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ramen rating: itomen banshu ramen 2007-08-01 22:36:01
The lovely and gourmet-looking packaging lured me in. Wow! Deluxe noodles, exquisite shoyu…even the salt is special! How could I possibly pass this up! There’re special ingredients galore: large chunks of lightly grilled onions, miniature shrimp (yes! shrimp!), shiitake mushrooms! Visions of instant ramen nirvana floated through my head…
I slowly poured the boiling water in excitement, being extra careful to fill the bowl exactly to the indented waterline. I impatiently counted out exactly 180 seconds (3 minutes for those of you patient enough to count in minutes, not seconds)…
(yes, I’m actually going to make you click on “more” to read the rest of this review, because that’s the kind of person I am!)
I slowly lifted the lid in eager anticipation…hmm…take a closer look at the thin curly noodles? Do they look familiar? Well if you’ve ever had Chinese instant noodles, they should, because this is what it tasted like:
ramen rating: kurume ichiban tonkotsu shoyu 2007-07-24 01:25:53
This is the last day of Ogawaya ramen week (actually, this review is 2 days late. Sorry…had a busy weekend), and I’m a bit sad. But, I’m also a bit glad…you try to come up with 5 different and interesting ways to describe the same noodles! I also want to give a shoutout to rameniac for his timely and wildly informative “field guide” to 22 (yes, 22!) popular ramen styles in Japan. If you want to read up on the background behind the hakata and kurume ramen I’ve been talking about for the past week, this is a great resource.
Every once in a while, events fall into place that makes you think of fate; even though I chose this week’s ramen in random order, it turned out I was actually eating them in order: each day’s was progressively better, and today’s ramen was the best of the bunch.
The distinctly bold black package gives a hint of what was to come. This kurume (ichiban!) tonkotsu shoyu ramen had a rich…well, a rich tonk
newsflash! Nissin shrimp noodles recall 2007-07-24 00:03:55 Nissin Foods, makers of the ubiquitous Cup
Noodles, is issuing a voluntary recall
of some shrimp-flavored noodles
. Nissin Foods recently discovered that some of the seafood-flavored powder (mmm…powered seafood…) contains cod and lobster, which some people are apparently allergic to.
So if you have any seafood allergies, you may want to read all the facts before you eat that next bowl or cup of Nissin noodles with shrimp (also “Great Value,” “Thrifty Maid,” and “Jehling” instant noodles).
Otherwise, move along! There’s nothing to see here!
via that’s fit
ramen rating: kurume ramen, futatsu no aji 2007-07-21 19:15:15
I have a bad habit of not really looking at or reading the packages of ramen that I eat until after I’ve eaten them. In this case, I was a bit surprised to open the package and see two different colored soup packets…was this some special “red/white song battle” (Kōhaku Uta Gassen) ramen? No, there’re actually two types of soup in this package! Cool! The white one is tonkotsu. The red one is tonkotsu shoyu.
Yes, this is another Ogawaya ramen. And yes, the noodles are still good. This time around, they seem just a bit softer than the previous 3 Ogawaya ramen. I tried the red tonkotsu shoyu one first. The noodles pick up the soup flavors very well, and there’s a nice slippery sheen to them. The soup is strong but not heavy. The shoyu and tonkotsu flavors are well blended but was a bit too salty. The thick soup reminded me of the kind of soup you’d get at a decent ramen-ya and there was a hint of a garlicy aftertaste.
