Happily, Kujiraken’s shina soba counter was still bustling with activity and more importantly, soup. In the absense of chewy tongue to share, we bought a bowl each to fill every last square inch of stomach area. Thankfully, the soup arrived scorching hot with a quarter inch of hot oil on top because we couldn’t find a seat in the entire food court! After a few minutes and triangular hawking of tables, we quickly swooped on an opening section at a high-top table.

Although the shina soba was served in a more familiar red plastic bowl, the presentation was organized and colorful. Each quarter of the soup was full of a different topping: a sheet of crisp nori, a field of green and white negi, a forest of soft menma, and the quickly sinking slabs of chashu in another. The center was marked by a singular cut of bright pink and white kamaboko.

The dark amber broth of the shina soba ramen tasted like shoyu with a strong helping of dashi that was easily detected. If it wasn’t for the burning temperature, I would have been tempted to slurp down most of the salty rich broth immediately. Sparing my tender mouth from sudden scalding, I turned my attention to the rest of the bowl’s inhabitants. The light yellow noodles were slender and straight with a firm bite. What really stood out was the pork. The cuts were thick and immensely tender, falling apart between my chopsticks. All the little things-the negi, menma, nori were great as well, but the broth and the pork were outstanding. If I wasn’t so full from my earlier food flirtations I would’ve finished it all. I tried.

There was plenty more to see(and eat) at both locations as we walked off a little lunch looking at vendors. I couldn’t pass up the green tea creme-filled waffles hot off the press. Although I didn’t eat it on the spot, I wished I had because a somewhat soggy waffle isn’t that great regardless of the delicately flavored green tea goodness inside!

There were chirashi sushi boxes, jarred uni, and deliciously fresh mackerel sushi available too. I had to take a picture of the meticulously arranged fish.

What’s great about these fairs also is that photography isn’t only allowed, it’s encouraged! Many of the vendors were happy about me taking pictures of their products. It’s as if they understood I was appreciative of their products. Even though the event was very crowded in both the Torrance and Costa Mesa locations, our mission was successful and we left with full stomachs! See you next year!

Stomachs empty, we arrived ready for battle at the Torrance Mitsuwa. Tokyo’s Chibakiya was offering shark’s fin ramen exclusively at this location for the fair. There was no line(erm…$18 a bowl) and we received our order quickly. The ramen was nicely presented in a ceramic bowl with a real spoon-a step up from the regular plastic bowls offered from other vendors.

Broken droplets of oil created a thin layer afloat the light yellow broth, both smelling and tasting similar to chicken broth. A thick quartered bok choy was held up by a nest of noodles as a pile of negi and chopped white onions slowly sank nearby. The pale yellow noodles were mostly straight and medium firm, easily untangling from one another.

A generous serving of shark fin struggled to remain at the surface of the broth. There were a few large pieces of the transparent cartilage surrounded by a group of smaller threads, all of which were tender and a bit crunchy at the same time. The broth did an excellent job of adhering to the shark fin, each bite full of pungent juices.  

If you’ve ever had shark’s fin soup before, this rendition was very similar. Still, it was fun to try it just for the experience; since ramen is usually a cheap comfort food, pairing it with shark’s fin was a treat. After sampling a few other small items(and resisting many more) we hit the road to Costa Mesa.

In mid-May, Mitsuwa hosted the Umaimono Gourmet Fair showcasing a variety of food stuffs in their food court and via hallway vendors. A sucker for all things new and delicious, I couldn’t hold myself back from the drive down to Torrance on opening day, May 17th. This despite future plans to return that weekend for an intimate event that would span from Torrance to Costa Mesa, sampling exclusive dishes at each store.

My Thursday visit was rather unproductive as the vendor and dining areas were packed to the gills. I hesitated on purchasing an $18 bowl of shark’s fin ramen although that had been one of my primary targets. I retreated to the stalls where the total wait time to collect a warm box of takoyaki was upwards of 45 minutes.

During the wait, I witnessed many times over the fast paced takoyaki cooking process: oil brushed on the pre-formed grills, batter poured, tako chunks dished into each semi-circular space, a dusting of flour and green onions before the mix sits for a spell. 

As the formula sets, 3 cooks whip out a pair of slender skewers and go to work flipping and forming the batter into small balls, all the while shouting out welcomes to passersby.

When a batch is happily prepared, more greetings emit from their mouths as the cashiers beat on a drum. Takoya Kukuru’s Takoyaki is served! The chefs quickly scoop up moist takoyaki into rectangular boxes.

A few moments later in the food court, I removed the warm box from its matching paper carrying bag and popped open the lid. A group of steaming balls was nestled inside, topped with a healthy dose of sauce, ao nori, and waving katsuoboshi.

I busted out my plywood chopsticks and hastily plucked a takoyaki from its resting place. The hot batter gave way very easily in my mouth, a bit too mushy. Still, the shell was moist and the mix of sweet sauce and soft batter melded wonderfully with the distinct fish taste of the katsuoboshi. The inner tako treat was likewise moist and also a bit chewy-a great distinction from the yielding half circle of leftover batter that was now hanging lifeless from my chopsticks.

Lunchtime was over and so was my time at Mitsuwa, until the weekend. I’ll be writing up my shark’s fin ramen and shina soba experiences in Part 2, soon to come!