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The
Warmest Welcome
By
Garrett McCord
"Irasshaimase!'
The crowd behind the counter called out to us as we walked in, and immediately
we were taken off guard. A regular "Hi-how-are-you," and recycled smile is what
I've come to expect when dining out, so I was a little surprised.
I had been hearing murmurs and rumblings
about Shoki Ramen House, so I had recently decided that it was time to check it
out. I grabbed some friends, and we made our way out, tired and beat from a
long work week and looking forward to a hopefully nice meal.
Shoki is what many would consider a hole
in the wall; it's nothing fancy or super clean (though nothing to be put off by)
and probably goes unnoticed by many a passerby.
The menu is to the point--some appetizers,
few simple bits of sushi, a salad or two, and then the ramen. But before we
ordered our ramen, some appetizers and sake were needed, for what better way is
there to celebrate a Friday afternoon?
Perfectly
prepared edamame and a large plate of chashu (slow-cooked, thinly sliced pork),
which had been airbrushed with a nicely crunchy dusting of sesame seeds, were placed
before us. We happily devoured every morsel, right down to the chopped
scallions garnishing the meat. Our sake of choice was the popular muroka nama
genshu, a simple sake that has forgone charcoal filtering. It was served in
mismatched sake cups--a defining
moment in our Shoki experience, for this humble choice made us feel at home. With
its bold cooling flavor and honeydew notes, the sake easily stood up the spicy
ramen.
And speaking of the ramen, the options
are simple. There are two broths, shio (sea salt) or shoyu (soy sauce). The
shio broth is light and easy, very complimentary to all the other flavors in the
ramen. However I found the shoyu broth earthy and hardy in addition to being a
bit saltier to boot. Garlic puree and chili oil are available to spice up the
broths if you find the need, but if you really want spice, you should order
their specialty tantan men ramen (delightfully enveloping--a heady liquid of
spice and sweet salts).
Both broths are subtle, salty, and
flavorful, depending solely on the ingredients and not MSG like other ramen
shops are wont to do. Each bowl comes with some minced pork, spinach, and a
nori (seaweed), however other additions such as corn or bamboo shoots can be
ordered à la carte for a nominal fee of a dollar each.
The service was quick and friendly, and every
customer was treated more as a houseguest than a patron. The only downside to
our experience came as we were seated at an outdoor table: we were told that we
had to keep it down due to complaints by the neighbors in the apartment complex
next door. We complied and kept ourselves at a decent tone.
Overall, Shoki Ramen House provides a heart-warming
and stomach-pleasing experience. It's a place you'll surely plan to return to
again and again.
Shoki
Ramen House
2675
24th Street
Sacramento,
CA 95818
916-454-2411
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