With its refined interior, gracious hospitality, and incredibly aromatic chicken-based ramen, this shop exceeded all expectations. While I personally don’t always associate queues with quality, this place truly lived up to the hype. The line before opening was totally justified.

If you’re a ramen enthusiast, this chicken ramen gem is a must-visit.

[memo title=”MEMO”]This article and photos are from a visit in 2014.[/memo]

A Chicken Ramen Specialty Shop in Yokohama’s Yoshinocho: Toriku ~TRICK~

Toriku ~TRICK~ is located just steps from Yoshinocho Station, about 10 minutes on the Yokohama Municipal Subway Blue Line from Yokohama Station. It might feel a bit far from central Tokyo, but it’s absolutely worth the trip (more on that later).

I arrived around 10:45 AM on a weekday, 15 minutes before opening, and there were already 7–8 people ahead of me.

Outside, there’s an illustration of a rooster with a notable mane and brows, slurping ramen. Funny, but kind of ironic considering it’s probably made from his brethren.

Coincidentally, my visit fell on their 2nd anniversary (November 20). They were serving only a special limited chicken paitan ramen. I was hoping to try their regular menu, but took this as a stroke of good luck.

Just before me, the first batch of customers was allowed inside, so I waited at the front of the line. The staff handed out warm tea to those waiting—such a thoughtful gesture.

Elegant Interior, Graceful Service, and Tranquil Atmosphere

Soon enough, I was seated. The shop is small, with one table and a counter, but it’s clean and well-maintained.

The kitchen looks more like that of a fine restaurant than a typical ramen shop. The owner and staff provide calm and courteous service, speaking with gentle tones like “Excuse me” and “Certainly” instead of shouting orders.

Their menu features the same rooster mascot—quite muscular, actually.

I ordered the special limited ramen with bonito oil, plus a chicken chashu rice bowl. Apparently, this rich soup uses almost double the usual amount of chicken.

They also take pride in their marinated soft-boiled eggs and noodles. Their regular menu includes shio (salt) and shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, each with distinct noodles.

And here it is—the ramen! With a presentation that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end restaurant, this bowl looked nothing like typical ramen. Stunning.

A Clean, Rich Chicken Broth and Perfectly Paired Noodles and Toppings

The creamy chicken paitan soup is rich yet not overwhelming. It doesn’t hit you all at once like some intense ramen, but rather envelops your palate with gentle umami.

The flat noodles cling to the soup beautifully.

The chicken chashu is roasted, aromatic, and low in fat—something health-conscious diners will appreciate.

Not quite sure what this ingredient was—but it tasted great!

While photographing the soft-boiled egg, the rooster mascot photobombed me. Feels like he’s asking, “Did I lay that one?” The egg was perfectly soft inside and delicious.

The rice bowl featured chopped, stir-fried chashu different from the ramen version. Topped with minced chicken sauce in the center, it showed the same attention to detail. Superb.

It’s no wonder I ended up like this—completely satisfied.

Final Thoughts

From the food and the people to the ambiance, this place is undoubtedly top-tier. The ramen is light and elegant, making it easy to recommend even to women and older guests.

Next time, I’ll try their regular shio or shoyu ramen.

Although it’s a bit far from central Tokyo, this is one ramen shop in the greater Tokyo area that you absolutely should try. Highly recommended.