Menya Hassaku (麺屋はっさく) in Kaminaka, Fukui

This is Menya Hassaku, a brand new ramen shop in the Wakasa area, near my town. Their menu consists of chicken-based toripaitan ramen, such as tsukemen dipping-style. They currently have only six counter-top seats, so get in early!

Along with most of the other customers in the shop, I also opted for the Ajitama Shiro Chashu ramen, with egg and extra chashu, for 1230¥ ($11 USD). With only the friendly proprietor running the shop and taking orders, it took a bit of time, but it was nice to be able to watch his process and converse with him a bit. Luckily, it was worth the wait! The smooth, salty, slightly creamy chicken broth complemented the good portion of thin, firm noodles. It was flavorful without being overwhelming.

The soft egg and other ingredients were also quite delicious. My only minor complaint was that the chashu was a bit greasier than I expected.

You can also add an extra noodle portion for 150¥ if you’re still hungry. They also seem to have some rice bowls on the menu… I will definitely be back!

Sing Sing (秦秦 高浜店) in Takahama, Fukui

Sing Sing was one of the first restaurants I posted about on my Instagram back in mid-2017. (Man, has it been that long...!?!) This place is actually a chain restaurant, though I have only been to the Takahama shop all the way down in South Fukui. I said back then this was one of the best ramen spots in all of Fukui when I had only visited a handful of ramen restaurants in my area and I haven’t been back in 2 years, so I recently went back to reaffirm or update my opinion of the shop. It’s extremely likely my experiences at two dozen or more ramen places in Fukui and more all around Japan would have changed my opinions on this place…

Surprisingly, my tastes were pretty spot on back then. This place continues to remain a top in my prefecture, though my feelings on the broth have changed a bit. They have a fairly large menu with the usual variety of ramen, such as miso, tonkotsu, shio… But my usual order is the Gokushiro Aburi Chashu Ramen, a strong, tonkotsu-based broth with deliciously grilled chashu for 1100￥ ($10 USD). As you can see, the highlights are definitely those thick slices of mouth-watering pork. You can hear the chef searing them in the back, the crackle of the meat making me even hungrier in anticipation. They are without a doubt as delicious as they look, soft and fatty, but with just the right crisp and savoriness.

The rest of the ramen is also quite good. The noodles are a good portion, but are a bit underdone for my taste. Also the egg is almost hard-boiled… while it was tasty with flavor, I prefer a softer, creamier consistency.

Of course, they have sides too…

You can also add in extra green onion and sweet pickled radish to taste. If you prefer a spicier noodle, a red version can be had for 60￥ more. A double portion of noodle is only 150￥ more for those really hungry.

I will say this ramen isn’t for everyone. Like all “strong” ramen, it is heavy to the taste, a bit greasy, and leaves you with a very full feeling. As expected, the flavors are also quite salty and umami, so if you’re looking for a light “gourmet” ramen, this isn’t it. (Then again, ramen is rarely gourmet or light!)

But for me, this hits the right spot. I highly recommend this rich, but deeply satisfying ramen.

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Mensho Kaguya (麺匠かぐや) in Tsuruga, Fukui (Revisited)

I actually visited Mensho Kaguya (麺匠かぐや) in Tsuruga, Fukui, a few months ago with my friends, but it was definitely well worth another stop.

With a large menu, they had plenty of options to try outside their monthly limited specials. This time I tried their Jukusei Miso Ramen which features aged miso for a deeper and stronger taste.

It was definitely rich and had a nice, smooth, savory miso flavor in the broth. The aburi chashu was a bit fatty, but the nice, grilled pork taste was fantastic.

The noodles were nice and thin with a medium-firm texture.

The ramen was 980¥ ($9 USD) and the excellent chashu rice was worth the extra 200¥.

Definitely worth another trip!

Ramen Niji (らーめん虹) in Mihama, Fukui

This is one of my favorite ramen restaurants in my area, Ramen Niji in Mihama, Fukui. The have a few variants of ramen, but their signature Niji Ramen has an extremely thick tonkotsu broth that is heavy on the richness of pork bone flavor. The thickness is more akin to a stew than a broth… definitely the kind of ramen that I love the most. I always opt for the Chashu Niji Ramen for 1000￥ ($9 USD) which adds a few plentiful slices of pork.

