Ichiran Instant ramen noodles 一蘭ラーメン review

ichiran ramen

If you have been following me for a while, you will know that Ichiran is one of my favourite-go-to fast food places in Tokyo (minus the long lines). Because of this, I was very curious to know how similar or different their instant ramen version is to the ones in their shop.

A package costs ¥2000 (or a bit more, less than ¥2800 for sure) and contains five servings. 

the instructions

A disclaimer, after cooking and preparing for these ramen noodles for 3 times... my verdict is... PLEASE follow your own instinct... the instructions DO NOT work... I had a frustrating 2 times before I decided to use my common sense and they tasted how I wanted to. (This includes how much water you should add, how long the ramen/noodles should be cooked for).

the bowl of Ichiran instant ramen I made at home!

impressions:

• easy to make (again, DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS)
• 80% similar to the taste at the shop
• you can put in how much hot sauce you would like
• good souvenir if you do not live in Japan

So I took this picture before I added in the garnishes and eggs since these were the only items included in the package.

I was impressed with how similar in taste this is to the real thing.

You can find them all over Tokyo but I wouldn't procrastinate if you want to buy them because I have seen a lot of sold out signs for these in a lot of places. (These are in demand!)

I love how I can have something similar at home without having to go to the shop and wait in line!

score: 8.3/10
website: https://en.ichiran.com/index.php
I found it on Amazon (affiliated link)--> https://amzn.to/2HIA8qK

also... please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

Ippudo Ramen (一風堂ラーメン) review

Let's start this month out right with another ramen review :D

Ippudo has been highly praised and ranked as #2 best ramen shop (chain) in Japan this year. It even beat ramen giant Ichiran which ranked at #5 this year. Unlike Ichiran, which strives to displays its Chinese/Japanese roots, Ippudo goes for a contemporary, simplicity theme (it is very evident in their logos. Ichiran's logo, as well as their shops have a red and green while Ippudo's is modern, simple and white).

Ippudo's lights

The Atmosphere

When I first walked into a nearby Ippudo I wasn't quite sure whether I was in the right place or not. The moment I walked into the shop, I was surrounded by American Pop/Jazz music. Unlike most Ramen shops, Ippudo was very clean, spacious, modern and simple. The staff were very attentive and I was quite impressed by the servie.

Toppings/seasoning

Loving the toppings. My favourite was the sprouts... and I clearly wasn't the only one. As soon as customers left, I saw the servers taking their sprouts containers for refills... they were so tasty! The other two were sweet ginger and a special preserved vegetable from Hakata. I highly recommend their sprouts, it is well marinated and goes perfectly with their ramen.

I found the shape of the bowl fascinating

Tonkotsu Ramen

I opted for their most popular, recommended Pork Bone Soup Ramen. To my surprise soup base really reminded me of Fu Ryu Ramen's soup base/broth. They were literally almost identical with the exception that Ippudo's is slightly more richer than Fu Ryu's. Ippudo also has a bigger meat portion. I felt Fu Ryu's is much cheaper and worth every yen because we can get 2 free noodle refills, while Ippudo does not provide such an option. Fu Ryu is also cheaper as well.

I finished!

Regardless of the price, I think both are very identical. From the thin noodles to the broth. But in terms of topping choices, I prefer Ippudo's. Compared to Fu Ryu's Tonkotsu Ramen, Ippudo's Green Onion (nagi) and Fungus ratio was more balanced.

The ramen had big portion... it took some effort but I managed to finish my bowl! :D It was delicious! :D

Dumplings

I also decided to get some dumplings... they were nicely fried and were crispy but the inside was too sweet and bland. I didn't like them. For those who prefer sweet meat dumplings, you might enjoy them.

the table... honestly it doesn't feel like a ramen shop

conclusion

Not that it was a bad thing, I just found it strange that they didn't have the same feel as other ramen shops in Tokyo. It felt very contemporary. I feel their aim is to attract a younger crowd (younger = young career). This is great for those of you who prefer a quieter, cleaner, modern place to enjoy your ramen.

I really liked the ramen. It was delicious! It was really identical to Fu Ryu's, so if you are looking to save a few bucks (or yen, in this case), or you aren't sure whether you like Hakata style Tonkotsu ramen, I would suggest you start with Fu Ryu.

and... so... I saw this...

