【Street Chinese】I went to "Chuka Taiki" in Takada, Yokohama, which I had been curious about from the car window, to eat ramen

Every time I passed by the shop in the car, I was always curious about the street Chinese restaurant "Chuka Taiki." On this day, I decided to brave my first visit and first tried the classic ramen.

Every time I pass by in my car, I notice a shop called "Daiki" that catches my eye.

Whenever I drive through the Tsuzuki or Kohoku areas of Yokohama, there was one place that always stood out. It’s a Chinese restaurant called "Chuka Daiki" located near Takada station on the Yokohama Municipal Subway. The large store name "Daiki" and the purple noren always came into my view during the brief wait at the traffic signal.

Since I had never entered the shop despite passing by it several times, I decided this day to park my car out of curiosity and give it a try. I was aiming for a simple ramen even before looking at the menu, and I wanted to see how it tasted.

About a 2-minute walk from Takada station on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Green Line.

By the way, if you take the train, the nearest station is Takada on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Green Line, which is about a 2-minute walk away.

In front of the large commercial facility at the station, you can see the sign for "Takada Chinese Restaurant Daiki." Standing in front of the store for the first time, it was refreshing to see the scenery I had viewed countless times from the window of a car from a different angle.

I entered the store just after it opened and ordered ramen

On a weekday just past 11:30 AM, I entered the store almost simultaneously with its opening. There were still no customers inside. It was a hot summer day, and the moment I stepped into the store from outside, I felt relieved by the coolness of the air conditioning kicking in.

There were about 25 seats in total (3 at the counter and 6 tables), and I took a seat at a table. A menu board densely packed with ramen, fried rice, and assorted dishes was posted on the wall, and a television was installed near the ceiling, playing the midday news. There was also a sports newspaper on the table, creating a calm atmosphere typical of a neighborhood Chinese restaurant. While I was eating, about three more groups of customers came in one after another, and the store quickly became lively.

The menu board covering one wall offers countless varieties of ramen alone, including salt, miso, char siu, Cantonese noodles, Tianjin noodles, and five varieties. I was tempted to look around, but wanting to know the basics of this restaurant, I ordered the most simple and standard ramen (800 yen).

The prices and the atmosphere of the restaurant were not far from what I had imagined from inside the car. As I took a sip of the glass of water placed on the table, I listened to the sounds of stir-frying and the ventilation fan coming from the kitchen, and within less than ten minutes after placing my order, a steaming bowl of ramen was brought to me. It arrived faster than I had expected, so I was somewhat taken aback.

The soft-boiled seasoned egg, thick bamboo shoots, and char siu also provided a satisfying bite.

The ramen has a light soy sauce-colored broth, with medium-thin curly noodles submerged in it.

Toppings include a half-cooked flavored egg, thick bamboo shoots, a thick slice of char siu, bean sprouts and greens, and chopped green onions, giving an impression of careful preparation just from the appearance.

The yolk of the flavored egg is creamy and semi-cooked, spreading an orange color the moment it's broken. When I took a bite, the richness of the yolk and the subtly flavored dashi spread across my tongue like melting butter.

Taking a sip of the broth, I experienced a gentle taste that seemed to be from chicken and vegetables, without any heaviness. The soy sauce aroma is not too strong, and even as I continue drinking, it doesn't make me thirsty; it has a smooth aftertaste that feels comfortable in the body.

When I scoop the noodles, they are thin yet have a firm chewiness, which pairs well with the light broth.

The thick menma retains a crunchy texture, and every bite gives a satisfying chewiness. While some ramen shops might settle for just seasoning the menma, this thickness and bite might suggest it has been simmered with care.

The thick chashu is very satisfying, well-balanced between fat and lean meat, providing a solid sense of fulfillment that contrasts with the gentle nature of the soup. There is a small sense of satisfaction from being able to actually taste this ramen at a shop I had only viewed from the train window many times.

It is deeply gratifying to finally confirm this street-side Chinese restaurant.

When I finished eating and left the shop, the traffic outside was as usual, with cars passing while waiting at the traffic signals. Next to the shop, there was a bike that was likely used for deliveries, and the delivery machine attached to the back seemed to tell a story of how it has been rooted in the community for business.

I have viewed this scenery many times from the train window, but today, the feeling of having actually visited the shop adds a new dimension. The next time I pass through this road, I would like to stop in front of this shop again to try a different menu item.

Daitaku Chinese Restaurant
Location: 2-1-6 Takata Nishi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Interview/Text by SYURI

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