Yukitei Ramen    幸亭拉麵  

Thickest Tonkotsu Ramen in Wan Chai. 超重骨膠質的豚骨湯頭．

Other than the typical handover cures, i.e. English Breakfast and a "counter-beer", I find spicy food helps a lot too. It was quite a while ago since I visited Yukitei. I decided to try out Yukitei and it's interesting noodles again.

Contrary to the popular book "Why Men can't listen and Women can't read maps", I can't read maps. This time it took me quite a while to find the place. It's located in one of the smaller alleys along Queens Road, between Pacific Place 3 and Hopewell center (those are the only landmarks I am able to use for orientation ).

It took me 30 minutes walk around the vicinity - twice - to find it. I didn't mind the walk too much as it was a good walk. I saw a strange looking structure along the way. I initially attributed that to my hangover. I was so intrigued by that structure that I stood in the middle of Queens Road, zoomed in with my phone and took a photo of it: The 30 minutes walk was pretty satisfying (and detoxifying). It's helped my hangover significantly so I didn't have such a strong urge to have the spicy ramen now.

I finally found the place and got a seat outside without queuing. They had a number of electric fans installed so the temperature was fine. The seats were reasonably spaced apart so it was comfortable.

This time, I figure I'll try their collagen-laden original pork bone soup. But after a second look at the rather extensive menu (they had original, shoyu, miso, curry and gigoku (hell), all of those are pork bone based and further split into two more options: Char Siu or Kakuni), I figure I"ll try their pork bone soup with shoyu. This was because I had been trying different ramens with shoyu as their soup base, like "Hinsho Yokohama Ramen", "Ryo Tei" and "Shugetsu" and I'd like to do a bit of comparison.

So I placed my order and asked for Shoyu Ramen with Kakuni (grilled pork belly). I noticed that this time, there wasn't a ramen application form to fill in like they used to have. ...... Actually I think it's a relief. I'm here for a relax lunch, not for another multiple choice test. Just trust the chef and let the chef do his/her thing.

I was told that they ran out of Kakuni, which was a real pity as those were delicious. Those were cut and roasted. It reminded me of Chinese style roast pork. I'd say it's even better than those provided at "Menya Musashi" in Kwun Tong, which were pretty good too.

This was how it looked like:This is recommended.

After a short wait, my shoyu tonkotsu ramen arrived:

Broth:

The size was pretty substantial, definitely bigger than Hachiban nearby. The tonkotsu (pork bone) broth was thick as always. It was quite filling.

It had a lot of collagen in the broth, which is supposed to be very good for skin - no wonder most of the regulars were all ladies! The texture of the broth was thicker than "Ippudo" or "David Ramen". But the taste was not as condensed as Ippudo or "Kureha" (that's almost like drinking condensed pork essence directly ) The most similar comparison I could think of is "Daruma".

Nevertheless, the pork bone taste was not as pronounced as Daruma's. All in all, more satisfying for your skin than for your taste buds

Though the pork bone taste was not very pronounced, they boosted the taste with some thick shoyu. I think the taste was remotely similar to dark soy sauce used in Chinese cuisine with a fairly strong sake aftertaste.

I have to say, I didn't know what to expect from this combination. With hindsight, I'd probably just order the original pork bone ramen instead of the shoyu version. The texture of the broth was already fairly heavy. Mixing in more thick soy sauce made the whole combination even more heavy.

I prefer the shoyu ramen at "Ryo Tei" at Sheung Wan or "Hin Shou" at Jordan a lot more. They use a less overpowering but aromatic shoyu and combined it with a light broth - chicken broth in Ryo Tei and light Tonkotsu broth in Hin Shou.

I placed some konbu vinegar halfway through my noodle to text the combination. Interestingly, the vinegar really diluted the collagen quite significantly! However, this is not recommended for the shoyu borth as you could imagine how soy sauce and vinegar would taste like when mixed together. Haining said that, I note from another ramen shop (the tsukemen shop at Sham Shui Po) that adding konbu vinegar to tonkotsu is a standard way to bring out more taste in the broth. It would be nice for the spicy broth (which I might have used) and I suspect the original tonkotsu broth as well.