More than just the rich soup, they also grill their chashu to give it a deliciously savory taste that only serves to enhance the meaty umami flavors. While the thin noodles are not exactly my main preference, they have just the right firmness to complement the soup. You can also opt for a larger portion or add kaedama extra noodles for 150￥ more if you want more, but I think the heavy soup makes it feel quite satisfying as it is.

The only drawback for me is that they are nearly a forty-minute drive from my house. I have visited them many times over the years and I will definitely continue to go. I can’t recommend them highly enough!

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Shougetsu (めん魚房 松月) in Tsuruga, Fukui (Strawberry Ramen)

Last month I went to Shougetsu in Tsuruga, Fukui, and had their seasonal Nishin Ramen (herring), but starting in March they introduced their new Strawberry Ramen… this I had to try! With the exception of their famous Lemon Ramen and other Yuzu citrus ramen, I have never had any fruit-inspired concoctions...

Arriving shortly at our table was this beautifully attractive bowl. I was surprised to say the strawberry tartness actually works pretty well for a ramen dish! There was also a bit of strawberry sauce around the top of the soup which gave the whole broth a bit of a lighter feel. It was definitely a unique taste that I enjoyed!

Unfortunately, I think the thickness of the broth and onions drowned out much of the strawberry flavor… if the broth was a lighter shio soup base, I think it would’ve been just about perfect. For a very reasonable portion at 1000￥ ($9 USD), you too can enjoy this limited seasonal fruit ramen!

Ikkoku Sakigakedo (一刻魁堂) in Handa, Aichi

On the way to Aichi to pick up another car, Matsuda-san and I wanted something delicious so he recommended Ikkoku Sakigakedo, a rather large chain of ramen shops all over Honshu I had never heard of before.

They serve up a wide range of ramen options, but they are known for their strong soy sauce taste. I originally wanted to try that, but when I saw the title of Kotteri (rich / heavy) Tonkotsu, I knew I had to order that and a side of their chashu rice bowl.

I’ll admit the presentation is pretty fantastic. While it honestly wasn’t that many chashu slices, the little pile in the center on top of the moyashi bean sprouts really makes it look impressive… and it was! The highlights of the soft and tasty chashu and as-advertised thick tonkotsu soup were satisfyingly delicious. The noodles were a bit soft, just the way I like them, but not much to comment about in terms of texture or taste.

The side of rice, though, is worth noting. The bits of juicy chashu gave it a real satisfying umami taste that I highly recommend as a side.

Now that I know about this restaurant, I can definitely look forward to having some solid ramen next time I’m traveling around!

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The Most Deserted Ramen Bar in the World (世界一暇なラーメン屋) in Osaka

The Most Deserted Ramen Bar in the World is a huge lie. It is most definitely not deserted by any means of the imagination, perhaps unless you define it by relative location. This restaurant in Osaka is located on the second floor of an office tower, nearby other business towers with few other ramen shops directly nearby. But with the long lines forming in front of the shop, no, it is certainly not deserted.

I was glad to get there before the shop opened because the line only got longer and longer afterwards. The shop has six different ramen options, but I chose the Kanko Dori for 900¥ ($8.20 USD) because it was the most unique item on the menu… “No soup citrus soy sauce,” it claims. And you can choose regular or large sizes for the same price. Sounds good to me!

For lunch time, you can also add a few things for a few hundred yen more. I added the Chashu Bowl for 200¥, given I was super hungry at the time having skipped breakfast.

This is definitely a more fashionable restaurant with an upscale modern decor and fancy bowls to match. The tall sides made me worry that I should’ve selected the larger portion of noodles because it looked tiny at the bottom of the cavernous sides. The whole presentation was lovely… but could the taste match?

Absolutely! These house-made noodles were stunningly delicious. The soupless, yet saucy, broth really coated the noodles so thoroughly, the flavor was packed in every bite. The first hit was surprisingly spicy, but it was followed with salty, umami flavors, ending in a light citrus taste. Definitely complex, rich, and flavorful… maybe one of the best I’ve had in a few months! The juicy chicken topping was also quite well-cooked, soft, and delicious.

However, two points brought the experience down. The soft, thinly-sliced chashu looked gorgeous, but they were a bit dry to the taste. The egg was also a bit overdone, though it was still tasty nonetheless.

The Chashu Bowl was probably the best-value add-on in a ramen shop I have ever had for the price. It was extremely meaty and rich with a ton of umami flavor, and it was larger than I expected. Well worth the lunch time occasion!

