(Translated by Google) Kimitsu City, where tens of thousands of people relocated from Kitakyushu due to the Nippon Steel Kimitsu Works, is an area with many restaurants serving Kyushu-style tonkotsu ramen, in addition to the local Takeoka-style ramen.
Among these, Yuri is one of the most well-established and popular. While its address is in Kisarazu, the restaurant is located in the Kimitsu area, culturally classified as a sphere. Located in a quiet residential area, the restaurant has ample parking.
This may be a bit selfish, but I was hesitant to go, expecting a long line no matter when I went, but I was able to get a seat easily by arriving around 7pm on a weekday. It seems like the line isn't as long at night as it is at lunchtime, although there were certainly many customers. There were also families there, giving it a very local feel.
The main menu features Kyushu-style tonkotsu ramen, Nagasaki champon, and sara udon, allowing you to experience both Fukuoka and Nagasaki at the same time. According to prior information, the stir-fried offal is also popular. I couldn't possibly eat two, so after much deliberation, I decided to order a large bowl of wonton noodles. It took a little longer than usual for my bowl to be served, about 12-13 minutes before it finally arrived.
The beautiful, pure white pork bone soup was a departure from the rich soups of recent years, with a smooth finish that was barely oily. In terms of the sensation I got when sipping it, I'd say it was similar to the morning miso soup at a ryokan inn, or the broth for winter oden, those kinds of "aah..." soups. Without fear of being misunderstood, I'll say it wasn't a perfect soup. It wasn't a case of impact at first sip; it was simple and not overly delicious; it was a perfectly "ordinary" 85-point soup, and it's these kinds of soups that linger the most. I'd say it's the kind of soup that makes you want to jump into a bath.
However, the soup wasn't just mild, with a crisp saltiness rather than sweetness, giving it a fairly pronounced edge. Perhaps it's a remnant of the time when manual laborers were the main clientele (or is that still the case?), but I think it's unbearably salty after a sweaty day or before noon after waking up late the day after a heavy night of drinking.
Unlike chain tonkotsu ramen, which have no odor, the aroma of pork lingers lightly in your mouth at the end. The interior of the restaurant has a strong tonkotsu smell, and you'll definitely smell the pork after you leave, so businessmen should be prepared with some Febreze.
The soup is very similar in style to Sandaime Oki Shokudo in the Kisarazu Kaneda area, which carries on the DNA of the Kurume Shokudo style. Apparently it moved from Kitakyushu, but perhaps its roots are in Kurume?
The noodles are not so-called Hakata noodles, but medium-thin straight noodles. For this reason, they offer a large portion system rather than refills. The noodles are fried on a flat net, making them a little soft, but I think softer noodles taste better than noodles that are overly firm.
The topping is a fairly thick and large piece of pork shoulder roast pork. I like how the lean meat has a firm bite and a crunchy flavor. There were also green onions, wood ear mushrooms, and a bit of bean sprouts as a palate cleanser. There were five wontons as a topping. They weren't the kind where you just eat the skin, but had a proper filling and a strong pork-like filling.
The takana, which I ordered on a separate plate, wasn't the super spicy Kyushu-style takana you often get, but a mild one with a subtle spiciness. It was the kind of takana that would steal your rice, with a strong hint of bonito flakes and soy sauce. I was dying to eat rice, but the amount of rice was so huge I gave up. Half a serving of rice was all rice, and all the rice was in a bowl. It's no wonder, as you'd expect from a restaurant that has long had a hold on the stomachs of steelworkers, and the portions were enormous. I can't help but curse my stomach, which has shrunk since my student days.
What I particularly liked was the atmosphere of the restaurant, with a cafeteria-like feel that still lingers in the atmosphere of the 1970s. We were greeted by the gentle previous owner (we think), and in the kitchen, the rugged, artisan-like employees were busy cooking without a moment's pause.
The young people in the dining area weren't overly cheerful, but they maintained a low-key attitude and maintained a natural, just-right level of service, maintaining a comfortable distance. Despite being a long-established, locally-based restaurant, even a non-local, first-time solo diner didn't feel uncomfortable, which was really great.
I had always assumed that these types of restaurants only accepted cash, but they actually accept credit cards and cashless payments. It's amazing. You can go and eat even if you don't have any cash on hand.
The other menu items looked incredibly delicious, and I'm sure I'll be back. I want to try the shabu-shabu and champon too...! And the rice dishes too...!
The alcohol menu is also extensive, and I envy those who live within walking distance, who can pop in after a bath, have a beer with some takana greens, and finish off with some ramen before heading home.
