Today we have a Zenpop.JP variety – so what’s Zenpop? They’re a subscription service for all things Japanese! Definitely, check them out. By the way, use coupon code RAMENRATER to get $2 off! Here’s what they had to say about this one – ‘This is a brand new ramen just debuted. It’s an updated version of an original that came out in 1982. The simplicity of this bowl of ramen is just right and irresistible. You can taste the kikurage (wood ear mushroom) as one of the toppings. Kikurage is low in fat and calories but rich in protein and other nutrients and is a particularly good source of the B vitamins, too. The tonkotsu broth is excellent – can you taste the umami from the dried sardine? There are two chashu pork slices on top to satisfy your mouth!’
I definitely enjoy tonkotsu – let’s give this one a try!
Maruchan Yellow Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen – Japan
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains sardine, chicken, and pork. To prepare, Add powder and garnish sachets and boiling water to line. Cover 3 minutes. Add in wet sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion, sesame seeds, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, hard boiled egg, narutomaki, and shichimi togarashi. The noodles are nice – not crazy nice but work very well here. Broth is on point tending toward the saltier side but has a very nice character to it. Inclusion of kikurage and chashu really helkp a lot. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901990362696.
Today, we have one that was part of Japan Crate’s Umai Crate. So Japan Crate is a subscription service which has all sorts of different options for you. pretty neat stuff from Japan! There’s a coupon code for you too – just use THERAMENRATER to get a special discount at check out.
While being tonkotsu flavored (pork bone broth), it is meat free. Let’s give it a try!
Marutai Kyushu Hakata Vegetarian Tonkotsu – Japan
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). To prepare, boil one bundle of noodles in 4707ml water for 2 minutes. Add in one each of the sachets. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Two servings of noodle.
Two dry sachets of soup base powder (watch these get used on the episode of Instant Noodle Recipe Time below).
A pair of wet sachets.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added barbecue pork, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sesame seeds, habanero togarashi, soft egg, and spring onion. The noodles are extraordinary in their niceness; they just shake hands with the broth which is rich, luxuriant and giving. This is a big sloppy bowl of hot lovin’. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902702003111.
I thought it a no-brainer to pick Hakata Ramen to try with the miso. The other I’ll try with it will be the Tokyo Ramen. Anyways: Hakata Ramen. What is it, Wikipedia?
Hakata ramen originates from Hakata district of Fukuoka city in Kyushu. It has a rich, milky, pork-bone tonkotsu broth and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles. Often, distinctive toppings such as crushed garlic, beni shoga(pickled ginger), sesame seeds, and spicy pickled mustard greens (karashi takana) are left on tables for customers to serve themselves. Ramen stalls in Hakata and Tenjin are well-known within Japan. Recent trends have made Hakata ramen one of the most popular types in Japan, and several chain restaurants specializing in Hakata ramen can be found all over the country.
Okay, so this might make more sense paired with a Tonkotsu, but hey – I think it sounds good! Let’s give it a try!
Nona Lim Hakata Ramen + Thai Curry & Lime Broth – United States
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). To prepare, add noodles to a large pot of boiling water. Bil for 1~2 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water. Finally, enjoy with a Nona Lim broth!
One of the two included pouches of noodles.
Herre’s the large package of Miso Ramen broth.
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). To prepare, add broth to a pot and heat on the stove, Finally, enjoy with some Nona Lim noodles!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added coriander, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, Dodo fish and shrimp ball, fried onion and shichimi togarashi. The noodles are great – probably my favorite of this series. They have a nice gauge and chew. The broth, on the other hand, has an abundance of lime flavor which really overwhelms the other myriad ingredients. As these are two separate products, each gets its own score. The noodles score 5.0 stars and the broth 2.5 stars. UPC bar code for noodles 859792002354.
Here’s another one, sent by Javier over at Box From Japan. So boxfromjapan.com is a subscription service where you can get a box with four different instant ramen bowls sent to you directly from Japan every month! Rarely have I found a box from them with varieties I’ve reviewed before, and never have I seen varieties available here in the USA. Definitely worth a look if you’re a big fan of Japanese varieties.
Here’s a little about tonkotsu ramen from Wikipedia –
Tonkotsu ramen is a ramen dish that originated in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture on the Kyushu island of Japan, and it is a specialty dish in Fukuoka and Kyushu. It was originally prepared as an affordable fast food for laborers at fish markets. Today, it is renowned for the significant time it can take to properly prepare the dish. The soup broth is based upon pork bones and other ingredients, which is typically boiled for several hours, and the dish is traditionally served with ramen noodles that are hard in the center and topped with sliced pork belly. In Fukuoka, Japan, tonkotsu ramen is referred to as Hakata ramen.
