天下一品　tenka ippin: better living through viscosity

by rameniac | 01 Jun 2009

Most people think of pork bones when it comes to noukou “thick broth” ramen. Yet, any Tenka Ippin devotee will let you in on a surprising little secret: when made —nay, steywed— properly, torigara, or chicken bones, yields a surprisingly heavier liquid than even the most meticulous preparation of marrow-laden Kurume-style tonkotsu. Just ask Scott Suzui, the larger-than-life, mixed-martial arts-loving, television newsmag-hosting personality behind the North American branch of the famed Kyoto ramen franchise and chicken-bone soup specialist, Honolulu’s saving grace and a mighty fine place to pack on a calories between hitting the surf and snorkel.

A confession: I’m not the biggest fan of “the Islands.” I get a little claustrophobic there, landlocked in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Waikiki’s tourist vibe isn’t something I care to soak up too often, although if the chance arises (thanks Barry!), the place is okay for say, a three-day weekend. And so last month, I made a beeline from the airport straight to Tenka Ippin because in truth, nothing on United States soil comes quite so close to an authentic taste of Japan. Like the islands themselves, we’re nearly halfway there.

Scott Suzui’s kotteri torigara ramen then, is an amazing thing, full of chicken flavor and viscous grit, surprisingly close in form and taste to the stuff served up at Tenka Ippin in Japan. Maybe it was just my imagination or simply a lesson in contrasts (as everything else in Waikiki seemed staid in comparison), but the bowl on this balmy afternoon might even have been punchier, fuller and more muscular than ones I’ve had on the Japanese mainland— ramen extreme for totally tubular lifestyles.

I suspect the noodles themselves aren’t entirely local. The Sun Noodle Factory sources ramen for virtually every shop on the islands, and yet Tenka Ippin’s strands are a touch thicker and springier than the rest. I wonder if Suzui-san, as the head of the chain’s North American operations, simply flies in all the necessary components from Japan, as the toppings are likewise solid - green onions, menma, and thin slices of soft chashu with a decent flavor. Add a spoonful of crushed garlic and some spicy chili paste, and it’s all rather sublime. Hurry up and open in Los Angeles already, and don’t change a thing.

I’m no surfer, but I can imagine a bowl of Tenka Ippin kotteri ramen overwhelming the novice noodler like a North Shore wave powering into a kid on a boogie board. And for anyone who thinks chicken is automatically lighter and healthier than pork, consider yourself warned. This stuff will sit in your gut like a lead weight; even a bowl of famous Waiola shaved ice (just down the road) helped little as at least this one tourist dragged his sluggish but satisfied ass back to Waikiki. But that’s what vacations are for.

rich, full-flavored, and stewing with the viscosity and texture of cement, tenka ippin's chicken bone soup is supercharged liquid for the surfing set.	8.5
yellow, toothy, and better than your average batch of kansui-free ramen, i suspect these noodles are imported straight from japan. scott suzui is an enterpreneur and the locals are a lucky bunch.	6.5
a spartan but flavorful medley of chashu, negi, and menma are remarkable facsimiles to toppings found in tenka ippin on the japanese mainland. like the noodles, maybe they are the real thing.	7
of note: tenka ippin has got a mean fried rice, full of flavor and sizzle. the gyoza ain't bad either.	7
there were few diners on this balmy, relaxing afternoon, and the place is decked out like a ramen shop with a warm, homey vibe. i like the yellow interiors, and the video loop playing suzui-san's interview with a nagoya chicken farmer left me curious as to his other enterpreneurial ventures.	3
as yet another of japan's most prevalent ramen franchises, tenka ippin would do well to expand across the continental united states. wishful thinking? make it happen.	6.5
617 Kapahulu Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815 (808) 732-1211	22

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