7 Eleven, Nissin and Ippudo

So... this is something that is slightly off topic... but... WHAT!?!?!? Ippudo is from New York?? That would probably explain it's contemporary style... but still... is it really from New York!?!?!? If anyone can tell me what is going on... much appreciated...

score: 8.5/10
website: http://www.ippudo.com/ (find one near you :D)

Ichiran ramen 一蘭ラーメン review

Ichiran

It has been a long time since I have written a review for ramen... so here's to break the chain and let's get started!

Whenever I ask someone to give me a ramen recommendation, Ichiran ramen seems to always be one of the first answers. Whenever I passed by a Ichiran Ramen it is hard to miss because there is always a long line (long line = 20 people waiting). If you have been following me for a while, you will know just how much I  loathe lines and waiting. 

Ichiran 

A few weeks ago, I FINALLY had the opportunity to eat at Ichiran, the line was much shorter and I was really hungry. When I got near the front of the line, I had to order from a vending machine, I chose their best selling Tonkotsu Ramen (Pork Bone Broth Ramen). It cost ¥890. It is more expensive compared to other ramen shops but I was excited. 

I was then given 2 sheets of paper with a clipboard indicating how I wanted my ramen: everything from the texture of the ramen to the intensity of the flavour to how much garlic you want... etc. The whole process was very foreigner friendly and the staff tried to be as helpful as possible for first timers. 

I thought it would be interesting to take a picture about the info of their ramen. Once it was our turn to go inside, we were excited. The eating area contained booths for privacy. If you went with a friend, you can close the panels so you can talk. There was a window facing us and we had to give our ramen preference sheet and order from the vending machine to the person standing on the other side of the window. 

eating area and ramen

Once our ramen came, they would put shades so we can eat in private. It is also to call our server by touching a button (no pressing... just a light touch). The whole experience was very interesting and unique. We had unlimited water which we could help ourselves to.

impressions of ramen:

• very rich soup
• a very unique taste
• the bowl of ramen was much smaller than most ramens in Tokyo
• their special sauce was slightly spicy but added a really nice kick to the whole experience
• unlike most ramen shops, the meat was very fresh and tasty
• the noodles were very thin (Hakata style (博多))
• no egg :(

Ichiran's  (一蘭) Tonkotsu ramen 豚骨ラーメン屋らーめん　とんこつ

To put it simply: I liked it! despite it being slightly pricier and smaller quantity it was really tasty. I liked the overall experience and enjoyed eating ramen privately. 

I highly recommend their special sauce (the red sauce shown in the ramen picture) because it really intensified the flavour of the soup. It is spicy but tolerable. The next time I go, I plan to order 1 1/2 scoops of this sauce to make my ramen taste better. 

I was kind of disappointed that we had to pay for our own egg because this ramen is already slightly more expensive than most.

I finished!!!

I would definitely be coming back! I had a wonderful experience. It is slightly more expensive than most ramen shops in Tokyo and the quantity is much smaller... but the taste was really unique. It can satisfy your hunger. Most tourists come for the experience (eating privately) and it has become slightly commercialized... but the soup base/broth is definitely good. I also like that we were able to personalize our ramen!

Score: 8.5/10

Website: https://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/

FU Ryu 博多風龍 ラーメン review

store front

In the midst of the busyness of Tokyo, you can find gems and jewels everywhere. And today, I found a great ramen place! The shop was very small, so it is quite hard to notice it. I think I have walked by this place at least 100 times and I didn't notice it.

it looks from across the street

Here is the list of addresses: http://fu-ryu.net/en/shop/area/shibuya (This should be the one located near Shibuya Street Basket Ball). How you can find it, when you get to Labi Shibuya turn into the street adjacent from it then keep walking till you reach McDonald's (McDonald's is a great indication that you are walking the right way), continue walking and you will find this shop.

