TL;DR: Pretty much what would be wanted from a ramen bar. This is a step back to basics, without any flash or flamboyance, and just simply going for a good quality, warming bowl of the famous noodle soup. Service is pretty good as well.
Within Runcorn Plaza, among the places that simply shout out that they are the place to be, like the meek, introverted goth kid on the playground, there is one other outlet here that is a contrast from the rest of them in a number of ways. Going right inside the doorway, diners are invited to a cosy, very warm interior were what they see is what they get. Comfort food in the form of ramen, done to its most efficient and effective best.
Getting to end of the working year, it was all a case of what to do on the final day - especially since that final day more or less acted as a half-day of work. Going around the workplace, it was all a matter of what people were planning to do, and it started off as a bit of an in-joke not being a drinker that I would hit the bar - a ramen bar to be exact. Eventually, that eventuated into searching through the best places to get a bowl of ramen, and while a few were in the nearby streets, to get the best kind of experience, going out a ways into the Styx was the go. All that mattered was getting there afterwards, and here we are.
From the size of the place, especially sandwiched in between a number of other giants, it would be fairly easy to miss this one even if a keen eye was being kept out for it. I would not be surprised if this was a janitor's closet in a past life. Seating inside can be pretty tight - there is not a large amount of seats here - when it gets busy, as with all ramen bars that are worth their salt in peak times. This was, however, not a peak time, with a couple of people already lapping up their soup. Among the benches there, one right at the edge of the small kitchen, about everything that is needed for enjoying the meal is right there for clients to collection - the spoons, the chopsticks, toothpicks, and various seasonings. All around is a red hue on the walls, and some low hanging light give it a small bit of ambiance.
What little service there is here is still polite, though it come with a touch of it being impersonal. Given the atmosphere and the set up of the place, that in itself is a bit of a given. Walk in the door, take the order, and they give you a number (sometimes with words written on them for a bit of a laugh) so you can be seated and await the meal. Even with all of that being said, they win many brownie points out for the sheer efficiency and lightning speed in which clients are served. Also though, I will give a shout out to the small gesture where I had the number given next to me, and the guy behind the counter put it on the top counter so he could see - made sense, and thanks for the correction.
As it can be told by the name, the offerings more or less being and end with a range of ramen. That, and some little side nibbles to compliment the order. The selection that they have is slightly bigger than average, plus the concoctions go beyond the general pork options. First up there is the classical versions - miso, shio, and shoyu with a fish one added on - then there are some other classic ones with the choice of base as follows, and various twists on the menu to behold, finally rounding up the ramen selection a bunch of special ones with different sorts of meat and whatnot.
It doesn't end there, with a small selection each of extra items to customise the ramen soup even further, and a few bits of izakaya for a little nibble on the side. That, and a few mini rice bowls for on the side, and to drink there is the general range of sodas and iced teas from the can.
Always liking to go something a bit different when I can, it was after juggling a few in the back of my head, with the one that eventually won out being the soft shell crab ramen, and an extra of some dried seaweed. This was well worth the wait after so many days, as it hit all of the right notes. The broth was rich, thick and slightly salty, the noodles cooked in the soup were done to the right consistency, slightly chewy and still retaining their texture. There were some mushrooms from memory within the broth, absorbing the soup effectively, plus the usual garnish of an egg was nice as always - the yolk just beginning to harden, it was moreish. However, it has not been forgotten the centerpiece of it all - the soft-shell crab. This rarely ever goes down poorly, and here was no exception. It was like eating smooth butter, sweet and moreish going down a treat. The flesh was soft and tender, the batter around it was thin and flavourome, and it just got better by soaking in the soup. Add onto that, the seaweed in which - for a reason that is hard to exactly explain - was the cherry on top of it all.
Plus, to give it that much more of a review, a little side went on as well. Having to choose between several gyozas, plus a couple of other bona fide hits with Japanese eating (notably takoyaki and chicken karage) was bit of a tricky choice. In the end though, the one that wins out by a mere head was the octopus balls. Duly noted, what might have given it that edge was the cheese variety - naturally the ultimate choice. As usual, there was the distinct deep flavour from the sauce, along with the hot and chewy octopus meat, and a creamy center to round it all up. On top of it, the cheese had a bit of bite to it, and it went fairly well with the sauce.
For the 4.0 score that is here, from this showing I like to indicate here that it might not be the best, and highest quality ramen that is around town, though it still manages to do quite well. If there was anything that made Genkotsu Ramen win over the solid 4.0 score, it all had to do with the way it was set up - ironically docking it points as well as giving it its character. The soup was first and foremost the focus, allowing the cooks to really hone in on making a tasty and filling entry that is worth a-steal (way cheaper than inner city outlets, a big advantage there), but it had to do with the setting. Going for the rustic and cosy aesthetics, it got the right atmosphere done pat. Admittedly, it is slightly shitty since it is easy to bump your neighbour's elbow, but more or less that is part of its charm - how straightforward the ordeal is, and nothing else matters when the soup is this good.
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