The soup broth for tonkotsu ramen is based upon pork bones, and “tonkotsu” means “pork bones” in Japanese.[1][2][3] The soup broth is prepared by boiling pork bones in water for a significant amount of time, up to eight hours, and the broth is typically cloudy in appearance.[1][2][4] Additional broth ingredients can include onion, garlic, spring onions, ginger, pork back fat, pig’s trotters, oil and chicken carcases.[1] For service, cooked ramen noodles and slices of roasted or braised pork belly are added, and additional ingredients can include kombu, shoyu, chili bean paste, sesame seeds and others.[1][2]
The traditional preparation method for the ramen noodles used in tonkotsu ramen is for the noodles to be hard in the center.[4] Some ramen shops allow customers to select the level of doneness for the noodles, including futsu for regular or standard, barigane for very hard, barikata for al dente and yawamen for soft.[4] Some restaurants also provide a second order of noodles if requested by the customer, in a system referred to as kaedama.[4]
Ichiran is a Japanese restaurant chain that originated and is based in Fukuoka, Japan that specifically specializes upon tonkotsu ramen.[5]Ippudo is a Japanese ramen restaurant chain based in Fukuoka that is well-known for its tonkotsu ramen, and has been described as “the most famous tonkotsu ramen shop in the country”.[4]
Tonkotsu ramen originated in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, which is located on the northern shore of Kyushu island of Japan, and it is a specialty dish in Fukuoka and Kyushu.[2][4] In Fukuoka, the dish is referred to as Hakata ramen’.[2] The dish is also prepared in ramen shops in other regions of Japan.[2] Tonkotsu ramen was originally prepared as an affordable and easily-prepared fast food for laborers at fish markets.[4] In contemporary times, tonkotsu ramen is renowned for the significant time it can take to prepare a proper version of the dish.[1]
Alright – with that, let’s have a look at this Nissin Japan variety ramen bowl!
Nissin Hakata Ramen Noodle White Tonkotsu – Japan
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, add in contents of the dry sachets and boiling water to fill line. Cover for 2 minutes. Stir. Add in contents of liquid sachet. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, fried onion and shichimi togarashi. The noodles sprung to life in the 2 minute steeping time. They’re a thinner gauge and have a good chew and mouthfeel to them. The broth is fierce – very think. Has a kind of pork chowder consistency. The chashu was nice although I prefer the slices in the Raoh varieties produce a little more. However, it hydrated very well and had good flavor. A very nice bowl of tonkotsu! 4.75 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902105230411.
Seems like a little while since I did a pack instant ramen from Japan. This is one I found during my trip to Taiwan last November at the Carrefour in Taipei by the Miramar Entertainment Park. I tell you – they had quite an impressive instant noodle aisle – like 4 aisles really. So this one is a shoyu instant ramen. Here’s a little from Wikipedia about shoyu ramen –
Shōyu (醤油, “soy sauce”) ramen is the oldest of the five, it has a clear brown broth, based on a chicken and vegetable (or sometimes fish or beef) stock with plenty of soy sauce added resulting in a soup that is tangy, salty, and savory yet still fairly light on the palate. Shōyu ramen usually has curly noodles rather than straight ones, but this is not always the case. It is often adorned with marinated bamboo shoots or menma, green onions, kamaboko (fish cakes), nori (seaweed), boiled eggs, bean sprouts and/or black pepper; occasionally the soup will also contain chili oil or Chinese spices, and some shops serve sliced beef instead of the usual chāshū.
Alright – this is the last of these varieties I lugger back from Taiwan. I think actually I’ve reviewed everything I brought back – gonna have to visit again and get more! Let’s check this one out.
Fujiwara Hokkaido Hakodate Shoyu Ramen – Japan
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Probably contains pork but not sure. To prepare, add noodles to 600ml boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Add in sachet contents. finally, stir and enjoy!
The noodle block.
Liquid soup base sachet.
Deep in color and fatty.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added egg, Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, kizami shoga, spring onion, chashu pork and shichimi togarashi. The noodles have a round gauge and a kind of rubbery chew. Not the way I generally like things, however the broth takes care of that. The broth has a very tasty shoyu flavor and is rich as well as good in body and oiliness. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4976651083531.
I thought it a no-brainer to pick Hakata Ramen to try with the miso. The other I’ll try with it will be the Tokyo Ramen. Anyways: Hakata Ramen. What is it, Wikipedia?
