Bad RAMEN Experience at KOTETSU, Santa Clara, CA

    RAMEN eating experience can be quite personal, I think.  It had never gone wrong for me enough to blog about it. Thus far in the Campbell neighborhood from Supermarket Ramen shop to Ramen Festivals... Home made Ramen using store purchased raw Ramen, and all the Ramen we had during our Japan trip,  they all have been good.  I think people would agree that what makes our bowl of Ramen good is the "noodle" - the type of noodle being used and the Ramen soup.  What's making me to blog about this blog is out of pure disappointing experience on 11/30.  I personally am used to the Ramen that has slight wavy curls, round strands. There are Ramen we had with straight square cuts, but the soup are genuinely tasty whether I choose  KURO or SHIRO or MISO.  I would eat all the soup and noodle.
    I think the first visit this year to KOTETSU Ramen, El Camino Real, Santa Clara, is back in spring time? or maybe last year in November after my KENDO SHINSA.  I went there at least twice a year before during my visit to Santa Clara area. The soup was great. Served piping hot enough to further cook the egg yolk after dunking it under. The pork slices - Chashu is tender. Whether SHOYU or TONKOTSU type I ordered they are great.  Noodles got this wavy curls and all alkaline tastes are shaken out.
But, on Saturday night, after driving through the storm arriving around 6 pm, I noticed there are no lines out the door.  I thought I was in luck . . . maybe be because of the strong wind storm.
    I ordered SAPPORO BEER, SHIYO RAMEN, and handmade Gyoza.  Beer came without foam...some people wants quantity, but this is my first beer without foam!!! Ugh!  I recall three weeks back in Canada during welcome SENSEI dinner, when he finally got his mug of beer, he said to me, "there's no foam..." sounded very disappointed.

   Then the Gyoza came.  It was okay.   Not very sure what's in the filling.  Lots of chopped mushrooms/SHIITAKE, I felt.

   Then came the noodle.  I didn't see the steam!! I said, "Trouble!" to myself.  I ordered large and there are only 3 Chashu slices.  They looked dried, the egg is whole.  I remembered in my previous visits, the large bowl came with 5 slices of Chashu.  Hmm? and the taste - Chashu is sweet?  It almost tastes like Chinese braised pork style.  Then the noodle is....what?  It looks like the Yan Tswen noodle I use at home - Chinese noodle when I can't get hold of the raw Ramen at the Mitsuwa.  The soup is... I don't know what they used to cook it.  Definitely a sign that this restaurant has changed in kitchen cooks and owner?

 They are cutting the corners and using ANY "noodle"?  I can do that at home but I expect the real Ramen at the restaurant.
I will never go back...

My Bread Adventure Pictures

Ran out of bread... shall I test out some other formula?  why not... so here we go..

Does not look promising.

What's wrong?  It's the yeast.  Don't put yeast in the refrigerator.  It kills them.

as Heavy as brick.

Bread in Dutch Oven.

Not bad looking for No Knead Bread.

This is still the yeast's fault.

 

Bread #3 - with some wheat flour

Hmmm.... doesn't look promising.

 

Bread #4 Japanese HOKKAIDO Bread formula... still the winner 

Add the TANZONG (Roux) and mix/knead.

It takes a long time to knead until smooth.

Brush the top - Egg wash.

The texture of crumb look different when torn and sliced.