Yakisoba Quest 22: Hakata Pure-Hearted Solo Trip Edition

Around this time last year, I set off on a journey to find specialty yakisoba shops in Tokushima, but this year it's Hakata.
While keeping a record of my trip, it ended up being unexpectedly voluminous. Please forgive me, as this is just for my own satisfaction.

On the day of, I woke up at 5:30 and made yakisoba for breakfast to get in the mood.
G-style yakisoba noodles, komatsuna, carrots, and pork shoulder roast simmered in a kakuni style.
After grilling it to a crisp with Micchan Sohonten sauce, I thought it might be a bit too sweet and kabayaki-like overall, so I sprinkled some Japanese pepper on it.
Oh, that works. But it's getting closer to kabayaki than I thought. I shouldn't overdo it. 326 "Kabayaki-soba"

And so, I arrived in Hakata just in time for the opening of Basokiya, the yakisoba specialty shop I was aiming for this time.

It's delicious as is, but since it's a bit soy-saucy, I drizzled some table sauce on it halfway through to strengthen the sauce-yakisoba feel.
The homemade whole-wheat noodles are grilled to a crunch like Baby Star snacks, and the texture battle between the crispy parts, the parts that aren't, the green onions, and the bean sprouts is fun.
The size of the ingredients and the seasoning all give the impression of being "things to make the noodles taste good."
It's the type that pins you down with a slightly tricky fastball rather than many breaking balls.
I see, I might not see such thorough grilling in Kansai very often. This is a good lesson. Local experiences are indeed the best. 327

Sightseeing until dinner.
My second goal: the Kyushu National Museum.

The mere existence of such a strange and massive structure is exciting.
The special exhibition (Honen and the Pure Land) had easy-to-understand explanations, was presented well, and had a catchy sense that shone throughout. For some reason, I remembered a lot of it. Amazing.
In terms of content, it makes me feel proud that it came from Nara. I have to go to Taima-dera Temple.
The permanent exhibition was also good. It was also presented well.
From the past to the present. From Kyushu to the world.
The space was used widely, and the route was interesting. Though it was tough for someone with no sense of direction like me.
The special exhibition won in terms of the sense of the merchandise. Well, I didn't buy almost anything, though.

Since I was there, I also stopped by Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine to pray.
I was greedy and prayed for health, academic success, and for everything else to go well.

Now, back to the main point. Returning to Hakata to go to Shinshin.

I waited in quite a line. There was Seki mackerel and offal at the izakaya next door, and I was tempted, but now it's about the noodles. I'll eat those later, just you wait.
Looking into it, they use Worcestershire sauce for their yaki-ramen. Regardless of the name, by definition, this is yakisoba.
The combination of soup and Worcestershire sauce is exquisite. The ingredients are also rich in seafood, with pork, shrimp, fish cake, fish meat, and clams. The crunchy stream attack of cabbage, bean sprouts, and green onions is pleasant. 328

And actually, I had also ordered the sauce yakisoba at the same time.
I waited in line for quite a while, so rather than waiting again tomorrow, let's go for it now! (Boom!)
My stomach is about to burst. I feel sorry for myself for being tempted by the Seki mackerel.
The ingredients here are the same as the yaki-ramen. The noodles are champon noodles, so the texture is completely different. The sauce is also quite rich. If you want to make the most of the seafood ingredients, yaki-ramen is definitely the way to go, but as a snack, this one might be better. As for yakisoba... it's complicated.
In terms of the sauce yakisoba being something I could probably make at home if I just gathered the ingredients, yaki-ramen might be in the lead.
My stomach feels the same as when Old Man Yama said, "Truly a spectacular sight," while facing Katen Kyokotsu and Sogyo no Kotowari. 329

After that, I left the hotel I checked into and walked around the Nakasu food stall district with a full stomach, just breathing in the air before returning. What a luxury this is in its own way.
Even though I was full, I could hear the fish calling me, but the shops open on the way were all yakitori, ramen, and offal... so I went back to the station basement.

At a famous shop called Kishiumaru, I poured down highballs while enjoying dishes I don't see elsewhere. What is yellowtail namero? It's too delicious. This might be what a Last Elixir is.

This squid mentaiko is a foul. I immediately looked it up online and bought it.
Is this the Last Elixir?

The next morning.

Hakata, a city where you can get a yakisoba set meal from 7:00 AM. It's the best.

Yakisoba from a simple teppanyaki shop. Is it a dashi-based sauce? The flavor is strong and goes well with rice. The slightly thick noodles and pork soak up the flavor, which is delicious. Since it's served on a hot iron plate, the charred bits are also fragrant. Totally satisfied from the morning. 330
Now then.

I went to the Fukuoka Art Museum, which I was curious about when I was looking up where to go during the day the night before.
Intense messages, things that poured out the inner self. The exhibitions currently being held ("Vietnam, Landscapes of Memory" and "Era of Transformation, New Self-Portraits") were quite heavy collections of work, but I think I was able to take something away from them.
As a Japanese man, I must be conscious of history, wherever I am.

Since I walked a fair distance and burned some calories, for lunch I went to another yakisoba shop I had my eye on, Sofuren. I had eaten their frozen food before, so I had even higher expectations for the actual restaurant.

So this is the local taste after all. Like Basokiya, it's grilled until it's crispy. The big differences are that the meat is in chunks, the noodles are different, and there's a bit more oil because it's served on an iron plate. However, while the power of suggestion might be at play, I feel a certain weight of history here, or rather, something that has been built up over time. Even in bands, there's a certain flavor that only veterans have... I'm glad I came. 331

Next, since I still have time, I'll head to the Itazuke Ruins.

I went to see the ones in Fukuoka before even seeing the moated settlements in Nara. The staff at the museum were helpful and interesting, perhaps because they were free, and they explained various things to me. Come to think of it, this was the first time I'd had a proper conversation with someone since leaving home.
Because I was able to get on the bus more smoothly than expected, I had time to spare. If I buy souvenirs and put them in a locker, I can fit in one more meal... Ambition wells up.

I bought so many souvenirs I could barely carry them.
For the last one, considering time and distance, I went back to Basokiya.

Since I'm in Hakata, I decided to try the hormone (offal) yakisoba.
The moment I ate a piece of the hormone, I ordered a highball.
I thought they were a fastball pitcher, but they had such a nasty pitch in their arsenal? The way the sesame, spicy miso, and the crispy grilled noodles go together is amazing. If it were me, I'd easily want to use chives, but I wonder if there's a reason they don't? Cost of goods sold? Well, whatever. I'll leave a little bit of the hormone and drink with that. Efficient. 332

And so, including the one I ate at home and the yaki-ramen, that's seven yakisoba meals in two days. Totally satisfied. It was two days of following my heart and indulging in every desire. I'm scared of the scale and next month's credit card bill.