Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is a fairly new ramen restaurant that opened in the Kaheka Don Quijote shopping center.  I was surprised when I heard it was a full on sit-in restaurant – if you folks know Don Q well enough, you know the aisle of shops are all take-out places.  I was pretty excited to give this ramen shop a try!  I did get to give it a try but before I share the pictures, I gotta vent about what happened!  You can skip the next paragraph if you don’t enjoy angry vents.  🙂

So my friend and I came here on a lunch break the other day at about 2 something in the afternoon.  Both of us were starving at that point and had a very limited time frame to eat.  We figured 2 something on a weekday would be slow…I guess for this place – they are never slow.  But it wasn’t crazy busy, there were two people in front of us on the sign in sheet so we signed in and waited patiently outside.  Well you can see into the small restaurant so I was constantly glancing in (ha!  Sorry diners).  Anyhow, as we were waiting, a few others came by and put their name on the list.  I wasn’t paying much attention only knowing that we were at this point the next to go in.  So we’re standing there and these two girls who I KNOW was waiting with the rest of us (and behind me and my friend) decides to just walk into the restaurant and ask for a table.  There were a few tables free but I think the wait staff hadn’t caught up yet.  So the clueless waitress inside seats them right away.  My friend and I walk in and inform them that we were next and asked why they were seated first.  The waitress goes to talk to them but then comes back and leaves them in their seats.  I couldn’t believe my eyes.  At that point though, we get seated and it’s like really close to them and they can see us.  What a comfortable dining experience (not!).  Not once did the waitress apologize and those girls probably gave us stink eye the whole meal.  Those girls are evil.  You know why?  They knew we were all waiting and they had signed in after us and still decided to walk  into the restaurant to forcefully get a table.  It’s was so incredibly rude and calculating – sounds silly for me to get mad but I hate when people ignore morals and common decency.  We all have to wait – wait your damn turn.  The waitress did not apologize once and I think she handled the whole situation so poorly.  Not once did she communicate why she did what she did even though we called her on it.  I mean, if there were tables opening up she could have told us all – I’m sorry I mistakingly seated them but we do have tables opening up so I will be seating you all very shortly.  Something simple like that I would totally be okay.  Mistakes happen.  And no give me that she’s new and don’t know their waiting list – that restaurant runs on that sign-in sheet.  Okay rant over.  When we got into the restaurant, we were served by another woman who seemed like she was either an owner/manager.  She was very good.

Ahhh…was so worth it.  Yes I got a side of salmon and ikura rice.  No regrets!  

Tokusen Toroniku Ramen – Ramen served with the pork jowl/cheek meat.  According to their menu, pork cheek is very rare!  My friend got her ramen with miso broth.  She enjoyed the broth and the meat really is insanely tender.

Here is an upclose look at the pork cheek meat and toppings.  For this particular ramen – they serve the toppings on the side rather than on top of the noodles.  I assume it’s so the pork doesn’t continue to cook in the broth and maintains it’s soft and tender texture.

Here are my noodles, I got the Shio (salt) broth in my Tokusen Toroniku Ramen.  Anytime I see shio broth – I gravitate towards it.  The broth was very good, the noodles were a bit gummy.

Oh man I was so happy I ordered this.  The salmon was seasoned perfectly and not overcooked.  The ikura was fresh and popped perfectly in my mouth.  This dish was my favorite!  Other than the drama in the beginning of the meal, I’d definitely like to return here!