February is the month of Valentine's Day. The confectionery sections of department stores are more crowded than ever with women, who are busy selecting their favorite Valentine's Day chocolates.

In the midst of all this, our editorial department was informed that a pineapple ramen shop in Nishiogikubo, "Papa Papa Pineapple" is selling a Valentine's Day limited edition chocolate oil noodle called "Kakakakao ". ...Well, you know, I'm a little confused because there are so many things to be picky about.

Anyway, we at En-Eat have to check it out if we are curious about it. We decided to go and try it right away!


Arrival at Nishiogikubo!

I took the Chuo Line and arrived at Nishi Ogikubo. As we proceeded along the train tracks, we saw a strange-looking lantern... and there it was! It's a pineapple ramen restaurant, "888 Pineapple!"


The ticket machine is located outside the restaurant, and the lineup includes not only the signature "Pineapple Shio Ramen" but also spicy ramen, soy sauce ramen, and tsukemen (dipping noodles). There is also a "full ramen," which is ramen with all the toppings. I love the naming sense!


The Chocolate Oil Soba is a limited time item, so it seems that you can purchase a ticket for the limited ramen. I was also curious about the flavored egg with a hint of pineapple taste that was recommended, so I bought it together with the ramen and went inside the restaurant.


Inside the restaurant, there is an Okinawan atmosphere.

The restaurant has only a counter and about 5 or 6 seats. Pineapple motifs are displayed everywhere, making you feel like you are in Okinawa. You can feel a little bit like you are in Okinawa. The coloring is of course green and yellow. The coloring is of course green and yellow.



After handing in your meal ticket, you wait and watch as the owner prepares your ramen. His uniform, an aloha shirt, is also pineapple-patterned. The owner quickly breaks a piece of chocolate into a small pot. Chocolate boards? Stir the sauce and noodles into the bowl, top with the toppings, and your "Kaka Kaka Kakao" chocolate oil noodle soup is ready!


■ Chocolate filled oil soba noodles "Kakakakakao" is ready!

Ta-da! This is "Kaka Kaka Kakao"! I almost had a gestalt collapse because I typed "ka" too many times. The ingredients are thick pork, kaiwaredaikon (Japanese radish), nori (seaweed), cashew nuts, raw onion, pickled bamboo shoots, and a flavored egg as a topping. Although there was not a single chocolate element to be found, the sweet aroma of cacao rising from the bowl of rice was a clear indication that this was not just another bowl of abura-soba.


The menu said to mix it well before serving, so I turned it over from the bottom. I turned it over. And then the noodles with chocolate sauce appeared! Kaka Kaka Kaka Kakao, which had been ordinary oil soba until a moment ago, was transformed into chocolate oil soba in one fell swoop!


I decided to try it anyway. I boldly munched on the thick noodle and... wow... this is definitely chocolate! The taste and smell are just like the chocolate I usually eat. But it is also ramen. What is this? What is this? mark in my head as I continue to eat.


The sauce has a seafood broth, which is combined with the chocolate and gives it a very strange taste. But it matches the noodles better than expected, and the unexpectedness of the sauce makes you want to eat more and more. While I was thinking, "What is this, what is this, what is this..." the bowl was getting smaller and smaller.

The raw onions and cashew nuts in the filling accentuate the texture. The raw onions, in particular, spice up the spicy and limp abura soba with a nice spiciness. I can only say that it was a nice choice.

The seasoned egg topping I ordered has the sweet aroma and sour taste of pineapple. It is quite delicious.


According to the owner, the base of this oil soba is niboshi (dried sardines). The owner says that the bitter taste of niboshi matches the bitterness of chocolate, and the sweetness of chocolate adds an unexpected flavor. It is also recommended to add raayu (Chinese chili oil) with green chili peppers. The refreshingly spicy flavor goes well with it!

The second stage of the Valentine's Day project is "Chocolate Tantanmen" - scheduled to go on sale around February 12!

The second Valentine's Day project is "Chocolate Tantanmen" (Chocolate Soba Noodle) - to be released around February 12! If you are saying to yourself, "I wanted to try this! Don't worry! They are planning to come up with a second Valentine's Day project called "Chocolate Tantanmen" as well. Incidentally, it will also be called " Kaka Kaka Kakao. The store says that it will be available in limited quantities of about 100 bowls starting around Valentine's Day, but please check the store's Twitter for the exact release date! Please check the restaurant's Twitter page for the exact date of release!

Just the fact that it is a menu item using chocolate is enough to have a strong impact, but the name! How about this for a Valentine's Day dinner with your boyfriend?

By the way, "Pineapple Shio Ramen

The author was already full from the chocolate oil soba noodles. However, I couldn't help but notice the "Pineapple Shio Ramen," the restaurant's signature dish. Because here we are at Papa Pineapple, right? How could I come all the way here and leave without trying the pineapple ramen? So I ordered it! (Considering my stomach, intestines, and weight, I asked for a small portion, so the picture is of a small serving!)


) The scallions, chili peppers, and spinach floating in the clear, salty broth are eye-catching. And in the center, a pineapple! A pineapple in the center. The aroma coming from the soup is a little sweet and sour.

The pineapple salt ramen is... delicious!

First, take a sip of the soup and you will be surprised at how delicious it is! I was surprised at the unexpectedly delicious taste. The sweet and sour taste of pineapple and the elegant salt soup are a great match.


The noodles are thin and go well with the salt ramen. The noodles are so light and refreshing that you can easily eat them even though your stomach was upset after eating the chocolate oil noodle soup. This may be a little too much for men, but I think women would like it a lot. Also, the green onion goes well with the sweet and sour refreshing soup.... The freshly ground pepper is also a nice accent.


The chashu pork is the same as the one used for aburasoba, but this one is tender with a hint of sweetness from the pineapple. I heard that pineapple contains an enzyme that tenderizes meat.


At first, I was terrified of what kind of ramen it would be like, but the pineapple salt ramen defied my expectations and I was able to take my hat off to it. I am filled with a feeling of wanting to apologize to the ramen, saying, "I am sorry. Sorry, Pineapple Ramen. And thank you, owner!

By the way, what is the origin of the restaurant name?

The name of this restaurant is too curious. You would think that either the owner loves pineapples or is from Okinawa, right? But it seems that is not the case. The answer was shocking: "It's not that I particularly like pineapples, nor that I am from Okinawa...". What?

Since he was starting a ramen restaurant, he wanted to create something unique and different from other restaurants, and he came up with the idea of using pineapple in ramen. He thought it would go well with pineapple, like pineapple in sweet-and-sour pork. He thought it would be a good fit. I couldn't ask him about the origin of 888 Pineapple's restaurant name, but I wonder if it comes from 888 Puffy...I don't know...


■ Recognized as the most interesting food in Suginami Ward!

Now, En-En-Ebi certifies this "Pineapple Salt Ramen" as "the most interesting food in Suginami Ward" (on its own). Because, you know. Pineapple is in the ramen. What more could you ask for? Right?

But if you live in Suginami Ward and know of a more interesting food, please let us know! Please let us know! The En-Eating editorial staff will be there to eat it!