At the time, I went to Okkundo five times a week, and it was so delicious that I impulsively wanted to try my hand at making mazemen. But now, I think the defining characteristics of mazemen are its sourness and aroma. In addition to the light umami and spiciness reminiscent of Hiroshima-style tsukemen, you can also taste the dashi broth, and the sourness really brings out the flavor, so even though it's low in salt and oil, it still has a satisfying taste, and it leaves you feeling light after eating. I became obsessed with the taste of mazemen, which felt both new and nostalgic.
Since it's a so-called mazesoba style, the noodles are naturally quite voluminous to match. Usually, the noodles are thick and voluminous, but the noodles paired with it were exquisitely flat. They were also aged noodles with a low moisture content. I personally think that fresh, homemade noodles bursting with the aroma of wheat are perfect for enveloping soups with a strong animal aroma, such as pork bone soup or chicken broth, while aged noodles with a aged aroma are a good match for soups made primarily from chicken bones, dried fish, and dried ingredients that have a prominent soy sauce aroma. Mazemen is the latter style, combining the aroma of soy sauce with aged noodles, and while it may look new, the combination of aromas is the same as traditional ramen.
The voluminous but not too heavy, aged noodles and soy sauce - this exquisite style seems to have created an atmosphere at Okkundo that is loved by children as well as elderly people. In fact, even now, there are many children and elderly people who come regularly to my restaurant.
to be continued