Motomachi Shokudo @ Denman
Motomachi Shokudo
Located on 740 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC
(604) 609 0310 Open from 12 pm (noon) to 11 pm
Motomachi Shokudo was voted one of the best Ramen restaurants in Vancouver by VancityBuzz. http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/04/best-ramen-in-vancouver/ *I recommend getting here before it opens, (5 mins or so is fine), since the place is tiny and fills up really quickly in less than 10 minutes after you get into the restaurant at 12 noon sharp. Traditional Japanese eateries are small, so don't freak out!
Its right around the corner at the end of Robson Street, on the left hand side leading to Stanley Park. Its extremely noticeable and well worth the wait. So as you can see in the picture below, this is the DARK MISO BAMBOO CHARCOAL RAMEN. Its priced at $10.50 on the menu and its around $11 after tax, which isn't bad to be honest. Its a good quantity for a good price as the regular size is very filling for a lunch already. It takes a little longer to make, be patient!
On the right is a close up of the charcoal miso soup. On first glance, its a little oily which to be honest all ramen broth are. The color is like nothing you've ever seen before and a little freaky. But the first sip totally betrays your expectations. Its not at all metallic tasting, but instead tastes like an above-regular miso broth with a little more sodium.
Its served with the typical combination of 'angel-haired' green onion and leeks, an egg (free range organic egg), a slice of cha-shu pork shoulder/butt. Some special exceptions was the lone sprig of a vegetable and the bamboo shoots were gone so i had to mooch off my friend's side order for some. I also loved how this is the first restaurant that I've been to that uses chili strands as a garnish for the bowl.
On a side note, they label this as the health conscious choice for a health nut foodie. Charcoal itself contains pores which, when digested, help to adsorb (yes, adsorb not absorb) toxins from inside the body. So Detox essentially in plain English. Toxins come from eating low quality, processed food that we as humans encounter all too much. Regular consumption helps with cardiovascular heart health, brain function, digestive problems, and rejuvenation in general.
