Yazawa Kobe Beef Ramen, Kobe
Whenever Mutsumi tells someone she’s from Kobe, nine times out of ten, their response is always, “Oh, where the beef’s from!”
It’s expected, as beef is definitely what put Kobe on the map globally.
And when it comes to Kobe beef, there are usually four preparations that immediately spring to people’s minds… yakiniku, sukiyaki, steak and shabu shabu. These are definitely the four most popular ways that cuts of these sacred cows are prepared. But here at Yazawa, they’re using top-dollar tenderloin fatty flank to assemble a more affordable meal… as ramen!
Located on the outside of Sun Center Plaza, halfway between the JR Sannomiya and Motomachi stations, it’s easy to find Yazawa by looking for the big black cow that stands in front of the restaurant or, from a distance, the white lantern that read “Kobe Beef”…
Yazawa Kobe Beef Ramen was opened and run by the folks at the award-winning Yazawa butchers, whose family have been proud purveyors of Kobe beef for generations…
It’s a small shop, with only six seats and two tables, and lines form quickly, so best to get here early…
I asked to see what was behind the curtains in the kitchen but was told it was top secret…
Once you’re seated inside, there are only a few options on the menu, Kobe beef ramen being the main event, of course…
While they do have lighter “shio” and “shoyu” soup options, you’d be crazy not the get their beef bone broth, made from boiling the bones overnight, the marrow making the soup super thick and creamy…
Only the best cuts of Kobe beef are used as toppings, and even after being roasted, you can still clearly see that magical marbling in the meat which the local wagyu is known for…
One of your ordering options is for “extra meat”, so do yourself a favor and splurge…
The noodles Yazawa uses are custom made, a little ticker and wider to better stand up to the richness of beef broth and pick up the bone marrow bits…
Their kitchen also cranks out handmade beef gyoza…
Plump and juicy, mixed with scallion and onion, the beef gives these potstickers a unique flavor unlike their pork counterparts…
Finish your bowl and you get a red star…
The fact that Yazawa gets all their Kobe beef from their own butcher shop, which they buy in bulk, helps them keep costs down, and a standard bowl of Kobe beef ramen here will only cost you about US $10.00!! A side order of extra Kobe beef, served tataki-style, runs an extra US $15.00 but should not be passed up. I mean after all, beef is what you came to Kobe for, right?
Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations not accepted.
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