Revisits: RakiRaki and Curry Rice Hinotez

Well, if the heat doesn't get you; I guess the wind will......

I feel for the folks who owned the two vehicles that were hit by the falling tree.

Even though it was hotter than the surface of the sun out, I wanted some noodles, so I decided to head to kodai-kōkoku ummm, RakiRaki.

I may joke about all the self promotion and internally generated hype that adorns almost all the surfaces of this place, at the least it makes an almost halfway decent tsukemen. I've kinda struck out with Sichuan Liang Mian, so I decided to change things up a bit. Also, I figured, quite correctly that RakiRaki would be pretty quite.

Of course, things started out with a welcomed bottle of Pure Alkalized Water, which is now labelled, just in case you didn't know....because what could that colorless liquid that tastes like water possibly be?

As for my Original Tsukemen ($8.95)....as opposed to the Spicy Tsukemen....or the Rikimaru Miso Tsukemen...or the Rikimaru Spicy Tonkotsu Miso Tsukemen, or....well, you get it.

I really like the firmness of the noodles here and this was right on the money. I did notice a couple of things...the slice of lime was dried out like it had been sliced quite a while ago and left sitting and while this was the most "chashu" I've ever had here....the place has been notoriously chintzy with protein, it was basically tiny pieces, like all the leftover stuff at the bottom of the pot. The broth seems to have changed a bit; it was less salty than I remembered, not a bad thing, and had an almost citrus like finish to it, like someone had added ponzu to it. I still think it's over priced, but it suited my needs on this hot afternoon.

RakiRaki Ramen and Tsukemen
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

**** Curry Rice Hinotez is now Yakitori Taisho

One thing about working in an office with no windows is that your wrapped in that "bubble" with no idea of what is going on outside.  So I walk outside and it's like a zillion degrees....well at least a 100 or so. The world was still rather dark when I entered the office and I had the idea that I should go back to Curry Rice Hinotez to see what was going on. Even though it was rather hot, I decided to follow thru......to find out that it doesn't look like anything is going on here; same one item....same version of curry (pork)....which tasted the same when I ate it at my desk.

Man, I'm wondering how long they can go one like this? They were prepping a bunch of stuff behind bamboo curtain, but I guess none of it is for this location.

It would be nice if they switched things around a bit........still, this wasn't bad at all.

Curry Rice Hinotez
5185 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

 

 

Comments

[santos.]

temperature the same today (84 and climbing) but i too work in a no-window office and under an A/C vent that makes it necessary for me to wear two sweaters, socks, fingerless gloves and a scarf. it's awful! but besides the constant pneumonia, i also have a regular craving for noodles. is that just my body needing to generate energy to warm up?

[kat]

curry overflowing! wow...hydrate Kirk :)

[Kirk]

Man, it's been a tough year or two for you Santos! I'm thinking you want something that's comforting...... Take Care!

I'm trying Kat!

[J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats]

We were out at a bar in PB and we ordered shots of tequila and they too came with the most wilted, dried out, sad looking wee slices of lime in the world....turns out there is a lime shortage!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/30/limepocalypse-inside-the-great-lime-shortage-of-2014.html

[Kirk]

Hi JS - I know about the huanglongbing infestation....the folks at NPP told us about it, when asked why limes were $3.65 a pound. They should find another alternative....

[Faye]

Where was that fallen tree? Looks like it's off that street before 99 Ranch?

Hot ramen sounds so bad right now in this heat. But that Tsukemen looks incredibly satisfying (and I just ate lunch at Dede's). I think sis and I tried the Tsukemen last time but found it salty so maybe it's worth a revisit.

[Kirk]

Hi Faye - It's the street in back of 99 Ranch Market.