Noodles:

This time I was plesantly surprised by the noodles! The noodles were significantly "improved". They used to have a fairly chewy, slippery type of egg noodle with extra protein added to it. Somewhat similar to a "Kurumi久留米" ramen from Kyushu. The only ramen shop which still provides this type of ramen seemed to be "Fukuoka Noodle" at Sai Wan Ho.

This was how the noodles used to look like:The noodles now were a bit thinner and less slippery. Basically, it's a lot more similar to a "normal" ramen in Tokyo. The texture of the noodles became a lot harder. Perhaps they were still using a similar noodle but cooked it differently. I suppose this is a very significant improvement for customers as many previous reviewers disliked this type of noodle, which I found it a bit odd as well. On the other hand, it's a big sacrifice by the shop as they specifically custom-made their ramen to contain extra protein. It's idea vs. market demand. Can your idea change the market? I digress.

The point is that these ramen, while not the best in town, was definitely acceptable. It's quite crisp (as opposed to chewy) and had quite a distinct egg taste to it too. Fans of the harder type of Kyushu ramen might like this a lot. No complaints.

The egg was quite good. It was well marinated and the center was still a bit runny. Above average.

Adding sesame and spring onions to the thick broth is a very good idea. I believe the seasme might have been fried beforehand, thus bringing out the aroma.

The three pieces of char siu were quite good. Not as good at the Kakuni but it had a nice meat taste to it. Those weren't too fat but were tender still. Above average as well. No complaints.

The nori (sea weed) was fine too. Good quality nori don't get soggy as fast as the normal one and should be grilled first. This was not bad. The big piece of grilled nori at "Tamashii" is still the best. The shredded nori at "Hachiban" nearby were also a bit better for being more flavourful.

The good service is definitely worth highlighting. The staff were very attentive and constantly adds water, politely and with a smile. Very Friendly and made all my dining experiences here pleasant.


In conclusion:

General F. Igjam says:
The pork bone soup definitely has a lot of collagen and should be good for skin.

Taste-wise, the pork taste isn't as pronounced as Buta O or even Daruma. But I'd still recommend the Spicy Ramen with Kakuni. The original tonkotsu ramen might be better than the shoyu version. I believe to enhance the complexity of the broth, the shop might consider adding some chicken carcass when making the broth. However, it's still better than those provided by "Mutekiya" (yakitori is better) and "Hachiban" (Wan Chai branch - Yasai Ramen is better).

You will receive a 10% discount if you sit outside during lunch time. Pretty good value.

That comes down to HK$54 for a substantial bowl of thick collagen tonkotsu ramen with decent char siu and nice egg.

No queue. Good service.

All in all, not a bad option for skin care and to quell your urge for sticky tonkotsu ramen!

