pungent when you take it down your gullet. But once everything goes down, it was actually quite pleasant. Just don't go kiss your mom after that, she may not appreciate the funky breath. 

Front of the store. Once you enter the stadium you can see it almost immediately

This was a great visit and an even greater reintroduction to one of Fukuoka's main food bastions. There are so many more ramen shops here that I am so eager to try and rest assured I will be here again. The Hokkaido miso bowl looked very tempting and it did catch my eye earlier, especially when I have just been to Hokkaido not long ago. Well, I think I know what to get the next time. So if you would want to try the chicken noodles I had earlier or try something else entirely, Ramen Stadium will not disappoint. Fancy a go? Just head to Floor 5 of Canal City and you will be sorted out nicely.