While going to a trip with some Australian colleagues, I got a few tips about some of the remaining places I haven't had a chance to explore yet. The foodie amongst them said there's a nice chill teishoku place that's hidden in a residential area past a pachinko parlor with no sidewalks. The item I was recommended was the ramen teishoku, where the fried item of the day was squid (ika)!
As maybe expected, it's the classic shoyu ramen topped with the standard toppings (naruto fishcake included) served with a bowl of rice, ika-katsu, mac salad, salted cucumbers, and tofu. It's probably the biggest bang for my buck all trip thus far being 900円. I cannot understand why such a simple bowl of ramen as depicted above can't exist in Blacksburg! It's so easy to eat since it's not too fatty or salty but still having enough seasoning and umami to keep you interested between the bites of katsu or tofu. The salted cucumber was super fresh and not very watery, providing a smooth transition between the various parts of the teishoku set.
Honestly, a nice 7 or 7.5/10. Considering it rained earlier today, it was a bit chilly, and I had a really light lunch, it was really satisfying. I wonder if the ramen from Tampopo tasted like this... If I were to be picky, there was a bit too much green onion (or at least I wish it was topped in the middle) and more specialized sauces for the tofu or the sliced cabbage would be nice. The flavor of katsuobushi with the tofu (either as a topping or incorporated in a specialized sauce) probably would make things a bit more interesting.
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