Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

  • Food Tours
  • Ramen Schools
    • Tokyo School!
    • Osaka School!
  • More
    • The Best Ramen!
    • What’s New?
    • Print and Media
    • Merch!
  • Ramen Map
Primary
  • Food Tours
  • Ramen Schools
    • Tokyo School!
    • Osaka School!
  • More
    • The Best Ramen!
    • What’s New?
    • Print and Media
    • Merch!
  • Ramen Map

坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima)

Rating4 Star
0 Reviews
Add Photos
Write a Review
坂内食堂
IMG_0189.jpg
 
The nice lady at the Kitakata station tourist information desk said that no visit to this part of Japan is complete without a visit to a local sake brewery.  Fair, but I was on a motorcycle, so the sake sampling was out.  I went to the brewery anyway.
 
And our sake talks soon turned to ramen talks.  The sake master suggested Bannai.  I bought a bottle of karakuchi for later and rode straight there straight away.
 
IMG_0178.jpg
 
The longest line in town.  Thirty minutes on a weekday afternoon.
 
IMG_0179.jpg
 
Something I’ve never seen, the staff was handing out sun umbrellas.  Kitakata is surprisingly hot, in the mid 30s, while the nearby mountains are about 10 degrees cooler.
 
IMG_0180.jpg
 
I feel sorry for the neighbor shop.  Living in a shadow all these years.
 
IMG_0183.jpg
 
The line continued inside.  At this point, I grabbed a pamphlet, and it all became clear.  This is the same Bannai that has locations all over Japan.
 
I never went, as they are strictly a chain operation here in Tokyo.  Not interested.  I might have skipped Bannai in Kitakata if I had realized it before I was already inside the shop.

Yes, it is a mass-produced, money-making operation.  But everything has a birthplace, and the honten here in Kitakata keeps it all original.  Locals assured me that the two are very different.

 
IMG_0190.jpg
 
If you have walked by one of their many operations, you have seen this image.  Enough pork to cover everything.  At 900 yen (both the chain price and the original shop price) it is a steal for that much pork.
 
IMG_0191.jpg
 
Notice I didn’t say, “That much good pork.”  This bowl was a complete let down.  No depth, just a basic bowl.  I gave it the benefit of the doubt, but left with a disappointing taste.
 
IMG_0186.jpg
 
Looks like there is one a few minutes from my home in Tokyo.  I won’t be going.
 
IMG_0177.jpg
Official Site Here

Rate & Write a Review

Sort By

  1. The Best 100 Ramen Shops in Japan East According to Tabelog 2022 – Ramen Adventures
    Log in to Reply

    […] 坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima) […]

    2 years ago
  2. The 100 Best Ramen Shops in East Japan 2023 – Ramen Adventures
    Log in to Reply

    […] 坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima) […]

    2 years ago
  3. The Top 100 Ramen Shops in Japan East According to Tabelog 2022 (食べログラーメン EAST 百名店２０２２) – Ramen Adventures
    Log in to Reply

    […] 坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima) […]

    2 years ago

Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

ramendb.supleks.jp
Get Directions

Ramen Adventures is 3rd-party ad free and has no cookie tracking nonsense. If this makes you happy please consider supporting for $1 on Patreon.

Login

Lost your password?

Next
うまか軒 (Umakaken Airport Ramen in Kumamoto)

うまか軒 The Kumamoto airport is a bad place to get a bowl of ramen. Overcooked is a bad way to…
Previous
源来軒 (Genraiken in Kitakata)

源来軒   Genraiken is one of the oldest and most famed ramen shops in Kitakata. The original shop master served…
Random
Noodle Club in Hawaii, USA

Noodle Club (closed) Noodle Club on the north side of the Big Island serves ramen and Japanese snacks, as well…