The white tonkotsu soup pa
ramen rating: kurume ichiban noko tonkotsu 2007-07-21 18:09:13
Day 3 of Ogawaya ramen week continues with the kurume ichiban noko tonkotsu ramen! (It just occurred to me to read the rest of the ramen packages I bought last weekend, and I realized that all the ramen were made by Ogawaya. Duh!) Kurume ramen is from the Kurume region of Fukuoka, where tonkotsu ramen originated. Unlike the first two packaged ramen I had this week, this one is a “pure” tonkotsu ramen. The noodles were again practically identical to the other two Ogawaya ramen, which is to say, good! The noodles had a great chewy texture and absorbs the fatty pork bone flavors nicely. The light-tan soup had a subtle but satisfyingly fatty taste that doesn’t scream out “pork.” There’s just a bite of pork taste that lingers in the back of your throat with every slurp. A slight aftertaste of garlic and MSG leaves a nice tingle on your tongue once the ramen is gone. This is a good solid ramen that deserves an 8 out of 10.
ramen rating: nagahamakko ramen tonkotsu miso aji 2007-07-19 12:53:04
Day 2 of hakata ramen week continues with Ogawaya’s nagahamakko tonkotsu miso ramen. Ok, I’m actually cheating. I’m writing the reviews for day 1 and 2 on day 3, and I’m getting tired so I’ll probably write day 3’s review on day 4.
I think this is supposed to be based on an actual ramen-ya’s ramen. Surprisingly, this tasted very much like yesterday’s hakata ramen. At the time, I didn’t bother reading the label closely enough: same factory. Hmm…maybe not so surprising after all.
This ramen also had a bright orange soup, but was more fragrant; I could actually smell the miso. Like the pirikara ramen, these noodles were also prone to clumping and had almost the exact same great texture and taste, even though the instructions had different cooking times (2 mins vs 90 seconds). The soup isn’t spicy, which ironically gave it more flavor. The miso stood out, but I still couldn’t taste much of a pork flavor.
This ramen ta
ramen rating: pirikara hakata tonkotsu miso ramen 2007-07-18 23:22:26
Our local Marukai supermarket is having a sale on a variety of hakata ramen so naturally, we had to buy them all! There were 5 different types. Guess what I’m having for dinner this week!
First up: the Ogawaya pirikara hakata tonkotsu miso ramen…whew! The bright orange soup had almost no smell, which was odd. The noodles were hard hakata style noodles, which were nice and al dente, and flavorful. These noodles tended to stick together while cooking, so you need to make sure you shake the noodles well or end up with a clumpy hard mess. The soup was mildly spicy, and that was about it. I couldn’t really taste the miso or the pork flavor. The spicy taste really reminded me of Korean spicy ramen, which isn’t a bad thing, but I didn’t think it went well with the miso tonkotsu flavor. This ramen gets a 6 out of 10…good noodles, so-so soup.
now you can *be* ramen! 2007-07-16 13:14:34
Do you love ramen? I mean really looooove ramen? Now you can…um…be ramen! A theme park in Hakone, Japan has teamed up with a famous ramen-ya to open a “ramen bath,” complete with tonkotsu-colored, pepper-flavored “soup” that you can soak your weary bones in. The water is said to “help produce beautiful skin and aid moisture retention.” No word yet on when the shio, miso, and shoyu baths will be open. Hmm…I wonder if there’s any MSG in that water? I’m sure *that* would help preserve your skin!
via Mainichi Daily News
11:18am update: Just found more pics here.
11:29am: …and a video as well! via the official ramen page
8:46pm: yet one more video. enjoy!
ramen rating: seabura tonkotsu ramen 2007-07-13 23:10:28
Wow! The first thing you’ll notice when you open the lid is how many packets of goodies there are. It was almost like a magic trick of never-ending flavor packets. There are FIVE packets of ingredients: there’s the obligatory soup powder (aka MSG), the liquid soup base, a packet of fresh ginger, one for onions, and finally, a packet of toppings. Toppings include very ordinary sesame seeds, somewhat special judas ear (fungus!), and a slice of pork.
The skinny tonkotsu noodles were just about perfect for instant ramen: chewy and flavorful. It soaked up the soup nicely and retained a rich pork flavor. The skimpy (sesame seeds, fungus, and ginger?! that’s it?!) toppings worked well together…well…except that I absolutely detest ginger, so I gave that to my wife (hi hon!). The pork was an unfortunate ultra-thin slice of…well, it was bacon-like, but then again, who eats boiled bacon? Luckily that the only thing that detracted from this ramen. Onwards to t
ramen…in space! 2007-07-05 23:11:24
Veteran readers of this blog already know that “space ramen” has already been around for a few years. Finally, ramen has been officially certified by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for use in the International Space Station.
