【Ramen Journey】I enjoyed the traditional taste at "Gyokusentei," the restaurant known as the origin of Kanagawa's soul food, Sanma-men.

"Gyokusentei," a popular town-style Chinese restaurant known as the birthplace of Kanagawa's soul food, Sanma-men. I finally encountered the long-desired Sanma-men. I also stopped by the nearby shopping street, making it a fun day that filled my heart and stomach.

We arrived at Yokohama Bridge Shopping Street, known as one of Yokohama's three major shopping streets

. This day we visited Yokohama Bridge Shopping Street, located in the Minami Ward of Yokohama City. It is a spot known as one of Yokohama's three major shopping streets. Stepping inside, you can feel a nostalgic warmth, with an arcade that continues endlessly, retaining the traces of the Showa era.

The nearest station is the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line "Bandobashi Station." If you walk along the street park from exit 1A, you can reach the shopping street in about two minutes.

A little way into the alley from the Yokohama Bridge Shopping Street, we found the Kintai Shrine. Unlike the bustling shopping street, the shrine grounds are enveloped in a solemn atmosphere. As I pray for health with daily gratitude, my stomach begins to growl.

Speaking of which, there should be a shop nearby that is said to be the origin of Sanma Men, which I have always wanted to visit. After my mind switched to Sanma Men, I headed towards that destination with anticipation.

To the shop said to be the origin of Sanma Men, "Gyokusentei"

. Walking from Yokohama Bridge Shopping Street took about 10 minutes. I arrived at "Gyokusentei," located in Isezaki-cho, Naka Ward, Yokohama City, a long-established shop that was founded in the seventh year of Taisho (1918). The temperature on that day exceeded 30 degrees, and I was sweating profusely from just a short walk, but I was determined to aim for Sanma Men.

There is also a store in Yokohama Station Porta, and I have passed by it many times, but I really wanted to have my first bowl at this main store.

Yokohama Yokusentō
Address: 5-127 Isezaki-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Business Hours: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

I entered the restaurant just after noon on a weekday. The customers were a mix of locals and office workers, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. This kind of space feels oddly more calming than a stylish and pretentious place. Among the many menu items, I found my target, "Sanma-men" (850 yen), and placed my order almost as soon as I was seated.

The long-awaited Sanma-men, with its piping hot sauce and thin noodles, was irresistible.

The walls of the restaurant were adorned with many signatures from celebrities. While waiting and watching the TV that was on, my long-awaited Sanma-men arrived in no time.

On top of the ramen, there was a generous helping of thickened stir-fried vegetables, along with ingredients like bean sprouts and wood ear mushrooms.

What surprised me was that the noodles were thin. For some reason, I had a preconceived image of thick noodles, so as someone who likes thin noodles, it was a delightful surprise.

With the first bite, the gentle richness of the soy-based soup and the umami of the vegetables spread out instantly. The thin noodles, coated with hot and fragrant filling, have an excellent texture that goes down smoothly. They are so delicious that I couldn't stop eating.

Since I was at it, I wanted to enjoy some flavor changes as well. So I added vinegar, pepper, and chili oil. With the refreshing acidity of the vinegar and the sharp spice of the chili oil, the deep-flavored soup was tightened up nicely. The refreshing accent of the pepper was also exquisite. I finished every last drop without getting bored; it was a quick and satisfying meal.

I'm really glad that I made the trip on a special day for my first cup at the main store. It was a bowl that truly lived up to its name as the original, satisfying both my stomach and my heart to the core.

The multicultural shopping street was also fun to walk through.

By the way, I was surprised to see that the Yokohama Bashidori shopping street has a vibrant atmosphere full of downtown charm, blending in various international cultures. There were Vietnamese bánh mì being sold and shops offering Korean side dishes. There was an exotic aroma that made me excited.

Since I was at it, I thought about trying some foreign cuisine, but what strongly attracted me was the Anki side dish shop. The store's appearance felt like time had stopped, and drawn in by this atmosphere, I peered inside to find a variety of side dishes like croquettes and tempura on display.

I chose the last one, the "Menchi" (100 yen). When I received it from the staff, it was still slightly warm, and the tempting aroma tickled my nose. Taking a bite of the crispy coating, the savory flavor of the meat burst out from inside. It was seasoned well, delicious even without sauce. It's the kind of croquette that's hard to make on your own.

I had a wonderfully satisfying day with Sanma-men and croquettes.

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