Ezogiku has a large, cult following in Japan of ramen connoisseurs. Since its Tokyo opening in 1968, it has served Sapporo-style ramen. As with any serious ramen shop, it makes its own soups from scratch. On top of that, Ezogiku makes its own miso paste for its signature miso ramen. Its production is confined to its Tokyo branch where its recipe is a closely guarded secret.
In 1974, Ezogiku opened a branch in Hawaii. Since then, several more branches have opened in Hawaii and one in Vancouver, B.C., the only city in North America. We have eaten at the Vancouver restaurant a few years ago. Back then, we were not impressed, the main complaint being its weak broth. In retrospect, this was surprising when you consider how much importance the entire operation places on its miso.
We decided to give the Waikiki branch a try. After all, when we passed by it two days ago, the place was packed with customers, many of them Japanese nationals.
I am happy to say that the ramen served here is much more impressive than Vancouver’s. The broth was rich, appropriately oily, with hints of spice. The noodles were also perfectly cooked. The slices of pork weren’t too lean and there was a single slice of kamaboko (fish cake), all topped with green onions. A very good ramen indeed.
Ezogiku Waikiki
2146 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
808.926.8616
zoomeboshi 
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