Astronauts of all nationalities will get to enjoy a bevy of Japanese food choices, including Japanese curry, onigiri (rice balls), green tea, and of course, ramen!
via space.com
ramen vs. burrito 2007-08-03 13:56:08 There might not be any ramen reviews for a short while…my lucky charm of a wife managed to win 20 burritos at Chiptole Mexican Grill. Anyone who’s ever been to Chiptole knows that that is a LOT of burritos (they weigh around 2 lbs each)! Even after our grabby friends and relatives got their share [...]
ramen as economic indicator 2007-08-03 13:34:26 Who ever thought investigative reporting on the mortgage and housing industry would be so…wacky? The people over at blown mortgage and housing panic have been reporting on whether or not ramen sales go up as the housing market goes down. Oh, and did I mention that the nice people at Housing Panic just published an [...]
even a monkey can make ramen 2007-08-05 13:51:33
Well, ok, there’re only 2 things wrong with my title…first of all, this is a chimp, not a monkey
, and second, he’s making udon, not ramen. So apologies for the not-quite-ramen posting, and I’m sorry I’m posting a chimpanzee video. I blame the lack of ramen in my diet this week.
Still…I’m curious if that chimp can make ramen…hmm…
via japanprobe
ramen ramen ramen links 2007-08-16 14:44:18 Recently, it seems like a new ramen house opens in New York City every freaking day! Time Out NY calls it a Ramen War. “Ramen war”?! I’d settle for a ramen…um…”disagreement”. I’m not bitter, just jealous…
Ramen, for breakfast? Why the hell not!
In other ramen news:
Grilled ramen, and other crazy ramen recipes! Looks good…getting hungry…
Ramen erasers! Enough said!
I tend to eat my nama ramen plain, to get a true taste of the noodles and soup (that, and I’m lazy). Hawaiian food blogger Pomai takes nama ramen to a whole new level. Follow along, as he turns nama ramen into real ramen, complete with homemade chashu!
There’s a new craze in Japan: all you can carry/fit-in-one-bag foods for one low price. Check out this video of people trying to get their money’s worth at a store featuring all-you-can-stack instant ramen!
Read more:links
how to make instant ramen 2007-08-16 13:34:20
While there’s nothing particularly exciting about this homemade ramen commercial (sorry gabuchan!), check out how they keep the lid closed while the ramen is cooking! Maybe this is old school, but it’s new to me. Ingenious!
ramen rating: takaraya 2007-08-16 01:37:08
wife: Do you know there’s a really good ramen place in Orange County that we haven’t tried?
me: excuse me?
wife: Guess!
me: …(trying to think of the most unlikely place possible)…that Japanese place by the gas station in the 99 Ranch plaza??
Whoa…I guessed right! According to a fellow blogger, this little Japanese eatery was worth checking out. Excited, we went there for lunch.
The place that is now Takaraya used to be a non-descript donut store. It’s not that much better looking: it looks like a take-out place that also happens to have a few tables and chairs. Don’t expect much in terms of atmosphere. But there are Hello Kitty bowls you can use, and a stack of Japanese magazines to browse through. A good sign. Not being particularly hungry, we settled on the shoyu ramen and pork rice combo.
I noticed a distinctly strong aroma when I set our tray on the table…it was strong and vaguely familiar. After taking a few sips I figured it out:
oh boy! i’m accredited now!? 2007-08-16 00:40:35
An alert reader…uh…alerted me to the uncredited use of one of my pictures on the beachwood reporter web site.
Well, I certainly can’t fault their good taste! Actually, I don’t really mind, and I’m only bringing this up because the Beachwood Reporter looks like a genuine “real” news organization, not just a silly little blog site like…oh…say this ramen blog. In fact, I’d like to believe that it’s because my picture was so professional that they mistook it for an “official” source.
