HYPER LOCAL NAGOYA
Welcome to our “My Hyper-Local Choice” series, where we delve into the stories of individuals who remain steadfastly loyal to a particular dish on a menu. Today, I’m thrilled to interview Sasada-san, a 38-year-old resident of Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, who has been a patron of “Panda Ramen” and their signature dish, “Taiwan Ramen,” for an impressive 25 years. Join us as we take a closer look and find out what makes this beloved local favorite so exceptional.
*Taiwan Ramen” is a popular Nagoya dish made by Taiwanese immigrants, featuring minced meat stir-fried with hot chili peppers, chives, and garlic.
*Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are solely our own!
This Taiwan ramen is like fuel to me. To avoid running out of it, I always go for the Jumbo size!
– Hello, Sasada-san. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today! So, tell us about “Panda Ramen”. It has such a hyper-local feel.
Yeah, it’s a ramen shop that’s closed on weekends and holidays, which is pretty rare in the industry. So, you can only visit on weekdays.
–Wow, I didn’t know that!
Yes, they changed their regular holiday a few years ago. Now, when I visit, “Jumbo size Taiwan ramen” is my only choice. I can’t come here as often as I used to, so I have to make sure I fill up on Jumbo to avoid running out of Taiwan Ramen. Coz it’s like a fuel to me. Haha.
– Ah, I see. Despite that, the retro appearance of the shop is quite charming.
Definitely. The panda character on the window sticker saying “Delicious? ○♧☆Mouth*” is always there to welcome us. I believe the food the character is making is “panda rice”, but unfortunately, it’s no longer on the menu.
– “Panda rice”? What’s that?
It’s an old menu item that has become somewhat of an urban legend among my friends. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but it was quite popular back in the day.
Trust my expertise and experience in identifying the quality and texture of the minced meat used in the ramen!
– Haha. Okay I understand your passion to this ramen, but what’s so appealing about Panda’s “Taiwan Ramen”?
Well, this is a Sapporo-style ramen shop, so the noodles are made with eggs and the soup is light. Unlike typical Taiwanese ramen, the soup has a unique sweet and salty flavor. It’s characterized by a generous amount of minced meat, garlic sprouts, and thinly sliced carrots. And if you’re at my level, you can judge the fineness of the minced meat at a glance. By the way, the minced meat is even finer than usual today, haha.
– This Taiwanese ramen is quite unique!
It’s seriously delicious! But be careful, if someone who’s not used to it tries to eat it, they’ll definitely choke. It’s not super spicy, so everyone goes ahead and eats the minced meat and noodles, and then suddenly it hits them and they choke!
– When it comes to your level, you know how to eat it.
The dish comes with two spoons, one for the soup and one for the minced meat, but since I’m a regular, I only need one!
– Way to go! Is it a shop that’s loved by regulars like you?
Yeah, some of my high school friends still come here, and the shop have a lot of loyal fans.
I only bring special girls here. It means a lot to me!
– Really? That’s interesting. What do you think is the reason?
Coming to this hyper-local restaurant is almost like a test. It’s like you’re exposing your true self and seeing if your partner accepts you for who you really are.
– That’s a deep way of looking at it!
Yeah, it’s like introducing your partner to a friend. It’s a big deal. And one thing to note is that you have to be a skilled driver to park here too! The parking space is super tight, and there’s a high chance of rubbing against the exit. So if you’re coming here for the first time, be extra careful!
– Wow, that’s really valuable information. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah, no problem. You should definitely try it out if you get the chance!
