Thursday, August 17, 2017

玉ぐすく (Tamagusuku in Nagoya)

麺屋 玉ぐすく

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Some ramen shops have a style that you'll never forget. One common theme is music. Ramen chefs tend to enjoy kicking back, and you'll find plenty of rock-and-roll ramen dudes out there. Some, though, prefer something a bit different.

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In this case, I seem to have stumbled onto an Okinawan punk-themed ramen shop, in a rougher part of Nagoya.

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The Okinawa part is apparent by the menu. Sokisoba as the number one menu item. But, unlike other Okinawan restaurants, this spot serves up more "standard" bowls; shio and shoyu make up the number two and three respectively. Gotta go for the soki though.

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It wouldn't be Okinawa without their most famous condiment. Ko-re-gu-su is a mix of potent Okinawa alcohol called Awamori and red chili peppers. It is mega spicy, and a little goes a long way. It also gets you a little drunk.

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Back to the punk. A constant stream of punk live plays on the shop's TV and speakers.

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Autographs adorn the wall. Huck Finn? Anyone?

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Sorry, I know nothing of the local Japanese punk scene.

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But I can definitely get down to it while slurping some homemade noodles.

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My intention wasn't to pig out, but pig out I did. Sokisoba with a side of fried rice. Good stuff. Sokisoba is often a simple dish; a clear broth, some noodles, very few toppings, and a side of stewed pork, called soki. This is how I like it, and any time I've had a bowl with too much going on, it was disappointing.

Simple and refreshing with an intense piece of meat. Rock on.

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As I was just in town for a night, I couldn't resist another bowl. The shop serves a taco rice mazesoba, an easy choice for me. Taco rice is an Okinawan dish of, you guessed it, rice topped with taco meat, lettuce, and tomato.

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In this case, cheese and a bit of spice as well. Mix it up and go to town.

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愛知県名古屋市千種区今池1-6-8
Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Chikusa, Imaike 1-6-8
Closest station: Imaike

Open 11:30-14:00, 18:00-24:00
Closed Sundays and some Mondays

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