Anyway, here’s my original article with the original picture. And here’s the embarrassingly low-tech shot-it-on-my-dining-table unretouched version, for anyone who’s actually interested:
But, let’s not forget: the fact that a news organization is running what appears to be a regular ramen column…that’s a good thing folks!
china hikes ramen prices! 2007-08-15 23:21:28
China’s Xin Hua news reported that the China Branch of the International Ramen Manufactures Association (yes, there’s actually a mysterious and powerful “IRMA”, pulling the puppet strings behind every ramen-related incident worldwide…cough…or so I’ve heard…) has announced price hikes of up to 40% on some of China’s domestic brands of ramen. Of course, everyone knows the price of just about everything has gone up lately, but part of the ramen price hike is being attributed to palm oil.
I’m sure eventually, those price hikes will hit in the U.S. as well. Ramen fans and starving college students everywhere should stock up now!
ramen rating: miyako tonkotsu 2007-08-23 00:14:50
This somewhat ordinary looking package hides a somewhat not-so-ordinary nama ramen. The first surprise of this ramen is the lack of individual plastic bags around the noodles. This is certainly the freshest-looking package of ramen I’ve ever seen.
I could almost picture the noodles being made from scratch, packaged, and delivered straight to the store.
After pouring the soup mix into a bowl, I noticed a strong and familiar scent. I inhaled the aroma to get a feel for the flavor and smelled nothing but…sesame oil? I smelled again…yes, slightly burnt sesame oil. Interesting. The soup was a mild and clear with just a hint of msg. It wasn’t very oily, and it also didn’t have a very strong pork flavor. If I didn’t read the package, I’d think the soup was sesame oil based, though the soup base ingredients on the back of the package read simply: soy sauce, vegetable oil, salt, sugar, amino acid & spices. Hmm…no sesame oil, no pork/pork f
instant emergency ramen kit 2007-08-27 23:13:06
How would you like a free “instant emergency ramen kit”? The catch? You have to live in Japan.
The Japan Convenience Foods Industry Association is offering these cool kits to 5 lucky winners. The emergency kit consists of instant noodles, water, a portable cooker, utensils, and even a wet towel! What a great idea!
It makes perfect sense: “Considering its convenience and long shelf life, instant ramen can be a perfect stock food for disaster prevention,” according to the association. Sure beats the heck out of some canned foods. And even if you don’t live in Japan, why not roll your own. All you need are a few simple items:
– Five servings of instant ramen noodles
– Three 500-milliliter bottles of mineral water
– A stainless cup
– Solid fuel
– A barbeque lighter
– A pair of chopsticks
– A wet towel
As I was typing this though, I accidently typed “emergency instant ramen kit” instant of “instant e
free ramen! 2007-08-26 00:33:56
Couldn’t find a darn thing about this contest, but what a cool idea! (And did anyone notice who took the pic? Any Star Trek TNG fans out there?)
Nice to know ya, Yoshinoya…ramen?! 2007-08-31 00:39:22
Yoshinoya is acquiring Ichiban Honbu, an Osaka-based ramen chain with 189 stores. Ichiban Honbu is known for their 180-yen (about a buck-fifty!!) “Bikkuri Ramen,” or “surprise ramen.” Hmm…could this mean you’ll soon be able to go to Yoshinoya for a beef bowl *and* and bowl of ramen? Sigh…I can dream, can’t I?
via JCN Network
ramen rating: dr noodle shiitake spinach 2007-09-21 00:31:22
And now, for something slightly different…
I’m a real snob when it comes to ramen: I believe that only “true” Japanese ramen, instant or otherwise, should be considered “ramen.” Korean “ramyun”? Not ramen. Chinese “la mien”? Nope. Try again. Not ramen. So what’s wrong with this picture?
1. The brand is called “Dr. Noodle.” Come on! That’s like saying “Mister California Roll” sounds like an authentic sushi restaurant!
