Motomachi Shokudo

Motomachi Shokudo Restaurant Review:

Be prepared to join the queue of neighborhood clientele, off-duty chefs and visitors outside this jewel-box ramen house. The restaurant offers a lighter, more health-conscious approach to the ramen experience, and its spare, casually elegant aesthetic mirrors the culinary philosophy. Sheaves of dried wheat bisect communal tables, while modern concrete walls contrast with rustic wood accents. An orderly open kitchen produces steaming bowls of noodles incorporating organic ingredients and chicken-based broth in one of three flavors: miso, shio with all-natural imported salt, and shoyu with unpasteurized raw soy sauce. Sample the spicy miso ramen packed with organic chicken, lotus root, cabbage, spinach, onion, carrot, mizuna, dried bamboo, corn and hot chili sauce. Or enjoy the shio ramen with barbecued pork, pork spare ribs, angel hair leeks, bamboo shoots and a soft-boiled organic egg. The New Generation miso ramen blends miso from regions all across Japan to make a rich, savory broth. This might be the only Vancouver restaurant serving bamboo charcoal, a dark miso ramen that takes both its startling gray color and its smoky flavor from its namesake ingredient. The added charcoal is a traditional Japanese digestive aid, and the soup’s earthy taste far surpasses its appearance. Beer and tea are the beverages of choice. Service is friendly and prompt.