Akira Shoji's ramen thrives on

[JacJeanFinger]

After retirement, Shoji has opened 2 ramen joints in his hometown, Toyama (I can't find this city in google map, I guess it's part of Japan).

Although Shoji was a man without trophies or belts in MMA, he won 1st place at all-Toyama ramen festival in the previous year.

4th picture shows Shoji and Takayama(who is also a ramen chef/owner now) at Annual Tokyo Ramen Show where they collaborated for a second time.

In Japan, majority of fighters get into food business. Antonio Inoki (spare-rib), Nobuhiko Takada (Mongolian BBQ), Kiyoshi Tamura (Udon Noodle house), Yoji Anjo (Yakitori pub) to name a few.

In my opinion, fried chicken looks too dry.

 

[Yosuke]

Great info, thx dude.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

woah i didnt know all those old stars opened up restaurants.

that first picture look like its tsukemen. that shits gettin popular now days... personally i think its a waste of time lol.


as for the fried chicken, that looks like chicken karaage to me. i think the batter formula they use make it look drier than it actually is compared to american style fried chicken.

 

[JarlSkuld]

Toyama is a sparsely populated prefecture on the north/east coast of Japan, south of Niigata.

Those noodles look crazy-thick, like some kind of ramen-udon hybrid. But it looks like he doesn`t skimp on the pork slices, so I`d like to try that ramen. But, Toyama is one of the few places I`ve never been in this country...and I have no plans to visit.

Jarl

 

[PIT FIGHTER]

Glad to see his business doing well.

Personally not a fan of tsukemen, zaru soba or anything involving dipping when it comes to noodles.

I am far too lazy.

Looks tasty, though.

 

[JacJeanFinger]

Those noodles look crazy-thick, like some kind of ramen-udon hybrid.

Jarl

Yeah they are thick like Chanpon (Nagasaki-styled seafood ramen) or Korean noodles. I had my first thick ramen nooles at franchised ramen store called tenka-ippin. In my opinion, they have the best ramen on earth. There're 6 locations in Hiroshima and also one in Fukuyama.

that first picture look like its tsukemen. that shits gettin popular now days... personally i think its a waste of time lol..

The name of Shoji's first place is Tsukemen Ebisuko(Ebisuko is an old lingo for eating habit of fat sumo wrestler). Have you tried tsukemen? It's not just regular ramen soup with noodles on the side. Dippin' soup is made differently with unique recipe. But if the vendor sucks, I agree it's gonna be a waste of time.

as for the fried chicken, that looks like chicken karaage to me. i think the batter formula they use make it look drier than it actually is compared to american style fried chicken.

Most karaage use no or little batter. They brine chicken meat in soy garlic stock. Drain, mix in beat eggs and coat with starch before frying. I think Shoji's restaurant skips egg and cover the meat with starch directly. Americans use thick buttermilk batter to coat the chicken pieces which allows very little fat to melt away. When chicken gets cold, nasty fat smell remain with chicken and it gives you bad taste. In my opinion, Karaage is the superior way of cooking chicken.

Great info, thx dude.

You're welcome.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

i wasnt aware corn starch didnt count as batter. but yeah ive had tsukumen and am thoroughly unimpressed. i do love cold soba though. dippinig that is a lot more necessary to me becaues of how fast soba soaks up liquid

 

[chunglii]

That's awesome. Shoji was a warrior. I always remember him because he used to clean and organize his house before fights so that if he died in the ring things wouldn't be out of order.

 

[SuperLuigi]

I always loved Shoji, he was always in way over his head and found a way to look impressive anyways, even when he got brutally smashed.

 

[Edwin]

It's actually something very common for wrestlers or fighters to open restaurants and bars.

Mr. Pogo, Toshiaki Kawada, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga and a ton of other retired wrestlers have opened restaurants and bars too.

 

[Kinger85]

always was a huge fan of Shoji.

Fighting Spirit defined.

 

[soggyfist]

Shoji is a G.

 

[JacJeanFinger]

I always remember him because he used to clean and organize his house before fights so that if he died in the ring things wouldn't be out of order.

He also kept half gallon Sake bottles in his tiny room and drank every night.

It's actually something very common for wrestlers or fighters to open restaurants and bars. Mr. Pogo, Toshiaki Kawada, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga and a ton of other retired wrestlers have opened restaurants and bars too.

But do they actually work full time in the kitchen to make food? Shoji is the main chef, he's not in the Rocky Balboa's position. I heard Anjo also grills yakitori by himself.

 

[noizer]

awesome

i will always be a huge fan of mr Pride

 

[Plissken]

This makes me happy. Happier still that warriors like Shoji haven't suffered debilitating injuries despite what Pride did to them (I hope that Kanehara, Takase, Oyama, Otsuka, and Minowaman end up so well).