The back of the menu is quite interesting…

I am definitely leaving this ramen restaurant on my list of places I will come back to. The flavors, complexity, and value really made it an outstanding experience. Highly recommended, even if they lied.

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Shougetsu (めん魚房 松月) in Tsuruga, Fukui

It’s been awhile since I last visited Shougetsu in Tsuruga, Fukui. This Japanese restaurant has a large varied menu, but to me, the thing I always order is their Lemon Ramen, a light salt broth ramen with a few tart slices of lemon to really lighten the flavor.

This time, however, I opted for a change… their seasonally-limited Nishin Ramen for a very reasonable 830￥ ($7.50 USD). A piece of herring fish in my ramen? Could it really be worth ordering over the usual favorite? I was hesitant at first, but the friendly proprietor assured me that it was delicious.

And it was! The fish was preserved, so it was salty and sweet, reminding me much of a canned fish found in many Chinese dishes. The fish pared decently with the soup, which was lightly savory and creamy, but with a hint of spice. It was definitely an interesting combination I don’t think I have ever tried before at any other ramen shop.

The portion of noodles was quite good so the asking price was well worth it for something this uniquely savory and delicious! The only thing that I would like to see are some additional toppings or maybe even a few slices of their lemon to lighten up the whole taste.

Unfortunately, by the time you read this in March, the limited ramen will already be out of season. Maybe next year he’ll bring it back, but the next seasonal ramen coming up is an Ichigo (Strawberry) Ramen! Look forward to my review soon!

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Rairaitei (来来亭 敦賀店) in Tsuruga, Fukui

Previously on Instagram, I reviewed Rairaitei, a chain of ramen shops all around Japan. Having been there several times over the years, but not in a few years, I stopped by the Tsuruga, Fukui, shop with some friends. After the loads of delicious bowls of ramen I’ve consumed in the intervening years, how did it fare?

Honestly, Rairaitei still stands up as a solid ramen restaurant with cheap, but delicious bowls. This most recent time, I opted for a Kotteri (rich, heavy) Ramen for 780￥ ($7 USD) with Wonton dumpling toppings for 110￥ more. While I wasn’t blown away, it was still a great meal, offering good value at a good price.

As a bonus, here are a few photos I’ve taken over the years at some other shops around Japan.

I will definitely come again.

 

Ramen Yokozuna (ラーメン横綱 刈谷市) in Kariya, Aichi

Ramen Yokozuna is a chain of ramen shops hailing from Kyoto, now spreading primarily around the Chubu and Kansai (roughly central) areas of Japan. They are famous for having a wide variety of ramen and are always open late. I stopped by the Kariya, Aichi, location a few months ago with my friend to have a bite on the way home from picking up a car in Nagoya.

I ordered a Irodori Tonkotsu/Shoyu Ramen for 850￥ ($8 USD) and a side of Tarako Fish Egg and Mayo fried rice for 360￥. The broth was surprisingly rich and flavorful, with a nice pork taste. The noodles, chashu, and egg were also quite good, but otherwise not spectacular.

While I didn’t necessarily love the fried rice and the heavy Japanese mayonnaise topping, it was interesting enough I could order it again.

You can also add garlic, green onion, and other spices to taste. And for hungry eaters, there are also larger sizes for 100￥ more. For the value and convenience, I will definitely be stopping by one of their restaurants again!

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Iwamotoya (岩本屋 福井本店) in Fukui City, Fukui

Iwamotoya, a large Reinan chain of ramen shops, offers various limited monthly specials.

This time, I stopped by their Main Store to have their Hotate Soba (Scallop) for 980¥? ($9 USD). As always, regular, large, and extra large noodle portions are all the same price! Before I ordered the Hotate Soba, I asked the friendly shop guy what soup base it was… Salt? Soy sauce?  He was puzzled by my question because he said, “Hotate base.” Well, this I had to try! As with their other ramen, you can customize it a bit to your likingI asked for the strongest soup strength, heaviest oil, and softness noodle... 

And it did not disappoint. The broth had a nice, deep, and rich scallop and seafood flavor. It was creamy, rich, and savory… somewhat reminding me of a Seafood Cup Noodle, but in a good way! The three scallops from Hokkaido on top were small, but they were decently fresh, with a nice, soft and springy texture. The slice of slightly rare chashu, too, is always a treat, though I wished for a bigger piece. For the price, the extra-large portion of noodles was definitely a good value considering it was a no-cost change.

