Page 94 - WDT Winter 2018 japan

Ippudo Nishikikoji

erhaps our favorite food discovery in Japan was your phone in Google Maps before heading out to reduce the
ramen. Ramen was completely off our food radar, time you’ll spend wandering around.
associated with cheap eats in a foam cup of dried We knew we had arrived at the right restaurant when we
Pnoodles reconstituted with hot water. On the recom- spotted the line out the door. The folks in the line assured
mendation of our hotel desk clerk in Kyoto, we found Ippudo us that we had made an excellent choice. The line moved
Nichikikoji, just outside the famous Nishiki Market. There are quickly, and before we knew it, steaming bowls of ramen and
dozens of tiny eateries in and around the giant market, so it a serving of melt in your mouth fried gyoza dumplings were
took us some time to find our destination. It’s best to program plunked down on the counter in front of us. It was a feast

94 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018