Hakata ramen originates from Hakata district of Fukuoka city in Kyushu. It has a rich, milky, pork-bone tonkotsu broth and rather thin, non-curly and resilient noodles. Often, distinctive toppings such as crushed garlic, beni shoga(pickled ginger), sesame seeds, and spicy pickled mustard greens (karashi takana) are left on tables for customers to serve themselves. Ramen stalls in Hakata and Tenjin are well-known within Japan. Recent trends have made Hakata ramen one of the most popular types in Japan, and several chain restaurants specializing in Hakata ramen can be found all over the country.
Okay, so this might make more sense paired with a Tonkotsu, but hey – I think it sounds good! Let’s give it a try!
Nona Lim Hakata Ramen + Miso Ramen Broth – United States
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). To prepare, add noodles to a large pot of boiling water. Bil for 1~2 minutes. Drain. Run under cold water. Finally, enjoy with a Nona Lim broth!
One of the two included pouches of noodles.
Herre’s the large package of Miso Ramen broth.
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Vegan! To prepare, add broth to a pot and heat on the stove, Finally, enjoy with some Nona Lim noodles!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, kamaboko, spring onion, butter, sweet corn and shichimi togarashi. These noodles are awesome – great gauge and chew. They definitely have a fresh and authentic character. The miso broth has a good richness to it – definitely red miso. As these are two separate products, they each get their own score. The noodles get 5.0 out of 5.0 stars and the miso ramen broth gets 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. UPC bar code for noodles 859792002354. UPC bar code for broth 859792002279.
Okay so a few weeks ago I got a neat box in the mail. It contained the Washoku Explorer Tonkotsu Ramen kit. The idea is that you can get a nice kit with all the things you need to experience a great bowl of Japanese ramen at home – even the bowl! You can visit Washoku Explorer here. They have all sorts of other Japanese kits – really fascinating and a neat idea! The Tonkotsu Ramen kit includes this Marutai Hakata Tonkotsu ramen (2 packs with 2 servings each) and well as some special garnishes/add-ons I’ll show you below. Let’s check it out and give it a try!
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, add one bundle noodles to 470ml boiling water for 2 minutes. Add in contents of one soup base sachet and one oil sachet. Stir and enjoy!
The pack contains two of everything.
Straight Hakata style ramen noodles.
The soup base sachet.
Has a nice pork scent.
The oil sachet.
Oh wow I smell garlic!
The kit has some nice extras – these are dehydrated spring onion which spring to life when introduced to the broth.
Kikurage mushroom – this must be soaked in water for 30-40 minutes before adding to the ramen.
Seaweed garnish!
Finished (click to enlarge). Added the spring onion, seaweed and kikurage mushroom as well as hard boiled egg, chashu pork and nanami togarashi. Note this is the bowl and spoon that were included with the kit. The noodles came out just right – nice firmness and chew with that groovy flouriness Hakata ramen noodle have. The broth is luxuriant – nice and thick with a rich pork flavor and garlic taste. Just top notch – 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902702001216. As for the kit, it’s a very nice presentation; it gives the average person a way to enjoy a gourmet ramen at home with garnishes that come out very nice – I give the kit 5.0 out of 5.0 stars as well.
Here’s another one I got from Casey in Hong Kong – thank you! This one’s going to be interesting – not only because I like Hakata varieties, but because I’m videotaping the creation of this review. There’ll be a full video of the beginning to end of my review, editing and presentation process! Hope you enjoy! Let’s have a look at Itsuki Hakata Ossyoi!
Here’s the distribution label (click to enlarge). This is a typical label one would find in Hong Kong for imports.
Here’s the back of the package (click to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, Add noodles to 450ml boiling water and cook for 1 minutes. Add in sachet contents. Stir and enjoy!
The noodles – straight and loose.
The soup base sachet.
The soup base – Has a nice pork scent.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added Salad Cosmo mung bean sprouts, sesame seeds, barbecue pork, hard boiled egg, ito togarashi (pepper threads), sliced spring onion and narutomaki The noodles were definitely in the Hakata style – they have a nice ‘floury’ taste to them. They are thin and round in nature with a good backbone and chewiness. The broth was extraordinarily good – rich and hearty with a great pork flavor to it. Excellent – 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4901726011805.
Here’s a video of me reviewing an instant noodle for an upcoming review. I did it for a TV show in Japan, but they didn’t want to use it so I made them another one. This is the beginning to end of a review – I do this pretty much the same way every time, although it’s a little different when it comes to cups and bowls – I either take pictures of the sides if they’re not able to be removed or scan them, as well as the lid. Hope you find this interesting and enjoy it!
