Motomachi Shokudo Ramen

On this beautiful sunny day, I thought it will be the perfect day to force Meko to go downtown for some shopping! I usually dislike heading downtown, due to the inconvenience of parking spots. But of course, there only two things that will bring me to downtown: Ramen and Holt Renfrew. Which both requirements were satisfied today. Yay! Our first stop was Pacific Centre. Then around 1:30pm, we walked to Waffles and Berries for a snack. When we got there, we found out they sold out of waffles for the day. Slightly angry and immensely hungry, I suggested Motomachi Shokudo for some ramen!! It's been a while since we have been there; I needed a refresher before I write this blog post.

Exterior of Motomachi Shokudo

Inerior of Motomachi Shokudo

As Meko and I walked down Robson Street, we passed by Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, which had a short line up. And Kintaro Ramen had a long line up as usual. The line up is one of the reason why I prefer Motomachi Shokudo. You don't need to wait in the freezing cold first for a very tasty bowl of ramen at a good price! The current hype for ramen in Vancouver is Santouka Ramen and Kintaro Ramen, whereas Motomachi Shokudo is not as well-known. It is tucked closer to Alberni Street, so most people will not walk pass it unless you are heading to Stanley Park.

Motomachi Shokudo feature ramen with a lighter broth. It is not as thick and rich as the ones you will find in Kintaro Ramen. Even the "light" ramen in Kintaro Ramen is comparatively more rich. This is because Kintaro Ramen's broth is all pork based. The broth in the ramen of Motomachi Shokudo is actually chicken based. Pork is generally fatter and create a richer and more flavourful taste in soups. The usage of chicken is healthier, as it is not as fattening.

New Generation Miso Ramen ($9.45)
Blend of four types of miso. This bowl of miso ramen is topped with Japanese leek, green onion, bamboo shoots, corn, a lot (I mean A LOT) of bean sprout, and a single piece of cha-shu. The noodles has a good chewy bounce to it. The broth itself is flavourful, yet not heavily greasy.

Extra Cha-Shu Miso Ramen ($11.45)
Cha-shu is BBQ pork. Very reasonably priced. For $2 more, you are getting 4 extra pieces of cha-shu (shoulder and back rib) and seaweed. I actually like the cha-shu from Motomachi Shokudo the most when comparing with other ramen shops (excludes toroniku from Santouka Ramen). It has a better marble blend of lean meat and fat, hence it is not too dry and not too overwhelmingly fatty in certain bites.

Light Miso Broth Ramen

Recall my previous post. For the Robson Street and West End area, I ranked my ramen satisfaction in the following order:

1. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
2. Motomachi Shokudo
3. Kintaro Ramen
4. Benkei Ramen

Santouka Ramen has my number one vote because of the delicious melt-in-your-mouth toroniku (pork cheeks) and tasty pork broth. However, their regular cha-shu is actually inferior when comparing it to Motomachi Shokudo's cha-shu. If I only had $10 to spend on a bowl of ramen, I will head over to Motomachi Shokudo. Otherwise, a bowl of Tokusen Toroniku Ramen will make me very happy, costing $15. I personally find Kintaro Ramen a bit too rich and greasy for my taste, but I do have my occasional craving for their yummy Cheese Ramen! It is all personal preference, so leave a comment stating which is your favourite ramen shop :)

Extra charge for green tea.

Location: On Denman Street and Alberni Street. Just a few stores north of Kintaro Ramen. Generally has a short line up (approximately 15 minutes). The whole store only seats 18 people. Please note: they only accept cash and debit. There is also a $1 charge for green tea.

Food: Delish light ramen that is a healthier-option. Cha-shu is very good.
Service: The waitresses were not very attentive. However, the kitchen was speedy; we received our ramen shortly after ordering.
Price: We spent a total of $26 with tax for an afternoon lunch snack.
Recommended? Yes! Read above regarding my comparison of downtown ramen shops.

- Hippo


Motomachi Shokudo 元町食堂
740 Denman Street
Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-609-0310