Worth a try



今次是第二次來幸亭。原想再試試辣味湯麵，但因為本人是路盲的關係，故在灣仔一帶兜了三十分鐘多才能找到。由於太熱，到達後想轉轉口味！

基本上，店方是主打超重膠質的豚骨湯頭。再演變出其他拉麵款式：味噌，醬油，地獄及咖喱等。

試過地獄御品拉麵，不太辣。配豚角煮，整體上滿意。今次便試「豚骨醬油拉麵」：

總評：

湯頭：很重骨膠原。但豬骨味不算太突出。

醬油則偏濃。有點像中式的頭抽。頗濃的酒味。

紫菜，蔥及香口的芝麻令濃厚的豚骨湯更清新。

豬骨味沒有「豚王」或「達磨」那麼鮮，但比「八番」，「無敵家」的豚骨湯頭好。

個人認為欠了一點層次。或可加上雞殻來熬應更有鮮味。整體唔錯，比上不足，比下有餘。

達磨發燒友及濃杰豚骨愛好者或可作「止咳」（頂癮）之用。

麵條比以前硬及爽口。個人覺得較易入口。是一大改革。

以前似滑溜的「久留米」拉麵 （現在好像只有西灣河的「福岡拉麵」有供應）。現在較似東京一般的拉麵。蛋味都頗鮮。

豚角煮做得惹味。但是今次只有叉燒。三大塊，質素不錯。

溏心蛋: 比一般拉麵店做得好．溏心，入味．

大碗，坐外邊又有九折，抵食！服務好好，有禮貌，有笑容，又肯聽取客人意見。不需大排長龍。

護膚止咳之選。

可以一試。

Yukitei seemed to be the only ramen shop in the Wan Chai area and looked interesting. So I tried it over lunch.

Fortunately, there was no queue at 1:30 p.m. and I chose an outdoor counter seat. It's quite clean and tidy. Since it was early spring, it was quite comfortable sitting outside. Eating outside is more casual and spacious. I'd consider that an authentic ramen experience.

As I sat down, the lady stationed outside handed me a piece of paper with customizable ramen. You could choose to fill it in or just place your order with her. As always, I ordered the spicy ramen. I ordered the "Yukitei Ramen in Spicy Soup", somewhat modestly named when compared to "幸亭御品地獄拉麵" . It had Char Siu, Braised Pork (Kakuni 豚角煮) and 1/2 an egg. I "customized" my noodle as follows:

Noodle: Soft
Spiciness: Category III
Stock: Normal
Spring Onions: Normal

As I was waiting for the noodle, I noticed that there were quite a lot of condiments on the table, including the all important garlic crusher and sesame. That's a good start. You're provided with a glass of warm water and a packet of green tea. After a 6-7 minutes wait, the ramen arrived:The soup was spicy and a bit sweet. It had some chilli powder and strong pork bone base. The pork bone base was somewhat between Daruma (quite light) and Ippudo/ ButaO (stronge). But the broth here was a lot sweeter and thicker than those shops. It's quite good. The category III spice should be suitable for those under 18 as well. The "hot" level was similar to a kimchee tofu broth you get at most Korean restaurants but sweeter.

As you could see, the presentation of the egg was aesthetically a disaster. I don't mind it but some will. Anyway it was nothing special but not bad either.

The char siu was a bit fat and substantial. I think it's quite good. The kakuni was heavy stuff. It's similar to the roast pork you get at Chinese restaurants but without the crispy skin. The noodle was apparently Kyushu type (straight type) with extra protein added to it. As a result, it was very very smooth (slippery) and a bit like glass noodles with an eggy taste. The noodle here is similar to those provided in "Fukuoka Noodle". It's apparently a different style from Kurumi久留米, Kyushu. I think this is an acquired taste. I'm not a fan of this type of noodle - not with this type of broth anyway - and I'd suggest you order the hardest noodle type to reduce the culture shock.

If you haven't tried this type of ramen before, you might be a bit surprised by the texture and you'll either love it or hate it. Anyway, there is no need to think you've been cheated. It's still authentic Japanese, just very different from the more commonly available ramen in Hong Kong.

The service was good. All the staff were friendly. I asked why 7 dollars was knocked off my bill. I was informed that you'll receive a 10% discount if you sit outside, during lunchtime. That was nice. There were many more seats outside anyway, about 10 ( I only saw about 6 seats inside).

All in all, the broth was quite good. The noodle is an acquired taste. Worth a try.

Since my last visit, there has been an improvement which was quite foreseeable.
The dining area used to be in an open area.
In the winter it would be OK, but in the summer it is quite unbearable.

As well as the open area outside, you can now dine inside where it used to be part of the kitchen.

I got the Ramen with black truffle, a new item on the menu.

Usually I prefer my noodles al-dente, but these are not the same noodles as Butao/Ippudo/HideChan.
I chose the noodles to be served softer.
For these type of noodles, I like them soft so that the soup sticks on the noodles and I can taste the soup and noodles at the same time.