Here’s another one that was sent to me by Javier over at Box From Japan – thanks! Box From Japan is a subscription service – you can get a box sent to you every month with some great noodles within! From what I’m reading, it sounds like this one has a tonkotsu broth – with pork bone flavor! Let’s check it out!
Detail of the side panels (click image to enlarge). Contains pork. To prepare, add sachet contents to bowl and boiling water to fill line. Cover and let steep for 2 minutes. Stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid (click image to enlarge).
The noodle block.
Dry soup base.
Very fluffy powder.
A liquid sachet.
Has a pork kind of scent.
A solid ingredients sachet.
Looks like spring onion and sesame in there.
Finished (click image to enlarge). Added a lone slice of chashu pork. The noodles are thin and have a nice chew to them. Probably some of the best noodles I’ve samples in a bowl. The broth is a creamy pork tonkotsu – savory and rich. The sesame and spring onion add a perfect balance. 4.75 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4902702004200.
This one came from Shinichi over at Ramen Mania, a new monthly subscription box you can check out! They have special regional Japanese ramen varieties – good stuff so far! Thanks! So today it’s Hakata tonkotsu. So, what’s tonkotsu? Wikipedia, if you please:
Tonkotsu (豚骨, “pork bone”; not to be confused with tonkatsu) ramen usually has a cloudy white colored broth. It is similar to the Chinese baitang (白湯) and has a thick broth made from boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen over high heat for many hours, which suffuses the broth with a hearty pork flavor and a creamy consistency that rivals milk, melted butter or gravy (depending on the shop). Most shops, but not all, blend this pork broth with a small amount of chicken and vegetable stock and/or soy sauce. The noodles are thin and straight, and it is often served with beni shoga (pickled ginger). In recent years the latest trend in tonkotsu toppings ismāyu (sesame oil), a blackish, aromatic oil made from either charred crushed garlic or Sesame seeds. It is a specialty of Kyushu, particularly Hakata-ku, Fukuoka (hence sometimes called “Hakata ramen”).
Super-duper! Let’s have a look!
I should also mention – went to Uwajimaya in Bellevue today to get some narutomaki and scope out some new bowls – and delivered this guy some noodles! Check out Loafy Molasses’ YouTube channel – he’s a big noodle fan too, and work in this Asian food supermarket!
Here’s the back of the package (click image to enlarge). Probably contains pork and fish. To prepare, add noodles into 500ml boiling water and cook for 2miniutes. To make the broth, add contents of sachet to 270ml boiling water and stir. Drain noodles and put in bowl then cover with broth. Enjoy!
The noodle block.
The soup base sachet.
A thick and milky liquid base.
Finished (click image to enlarge). Added pork, hard boiled egg, spring onion, narutomaki and ito togarashi. The noodles are really good – a thin and round noodle with a very firm chew and fresh embodiment; your get a ‘fresh made’ kind of flavor. The broth is very good – rich and creamy tonkotsu with strong pork flavor. About the best tonkotsu I’ve tried. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. JAN bar code 4974942025031.
Check this out! This is one I got from Mira at Record China news in Japan! Thank you! I’ve been desperately seeking noodles that have Hello Kitty on them. You might be thinking, ‘dude, really?’ Yeah – it’s true. My wife really likes Hello Kitty stuff (her nickname is Kitten after all). Let’s check out this Hello Kitty laden variety that comes with a reusable bowl!
Here’s the bottom of the packaging (click image to enlarge).
Here’s the bowl!
I’m not exactly sure what this is saying – anybody? It was in the bottom of the bowl.
The noodles.
Liquid base sachet.
Has a rich soy and pork scent.
The garnish sachet.
Sesame seeds and other bits.
Finished (click image to enlarge). Added a little sauteed pork. The noodles are thinner than many ramen noodles I’ve had and they’re rounded. They have a delightful firmness and backbone to them. I wouldn’t call them premium, but more an aspiration to premium. Either way you call them, they’re quite good. The broth is nice – good sweetness and soy with a rich pork flavor. The little bits of seeds and other bits are a nice little topping. 3.75 out of 5.0 stars.UPC bar code 4986698000064.
[AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”B00CFPRIBW”]You can’t get this noodles and bowl product here in the USA, but they have tons of Hello Kitty stuff that you can get.[/AMAZONPRODUCTS]
A little documentary about Hello Kitty.
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