Yukikaze — Restaurant in Sapporo

One of the finest ramen shops I’ve ever had the privilege to visit. Their strength is the deep miso broth and completely mind blowing pork chashu. There is a bit of weakness regarding the ajitama and noodles but it’s a strong 4 stars from me.

The bowl is garnished with the whiter part of Negi on top. There is a half ajitama which could use a few seconds less boiling and a day or two more curing in chashu braising liquid (in my opinion). However the ajitama is not bad.. it’s just adequate. The noodles are on the same level as the ajitama.. adequate but not incredible.

What IS incredible is the miso broth which is surely the finest miso broth I’ve ever tried. I feel sure that the satisfyingly deep colour comes from caramelisation of either chicken or pork. This deeply satisfying caramel flavour lends the broth a depth and subtle sweetness. The broth tastes surprisingly delicate and of course there are complex flavours of miso throughout. The broth is perfect fly seasoned. The fat content of the broth doesn’t seem high and yet the broth sticks to your palate and sends your brain completely over the edge. This broth is why we eat ramen ✌🏻

I ordered extra pork chashu which came in the soup. The soup already comes with a perfectly rendered pork belly chashu slice. I highly advise you to order the extra pork chashu option. I think I might have got really lucky and got the money muscle part of the shoulder for my extra chashu. It was honestly the perfect piece of pork. Both the belly and the shoulder melted apart. Truly outstanding pork chashu.

This shop has very little to do to become the undisputed champion of Hokkaido miso ramen. I hope they will make their own noodles and add a deeply cured whole egg to the mix. The staff are friendly and kind. Thank you...

Good ol’ Yelp found us this must-try ramen shop in Sapporo, Yukikaze, which by the way, is the birthplace of miso ramen.

ATMOSPHERE: Located in the bustling Chuo neighborhood, it’s a 12-seat, no a/c, server arms be reaching over your shoulder for food from the kitchen, steam wafting in your face every now and then kinda place. It was awesome.

RESERVATIONS: None. We waited about 30 minutes on a Friday night around 10p. Don’t let the line deter you because it moves quick.

MENU: Ramen in 3 broths (miso, spicy miso & chicken bone), gyoza and beer.

FOOD: Rich Miso Ramen - $6.79 I’ve had a hatred to miso ramen for years. After eating here, I’ve come to learn that the recipes I’ve had were simply subpar. I also didn’t like how the noodles married to the broth. But here - here is a different story. Broth sip, wow. Well-balanced and savory. The noodles were served overly al dente but held up well till the end in the searing hot broth. Thin and moist, the chashu was good. I’m not positive what the shredded vegetable atop was; maybe radish? My only gripe is the tamago was a tad overcooked but still retained some gooeyness.

Handmade Gyoza - $3.40 (6 pcs.) Nice sear with moist filling. We had 2 pieces leftover but it seemed like the kind of place or culture where you don’t take it with you, so we left it, sadly.

SERVICE: The host/server/cashier brings menus to folks in line and comes back in a few to take your order. Once your seat opens up, you’re escorted in and your food is served in a minute or so, piping hot. The team of four churned out customers and food like well-oiled machines. When you’re done, present your pretty face at the cashier to pay, cash only.

OVERALL: Utterly, highly...

The Miso Ramen here is absolutely delicious. Highly recommended and it's open until very late at night when your other options might be closed.

Broth 5/5 - the salt level was near perfection and the miso flavors stand out even through the after taste. My friend brought up how good it was every 15 minutes for 24 hours.

Meat/toppings 4/5 - the meat (Chashu) was tender and delicious, mixing in perfectly with the broth, as was the egg perfectly cooked and soaks in the flavors of the broth. Order extra Chashu if you're hungry, the bowl comes out even bigger.

Noodles 3/5 - As a ramen fanatic, I was surprised to see them open a bag of noodles and then steam them, so they aren't the freshest you'll ever have. Definitely the weakest part of the ramen, but absolutely delicious still.

They have an English menu, order the noko Miso Ramen. There was a line where we waited 15 minutes but well worth the wait. They don't use ticket machines either, just for the record.

The gyoza was good, but if you're familiar with dumplings and such, they won't go beyond a 4/5.

Recommended, especially late at night. It provides a good representation of Sapporo Miso ramen that you'll...