I am glad that my friend and I could enjoy a damn good bowl of ramen, especially during midday on a Saturday, as most ramen shops are closed around 3 to 5:30pm. Iwamotoya is always worth coming back to check out.

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Mugiwaraya (麦わら屋) in Fukui City, Fukui

In my continuing quest to eat all the ramen Fukui has to offer, I stopped by Mugiwaraya, a ramen shop near Route 8 in the northeastern part of the city. Stopping on a weekday right before they opened, I was greeted by the owner and given a couple coupons; this is a great way to build customer rapport!

Their menu is extremely simple with only two main options, Shoyu Ramen or Tsukemen dipping-style Ramen. Sub-divided, there are also normal or large sizes and with or without a flavored egg. I opted for normal size ramen with egg for 900￥ ($8.30 USD) and a side of Chashu Rice for 450￥ ($4 USD) more.

The dark broth that arrived made it immediately apparent that the broth would be strong. The strong fish dashi taste was rich, very reminiscent of the tsukemen broth they also serve. The noodles were nice and slightly firm, which goes well with the flavorfully strong soup. The highlight, by far and away, was the absolutely mind-blowingly delicious chashu slice on top. It had just about the perfect amount of fattiness, softness, and with the grilled, crispy edges, the savory umami taste and texture was probably one of the best I’ve had in awhile.

Can I get more of that chashu, please? Holy wow. I might complain that with this much deliciousness, it’d be a crime not to include more.

The Chashu Rice was pricey, I admit, so I set my expectations for it a bit high. Nonetheless, since the aforementioned chashu was so good, chunks of it over some warm, fluffy rice really was a bit of heaven. It was perfectly soft, salty, and delicious.

This ramen restaurant definitely comes recommended if you love strong fish broth shoyu, amazing chashu, and darn good customer service.

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Tsukemen Honmaru (つけ麺本丸 柳津店) in Hongu, Gifu

Tsukemen Honmaru is a chain of ramen shops from Aichi Prefecture, serving up mainly tsukemen dipping-style noodles, as their name suggests. I stopped by their Hongu, Gifu, shop with my friend for a late dinner.

They have a few unique varieties, such as seafood, chicken and yuzu, spicy, and miso.

Of those four, I opted for their large Special Miso Tsukemen for 800￥ ($7.30 USD). For added value, normal and extra large sizes are also the same price.

The set that arrived on my table shortly thereafter was highly impressive, with the miso dipping broth still bubbling in the pot.

The portion size was more than adequate, the noodles soft and thick like good tsukemen should be. This was the first time I tried a miso-based tsukemen, as they all typically have a pork and fish (usually niboshi) base. I’ll say it was definitely a unique taste!

I don’t know how I managed to take such a blurry selfie…

I’m looking forward to coming back again and trying another of their varieties for the value alone!

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Chuka Soba Ryo (中華そばRyo) in Sabae, Fukui

Chuka Soba Ryo is a popular ramen restaurant in Sabae, Fukui known for their chicken-based ramen. Their main options all have some chicken in the broth as opposed to the more frequent pork used in other shops.

They offer shoyu soy-sauce, salt with niboshi (baby sardines), toripaitan (creamy chicken), and spicy maze mix soba. Of the four, I was recommended the salt or creamy variants by the waitstaff, so I opted for the Nibo Salt Chicken Soba for 780￥ ($7 USD), large-sized for 130￥ more, and a side of Chicken Chashu Rice Bowl for 350￥ more.

The light clear broth was quite lovely, imparting lots of fish and chicken flavors, while having a really clean and light finish. I’ve had soups before that end up oily due to the chicken and fish used, but this was not the case here. The noodles were also quite chewy and soft, portioned well at the large size. The chicken toppings were also delicious, with a perfect texture that had a great balance of softness and firmness.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the chicken bowl. While it was deliciously light and refreshing, it was not quite worth the extra yen unless you’re really hungry. I’d recommend just going with a larger side or extra helping of noodles.

Definitely a good restaurant if you’re looking for nice, unique bowls of chicken ramen that are becoming more popular, especially in the Kansai area of Japan.