When the noodles came, you could see grounded truffle and truffle oil on top of the noodles.
I put some truffle on the egg and it tasted really nice.
As well as the truffle, there were grilled Japanese mushrooms.
It was good the mushrooms were grilled because it brought out the nice mushroom aroma.
Overall I felt there was a major improvement since my last visit.
The noodles here are similar to the noodles at 魔麵 and Daruma in terms of the thick soup base and the type of noodles.
Daruma Ramen House's soup base is not as slimey and gelatinous as Yukitei. The soup here is much the same as 魔麵.
Review at 魔麵
http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/commentdetail.htm?commentid=2177071
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Price: $78
Service: OK
Yummy factor: OK
MSG levels: Slight
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It has been a while, but ya.. this was written back in July lol.

I read supergirl's review one day and was excited hearing there is an okay ramen place at Wanchai! I soon got upset getting to know the place is nowhere close to my office. I tried once dating my friend to go, but I thought Yukitei is those street ramen store which has no air-conditioning so we changed venue. Today I woke up and had this sudden crave of ramen and I decided to grab my bf to go with me.Good news is, they actually have air-conditioning!!! The place was truly small, the seating are mostly outdoor but there are around six stools inside the block with air-conditioning! We arrived today on 7-1 at 2pm and found only a pair of couple having lunch. So did everyone go protesting?

The ramen selection is quite a lot - categorized according to the taste of the soup and slightly differs ingredients. After deciding your ramen bowl, you could then decide how you like your ramen to be cooked (Soft, Normal. Chewy) and how strong you want your bowl to be tasted (Light, Normal, Strong).

I chose Black Sesame noodles while my bf chose the spicy one, we both requested for chewy texture ramen since we both reckon the mouth feel is always better. Sauce we chose normal.

1) Black Sesame Ramen Bowl
A lovely sesame aroma flew across me when they served my ramen bowl, my excitement doubled up with its appealing look. First thing I picked was the egg. The yolk was still running with a perfect orangey yellow colour. It was quite smooth and creamy in texture. However some of the egg white was also running which I dislike. The colour of the outside was only lighted browned. There wasn't any taste from the creamy yolk but the overall taste was fine with the ramen broth.

The broth was very flavourable with a strong taste of pork and sesame. The broth was very thick and tasted a bit slimy. The slimy part I found rather weird to taste but would not dislike it. The ramen was cooked just right to keep its max chewiness. Love it!

There were two kinds of pork belly in the bowl - the circular one which was slowly braised in Cha Siu Sauce while the other was slowly braised in soy sauce. The circular one was too lean and therefore rough in texture, while the other tasted better with a more tender texture.

*************
I have only tried a few ramen resto in HK (but I didn't review them all, too lazy, sorry ), but if you dislike thick broth, do not try this place. Butan is still on top of the list, but I reckon Yukitel's Ramen wasn't that bad neither as I polished my bowl rather quickly after it was served.

My boyfriend's Bowl

 

The only down side might be its capacity which is mainly outdoor. If you could risk the chance of eating outdoor and can withstand eating in a hot summer day in hk, go for it! I will wish you luck in getting an indoor seats!

This has got to be hands down the WORST ramen experience I have had EVER I had it for lunch today and I've had 4 glasses of water and am STILL thirsty.

I chose the BBQ Pork ramen with the pork bone soup. Although they let you choose how you want your ramen cooked, it still came soft and soggy. The soup was the worst thing I've tasted in a long time, it came with 2 cms of oil floating and there is no taste apart from the oil. I ordered a side of the corn which they put in the ramen and the corn was still COLD when it arrived. I tried to use the seasoning powder to drown the taste but it was so awful that I left after 3 mouthfuls. I don't want to waste my food quota on GARBAGE.

The best thing about this whole dining experience was the staff, very polite and courteous.

I think this review should be written in two parts, Part 1: For those who havent tried Butao, Part 2: For those that have tried Butao.

In general, this noodle joint is located at Luet Fat street, which corners into an alley.
The kitchen is inside, and the seating is on a bar table that seats about six people, and two other separate tables.

The presentation of the noodles on the menu is similar to other Japanese noodles with pork, egg with runny centre, spring onions and black fungus.