Thursday, January 16, 2020

道有楽 (Doraku in Kashiwa, Saitama)

MENYA 食味の道有楽


Doraku is way out in east Kanto, an area where you don't quite know if you are in Chiba, Saitama, or Ibaraki, but it doesn't matter. The nondescript apartment buildings house the masses and pachinko parlors keep them entertained. This ramen shop is located just past those apartments and shares a parking lot with a massive pachinko parlor.



The menu of this cramped shop is all over the place. While some more normal ramen options are there, the limited bowls and soupless mazesobas are the ones that really pop out.


Should I go with the namakohakushoyu (生琥珀醤油) mazezoba topped with an entire sac of tarako fish roe?


Or the limited raw horse chilled ramen. For 3000 yen you get both lean horse meat and fatty.


I skipped the horse this time for the mazesoba. Onsen egg, pork chashu, chicken chashu, bonito flakes, and an entire sack of salted cod roe. Flavor overload. Junk food heaven.


Tarako is a great ingredient for pasta dishes. If you add it to hot broth it will instantly turn white and dry out, but on some warm noodles, it keeps its form and uniquely salty taste.


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