Set for 600 yen. A bowl for 490 yen. And up, plus build-it yourself (i.e. add the few ingredients they have available - egg, onions, etc. for about an extra 100 yen each.)
Yes, I did it. I slurped some tonkotsu (豚骨) raamen at the nation's largest chain: Kourakuen. 幸楽苑, which could be translated as Sweet Fun Garden. It's transliteration is Kourakuen, 'ko' (幸) meaning 'sweet,' and 'raku' (楽) meaning 'fun,' or 'enjoyable,' and 'raku' (苑) meaning 'garden.' However, the food was good and plentiful. The service was quick and didn't shout at the customers like Samurai no Michi (侍の道) did.
The big surprise, though, was that it was quiet: neither loud waiters and waitresses nor loud music. In fact, the music was definitely muted but I think I heard some Bill Frisell guitar work. The music was jazz, I might add. Plus, no here's the surprise, the entire restuarant was Non-Smoking. Non-smoking, I tell you, in a land where the cigarette warning says: "Don't smoke too much."
In the heat wave Japan is going through right now, though, raamen shops aren't doing so well. According to one source, Korakuen Raamen's sales are down 10% over last summer. I guess when it gets hot, people try to avoid hot food. (Although everyone sells a zaru- something. Zarusoba or zaru-raamen. ざるそば. Cold noodles.)
What I've found out about Korakuen - mostly from their menu: They've been in business since 1954. However, if you want more info about this chain of nearly 200 restaurants, you can check out this link: Korakuen.
The big surprise, though, was that it was quiet: neither loud waiters and waitresses nor loud music. In fact, the music was definitely muted but I think I heard some Bill Frisell guitar work. The music was jazz, I might add. Plus, no here's the surprise, the entire restuarant was Non-Smoking. Non-smoking, I tell you, in a land where the cigarette warning says: "Don't smoke too much."
In the heat wave Japan is going through right now, though, raamen shops aren't doing so well. According to one source, Korakuen Raamen's sales are down 10% over last summer. I guess when it gets hot, people try to avoid hot food. (Although everyone sells a zaru- something. Zarusoba or zaru-raamen. ざるそば. Cold noodles.)
What I've found out about Korakuen - mostly from their menu: They've been in business since 1954. However, if you want more info about this chain of nearly 200 restaurants, you can check out this link: Korakuen.
Enjoy Your Raamen!
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