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Menya Trip (麺屋 鶏っぷ) in Echizen, Fukui

My co-worker and I have both actually visited Trip in Echizen, Fukui, a few months prior to this most recent visit, but since it was so good and we were already nearby, we decided to go there again. This time, I opted for their monthly variant, called Butappu, which is a play on their store name and main ramen, Torippu. This ramen is a pork and shoyu-based ramen with some veggies on top and a thicker noodle for 830￥ ($8 USD).

The broth was a great deal thicker and heavier than their usual chicken-based soup, but it was almost too heavy with a strong, salty taste. However, the veggies on top did lighten up the bowl a bit to offset the heavier taste. I also liked their thick and soft noodles, which were quite a nice, satisfying portion.

As a bonus, here is a picture of my last meal last year here. This is more their typical fare, with the  chicken broth and thin noodles. When I come back again, it will be for one of these bowls and their deliciously rich chicken toppings.

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Delicious Noodle Tiger & Dragon (虎と龍 福井渕店) in Fukui City, Fukui

Even in the midst of summer, ramen for lunch always hits the spot for me. I visited Delicious Noodle Tiger & Dragon, a ramen shop in Fukui City serving up a few different variations of tonkotsu (pork bone) broth.

There are also mildly differing toppings that are Kumamoto or Hakata-inspired. Most of their options can be customized with thin or egg noodles, noodle hardness, and stronger or weaker soup flavor strength.

I ordered their Tonkotsu Chashu Ramen for 920￥ ($8.30 USD) with an egg topping for 100￥ more, opting for a stronger broth and soft-cooked egg noodles. The noodles were great, soft as expected, and at a reasonable portion for the price. The chashu was plentiful, if not a little fatty. The softness does complement the creamy, but not too heavy, tonkotsu soup, so it was likely a purposeful choice. Even though they messed up my egg for the day (the chef apologizing for this batch of overcooked eggs), it was still nonetheless surprisingly, deliciously savory.

I also appreciated the countertop had a few additions like spicy vegetable, Chinese-inspired spice, and the usual spicy hot oil and soy sauce. The spicy greens were really great to put on the ramen before the end to change the flavor profile.

It was overall quite delicious. Worth the stop for a good bowl of ramen!

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Ramen Sekai (らーめん世界福井敦賀店) in Tsuruga, Fukui

Ramen Sekai (“Ramen World”) is a chain of ramen restaurants around four local prefectures: Ishikawa, Toyama, Shiga, and, of course, Fukui. I usually stop by the Tsuruga, Fukui location. This is one of those ramen places when you don’t need something fancy and something delicious will do.

And delicious it is. With a reasonably large menu, they seem to really try to cover all the basic ramen bases.

Their main specialty seems to be their Kaga Miso Ramen, made from miso from Ishikawa Prefecture. Their miso has a bit of spice and is of the red miso variety, with hints of seaweed or fish in the broth. Their noodles are thick with a simple, clean taste and texture. The chashu is one of soup highlights, with a light, salty taste. Definitely a good value for the price.

I also recently tried their seasonal Yuzu Shio Ramen, which was quite cheap at 790￥ ($7.20 USD). It has a clean, light broth which allowed the thin slices of yuzu to really shine through. While it wasn’t the most revolutionary taste, simple and satisfying is always perfect for this season.

Their fried rice is also quite good with a savory, salty taste. If you crave more than just ramen, I highly recommend it.

Overall, this is a good place to stop when you need a quick bite without much fuss. The price is right, hours are long, and locations are pretty convenient.

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Bannai Shokudo (坂内食堂 本店) in Kitakata, Fukushima

Kitakata is a small city located in Fukushima, essentially renown worldwide as a city of ramen because it has the highest number of shops per capita. Granted, the capita is pretty small at 48,000, but it still says a lot about their local food, Kitakata Ramen. What sets Kiatakata-style apart from others is primarily their unique wavy, flat, thick noodles, which helps to draw in the lighter salt-based broth.

With room and time for only one ramen in my belly, I chose Bannai, one of the most famous Kitakata ramen shops with long lines even before the shop’s opening at 10am.

I waited about an hour in the summer heat to order from their simple menu, all focusing on the local specialty. I opted for their large Negi Chashu at 1200￥ ($11 USD).

The noodles were indeed the local style and were soft, wavy, and really scooped broth into my eager mouth. The medium-light broth was salty and had a bit of savory meaty taste which really distinguishes it from other simple shio soups. (It actually reminds me of some Chinese noodle soups in a way.) The chashu portion was good, each slice were super soft and thin, complementing the lighter profile broth. I could definitely see why this local establishment and town are so famous in Japan.