2. Shiitake spinach flavor…shiitake and spinach?? Not exactly a traditional ramen flavor.
3. The words “non fried” smack in the middle of the package. (Shaking my head…I’m just not big on “healthy” foods…)
So why in the world am I doing this review? Why else do I do things I don’t normally do…my wife…likes it…
Dr. Noodle is a brand of instant noodles from Taiwan’s Sing-Lin Foods, which has many many
ramen rating: daikoku chigekara 2007-09-20 23:14:24
This spicy miso-based ramen comes with your basic green onions and sesame seeds and that’s about it. It’s got a pretty generic spicy soup broth that reminds me a bit of Korean ramyun, but that’s about it. The noodles are hard (cook it for an extra minute or 2 because 3 minutes is not enough and have a taste I can only describe as “instant noodle-like,” and that’s about it. And that’s about it for my review! Daikoku chigekara ramen gets a mediocre 5.
soba maker toy 2007-09-13 11:59:20
What?! *Another* non-ramen-related post?! Yep, this is a new toy from Takara Tomy. And yes, it’ll only be available in Japan. Mix in some soba flour and water in the red container and turn the crank to make soba dough.
I’m guessing there’s some sort of kneading/flattening step involved before you feed the dough through the noodle cutter. And there you have it: home-made soba!
via tokyo mango
Read more:maker
udon…the movie 2007-09-12 22:11:07
Ok, so it’s not a ramen movie
, like the classic Tampopo, but it’s about noodles. (If you’re a ramen fan, and you haven’t seen Tampopo yet, go rent it. Right now! I’ll wait…)
Udon, directed by Katsuyuki Motohiro, director of such movies as Bayside Shakedown and Summer Time Machine Blues, is “A dramedy about the relationship between an aspiring comic and his stubborn noodlemaker father.” Oh, and there’s udon involved. Lots and lots of udon. While the plot is mostly predictable, the acting is decent to great. Unlike Tampopo, which splits off into a lot of sub-plots and vignettes, Udon’s plot is linear. However, the movie can shift gears abruptly and frequently, going from touching drama to irreverent wackiness and back again in a heartbeat: Hong Kong comedy fans will feel right at home. The movie is beautifully filmed and deeply respectful to the subject of udon. If you get hungry looking at food magazines, you’d better ea
square instant ramen cooker 2007-09-10 19:55:41
Ramen lover superlocal sent me this picture of a square cooker
apparently designed specifically for instant ramen! What a great idea!
ramen rating: sapporo ichiban original flavor 2007-10-29 00:41:57
Time for an “old school” ramen review. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a bowl of Sapporo Ichiban. I used to eat this as a kid and especially enjoyed the beef flavor, but for some reason stopped eating it as I grew older. Eating this ramen brought back pleasant childhood memories…too bad the noodles don’t live up to the memories.
The dominant flavor of the soup is the onion powder, with hints of garlic and msg, and just a touch of white pepper. The noodles are chewy and thick, almost udon-like in texture, and unfortunately tasteless. Oh, and there are a few onion flakes scattered throughout.
If you just want a quick bowl of noodles, these will do. My wife says these are “yum but not yum-o.” I say they get a 4.
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extreme ramen 2007-10-28 22:57:21
A reader sent me this picture of an extreme ramen eater taking all necessary precautions. Eating ramen can be dangerous, kids. Wear a helmet!
Thanks to super local!
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ice cream ramen 2007-10-28 15:59:05
It’s like something out of a bad 80’s commercial: you’ve got your ramen in my ice cream! *You’ve* got your ice cream in my ramen!
Tokyo ramenya Kikuya has something for everyone. Want a bowl of ramen but can’t wait for dessert? Have a bowl of vanilla ice cream ramen or even chocolate ramen! Prefer a drink with your ramen but can’t be bothered with a cup? How about a nice bowl of coffee milk ramen? Or a green tea ramen? And for the ultimate in Japanese delights: natto ramen. If you’ve had natto before…enough said.
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