Hokkaido Food Fair at Mitsuwa

Butter with your ramen? Better arrive early.

The word from the West Coast, where this Japanese chain's latest food fair had recently pulled up stakes, was to make a beeline for the ramen from Sumire. This famous shop from Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture, is best-known for their miso ramen; the food fair also offered a miso-corn-butter ramen ($7.90) limited to just 100 orders a day.

Even at 11:20 on a Friday morning, I found myself at the back of a line leading to the ramen counter, but after a half-hour or so, I did manage to score a bowl. Glad I did: I liked the rich, slightly sweet broth and the firm noodles. The toppings were sparing, and the pork, not as fatty as it might have been, but then there was the butter. From Hokkaido, I take it (though I can't confirm, but Japan's dairyland seems the likely source). Such a little touch, but wow.

Also at the fair: the ika meshi (shown with tongs; $5.90 for two), simmered squid stuffed with rice, did nothing for me. In the fried-food aisle of the festival, the pumpkin croquette (in cutaway view, looks like acorn squash; $1.50) was wonderful, while the crab wasn't bad; the scallop shumai and some sort of fish cake were OK. So was a squid ball covered with tiny cubes of fried potato (five for $4), whose name I didn't catch.

The baked curry bun (not shown; $2.50), crisp outside, was filled with a barely viscous sauce and a couple of large chunks of potato; small wonder they had a steady line. The line for melon buns ($2.50) came and went, but only because the trays were repeatedly replenished and cleared; gentle but unmissable aroma and flavor, fluffy body. A pair of mochi rice balls wrapped in sweet red beans (one with, one without the skins) were a little heavy-handed, but only by comparison (not shown; $3 for two). The fresh milk soft ice cream ($2.50) was well-named; a little sour, in an unspoiled way.

Oh, and in the seafood aisle, I had a few free tastes of this and that, too. Fortunately, I had skipped breakfast. As it turned out, I skipped dinner, too.

Hokkaido Food Fair
At Mitsuwa Marketplace
595 River Rd., Edgewater, New Jersey
201-941-9113
www.mitsuwanj.com/en/index.htm