Santouka Hokkaido Ramen

Py mentioned that she was interested in trying a ramen place on Robson, so we went in search of this place after our afternoon snack at Mink. After a long walk in the rain, we finally came upon Santouka and quickly went in. There were a few other people waiting in line, but we were quickly seated at a large communal table near the front of the store. I saw on the menu that gyoza ($5) is their specialty, so I ordered one to share with Py. The dough was crispy and the pork inside was flavourful.

We had to mix our own sauce from the condiments given. Py was convinced that the red bottle was red vinegar, but I asked and found that it was actually chili oil! Silly Py :) We added a little bit each of soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil to make a very tasty gyoza dip.

Py and I both ordered the shio ramen ($8.95), but she added $1 for a larger bowl while I paid $1 less for a smaller bowl. There were a number of toppings including cha-shu, bamboo shoots, jelly ear, fish cake, green onions, and a pickled plum. The plum was quite tart and surprisingly crunchy. The cha-shu was very tender with just the right amount of fat. The bamboo shoots and jelly ear were also crunchy and not salty at all. The most impressive was the pork broth that apparently took over 20 hours to prepare. The pearly-white broth was creamy and tasty without being overly salty. It was mild enough to bring out the flavours of the toppings, but strong enough to drink as a soup. It was still slightly on the salty side for me as I tend to prefer milder tastes, but Py said it was already a lot less salty than the soup she had at Benkei.

My bowl was not very big, but it was enough for a light dinner. If I hadn't eaten right before this, I would probably have ordered the regular size. I think the prices are reasonable for decently good food. I would probably come again if I find myself craving ramen.