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Ramen Yume wo Katare (ラーメン荘 夢を語れ) in Ichijoji, Kyoto

After coming back from my trip to Osaka, I wouldn’t be a real ramen lover if I didn’t stop by and have a bowl in the famous Ichijoji area of Kyoto. As previously mentioned, there are a ton of famous ramen shops in the area and this time I decided to check out Yume wo Katare which was recommended to me by my co-worker. The restaurant has always eluded me with their crazy long lines, but this time, I stopped right as they opened and there were already a few other hungry patrons waiting. Good timing, me.

Their menu is simple, offering only two sizes of two ramen: regular or large of soup or soupless. The other buttons are for toppings or take away pork. “Take away pork? Why?” I wondered and I was answered later. For now, I selected the larger size at 900￥ ($8.25 USD) plus a flavored egg for 100￥ at the ticket machine. (The normal size is 800￥.) I wanted to see how large the rumored size was. Grab your water, your oshibori (hand towel), chopsticks, and spoon from the corner and have a seat, placing your tokens from the machine on the counter. The only question the patrons were asked shortly before being served is “Do you want garlic?” Unless you avidly avoid the flavorfully smelly ingredient, I highly, highly recommend it. And they throw a huge scoopful down, as you can see.

The ramen is actually a Jiro-style ramen, made famous from the chain of Ramen Jiro, particularly around the Tokyo area. (I’ll make a post about them later.) The style is mainly an over-the-top style, with mounds of bean sprouts, thick noodles, a heavy or greasy shoyu soup base with lots of fat, hilariously large portions, and lots of garlic, giving it a strong flavor and a portion that just doesn’t seem to disappear as you consume it.

And Yume wo Katare is no exception to that. They differ slightly, as their shoyu soup base is actually a bit stronger than others, with chunkier bits of pork fat in the soup. The sprouts are piled high, the noodles thick, chewy, and flat, and the chashu chunky and thick. And the chashu, while not the normal “rolled” chashu, was soft, juicy, and well-marinated… certainly savory and extremely delicious. I could see why someone would want to order this separately. I also highly recommend the flavored egg, as it was really soft, perfectly cooked, and surprisingly delicious.

Later I found out you can customize your order to some degree, asking for more or less sprouts or fat. Maybe next time I’ll ask for even more garlic.

“Gourmet” this is not, but at this price, the value per yen is amazing. If none of this sounds appealing to you, this definitely won’t be the place I recommend. But for those seeking quantity, satisfying savoriness, and a bit of salty fattiness, Yume wo Katare will fit the low-priced bill.

Even Eustace* agrees.

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*Eustace is a husbando-worthy character from the web-based free-to-play RPG game Granblue Fantasy. He actually does not eat ramen in order to keep his manly physique.

Ramen Zenya (らーめん善谷) in Ishinomaki, Miyagi

Ramen Zenya in Ishinomaki, Miyagi, is one of those ramen shops only accessible by car, in the middle of not much. I probably have driven by hundreds of shops similar to this without knowing what delicious treasures lay inside.

However, if I didn’t stop here, I would’ve missed out on an amazing Michelin-reviewed bowl of ramen… and probably one of the best light soups I’ve had in a long time.

I’ll admit my first impression was not very good, seeing the large menu and a long wait. While the shop was huge, there were even more chefs behind the glass window at different stations. This looked like a food factory, an assembly line better suited producing instant ramen than Bib Gourmand bowls. They advertise locally-sourced and produced noodles and in-house made broths. Sure, with production facilities out back, perhaps...

Given that I live in Obama City, a place known historically for our catch of saba (mackerel), I was curious to try their take with Saba Ramen for only 800￥ ($7.50) for a large size. The smell was the first thing I noticed, a savory scent of salted fish. I took a sip and I was transported to ramen broth heaven, imagining fishermen and their fresh saba haul pouring them into a hilariously large pot, then straight into my mouth. The taste was so unexpectedly flavorful with the unique smokey, rich taste of saba in every sip. What I did expect was the broth to be slightly greasy, given the high oil and fat content in saba.

The chashu was exceptionally soft, making me wish I had a side order of extra chashu. The noodles were thin, nice, and firm, tying the whole ramen together. The only minor let down was the egg, which wasn’t particularly tasty or cooked well. One could forego that issue because the rest of the bowl was exceptional.

Wow.