(Original)
日鉄君津製鉄所によって北九州市から数万人の移住があった君津市は、近隣のご当地ラーメンである竹岡式ラーメンに加えて、九州系豚骨を出すお店の多い地域。
その中でも、1、2を争う老舗&人気店が友理さん。住所的には木更津ですが、文化圏的なエリア分類では君津エリアにお店を構えております。閑静な住宅街の一角にあるお店は、駐車場も台数十分確保されております。
すごい勝手な話ですが、いつ行っても大行列、というのを想像していてちょっと行くのをためらっておったのですけれども、平日19時ころの入店ですんなり席に着くことができました。夜はランチタイムほどは並ばないみたいですね。もちろんお客さんは多くおられましたけれども。家族連れの方もいて、地域密着感がありますね。
メインのメニューは、九州系の豚骨ラーメンと、長崎ちゃんぽん&皿うどんで、福岡と長崎を同時に味わえるお店となっておりまして、事前情報によるとホルモン炒めも人気。二つはさすがに食えないので、迷いに迷った挙句にワンタンメン大盛を注文しました。提供までは一般的なお店よりは少し時間がかかり、大体12~13分ほど待っていよいよ到着。
美しい真っ白な豚骨スープは、近年の濃厚系スープとは一線を画す、オイリー感のほとんどないさらりとした仕上がり。たぶん、飲んだ時に感じる感覚で言うと、旅館の朝の味噌汁とか、冬のおでんのつゆとか、そういう「あぁ……」ってなる系統のものと一緒なんだろうと思います。誤解を恐れずに言うと、100点じゃないスープ。一口目のインパクト勝負でもなく、シンプルでうますぎない、ものすごく完璧に「普通」な85点のスープで、こういうのが一番後引くんですよね。いわゆる「風呂にして飛びこみたくなるスープ」であろうと思います。
ただ、優しいだけではないスープは、甘みよりもきりっとした塩味を感じる仕上がりで、結構エッジがはっきりしています。肉体労働者がメイン客層だった名残か(今も?)、汗だっぷりかいた後とか、がっつり飲んだ日の翌日遅く起きた昼前くらいに食うとたまらんしょっぱさだと思います。
臭みゼロのチェーン系豚骨とは違い、最後に豚の香りがふわっと口に残りますね。店内もきちんと豚骨臭があり、退店後はきちんと自分から豚臭が香りますので、ビジネスマンはファブリーズなど用意しましょう。
木更津金田エリアにある、久留米食堂系のDNAを継ぐ三代目沖食堂さんとかなり方向性の似たスープで、北九州からの移転とのことですが、ルーツは久留米にあるのかな?
麺はいわゆる博多麺ではなく、中細のストレート麺。そのため、替え玉ではなく大盛システムになっています。麺上げは平網上げで、少しやわめになっていますが、変に固めにするよりヤワ目がおいしい麺だと思いますね。
具は、結構分厚くてでかい肩ロースチャーシュー。赤身のところはしっかり噛み応えがあって、ガシガシ味が出るのが好みです。あとは、小ねぎときくらげ、箸休め程度のもやし。トッピングのワンタンは5つ入ってました。皮だけ食わせるタイプのものではなく、きちんと具が入っていて、豚感の強い餡になっておりました。
別皿で頼んだ高菜は、九州系でよくある激辛タイプのものではなく、ほんのり辛味があるマイルドな味。おかかとか醤油の味をびしびし感じる飯泥棒系高菜で、ライス食いてえ、と死ぬほど思いましたけれども、ライスの量がハンパないので断念。半ライスが全ライスで、全ライスがどんぶり飯なのよ。さすが、鉄鋼所の男たちの胃袋を長年掴んできたお店という感じで、ボリュームがエグいです。学生時代より小さくなった胃袋が呪わしいですね。
特に、いいな、と思ったのはお店の雰囲気で、1970年代の空気感が今も残った食堂感のある空間。柔和な先代(たぶん)が迎え入れてくださって、厨房では武骨な職人感のある従業員の皆さんが息つく間もなく調理をしています。
ホールの若い人たちも、全力で明るいとかではないんですが、テンション抑え目ながらもほどよい距離感のナチュラルで過不足無き接客で、地元密着型の老舗ながら、非地元民の一見のソロ客でも居心地悪い感じがしないのがほんとによかったですね。
そして、これも勝手に「こういうお店は現金のみ」と思っていたのですが、なんとクレカ&キャッシュレス対応。素晴らしすぎる。手持ちの現金がなくても食べに行けます。
他のメニューも異常に旨そうで、これはリピ確定だなと思いました。皿うどんもちゃんぽんも食べたい、、、!飯物も、、、!
お酒メニューも豊富で、風呂上がりにふらっと行って、高菜を肴にビール飲んで、ラーメンで〆て帰れる徒歩圏の住民の方がうらやましい限りです。