(But there are a lot of locations along the Yamanote Line: http://fu-ryu.net/en/index#section2)

vending machine

Like most ramen places in Japan, they use a vending machine. All you have to do is put in money, choose what you want and the machine will produce a ticket. When you get into the shop, choose your seat and give the server your ticket.

this sign tells you that you can order 2 additional ramens (just the noodles, not soup) for free

I was amazed when I read this sign! You can order up to 2 additional ramen servings (just plain ramen) for free! You can choose between Extra Hard, Hard, Medium and Soft. They recommend Hard... but I always get medium.

they have a lot of condiments for you to personalize your ramen and other items like Gyoza

I was surprised by the amount of condiments they had. Everything from pickled veggies to ginger to sesame. The list goes on.

this pickled veggie is actually from Hakata (博多)

different noodle "hardness"

Their Famous Tonkotsu Ramen for ¥550

Tonkotsu Ramen

So I was not deceived, the ramen in the picture is exactly how the bowl of ramen looked!

impressions:

• very rich and creamy broth
• not much garlic flavour (no smelly breath)
• did not like the pork (cha siu pork)
• thin "noodles/ramen"
• lots of green onions and fungus strips

I loved how milky and creamy the broth looked... it was very rich. Unlike most Ramens, this broth did not contain a lot of garlic (it is good if you are meeting someone later... no garlic breath!).

However, I was quite disappointed in the pork (cha siu). The first time I tried it I thought they gave me an old piece of pork... but after ordering this ramen a few times, I realized that it was the way they made this pork that tasted old and dry. I didn't like it, so I didn't mind if there was only one slice. >___<

see how thin the noodles are

Compared to other Ramen shops, this place has very thin ramen to accompany their broth. I can't say whether it is a good or bad thing though. It just gives a different experience of eating. The noodles did not absorb so much broth but since the broth was thick, there was a certain amount of broth "stuck" to the ramen.

I liked the green onions and fungus as they made the bowl of ramen so much more healthy and added a lot more texture to the ramen.

I finished it all! nothing left!

It was tough as there was a lot of ramen... but I finished it! I finished it and drank all of the broth! :P

I have tried this at their Shinjuku shop (East Exit) and it was as good... I'm glad they have quality control across their shops!

Atmosphere and Seating

Since this is a small shop, be prepared to have to wait for a seat. This place is not only small but also very popular... thus, it can be quite crowded. But, that being said, most who eat ramen only stay for a short time... and they eat quick, so the wait shouldn't be too long (my longest wait was 8 mins).

score: 10/10
website: http://fu-ryu.net/

Yokozuna Ramen review

The Chinese name is: 橫綱日本拉麵店

For those who are wondering, this place is located near (two shops south) Destiny's at Silver Star... I have not been introduced to this place... I find it quite difficult to find despite being beside Destiny's... so I guess that's why it is not very popular.

I like the atmosphere, it is very casual and quiet... only the sound of the TV can be heard (the TV is always showing a Japanese cook show called "Dotch Cooking"). The benefit of watching the show and eating is that you are having Japanese food while watching a Japanese cooking show.

Service is fair, the waiters and waitresses are ok friendly and food is delivered within reasonable time.

Pork Bone Soup Ramen $10.95

Pork Bone Soup Ramen - $10.95

This Ramen is one of the most expensive Ramen on their menu... being a big fan of pork bone soups I had to give it a try.

Impressions:

• Oily
• Very rich
• Ramen cooked to a perfect texture
• Reminds me of homemade soup
• Cha Siu is too lean
• Red ginger adds a nice tough to the flavour

The soup/broth was very different from other ramen broths... due to the soup bones, the soup was extremely oily and quite thick... it tastes nothing like ramen broth... instead it taste like Asian home made soup... it tasted very porky and boney but definitely not a ramen broth... you will either like it or hate it... if you like soups like me, you will like it (because it is a really good soup)... but if you are looking for ramen soup... I suggest you skip this item.

I didn't like the Cha Siu... it was so lean and not marinated... 

I liked how they added shredded pieces of red ginger to make the flavour palette more flavourful. 

Kyuushu Ramen $6.99

Kyushu Ramen - $6.99

I have never had Kyushu ramen so I can't say whether this is authentic or not... I felt that this broth was quite salty. And similar to the Pork Bone soup Ramen, the broth did not taste like your usual "ramen broth".

Impressions:

• Salty miso flavour
• strong miso flavour
• Marinated salty sweet bamboo shoots
• Very clear broth

I didn't really like this Ramen because it was slightly salty for my own taste palette. I did enjoy the marinated sweet salty spiced bamboo shoots. Serving size is quite big... I found it difficult to finish this bowl of ramen.

Cheesy Seafood Maki $9.95

Cheesy seafood Maki - $9.95

List of Ingredients:

• Avocado
• Cream cheese
• Deep fried fish strip
• Masago
• Cucumber
• Sesame
• Grilled cheddar cheese
• Red pepper powder and dry green onion bits

Due to the cold weather, I have found myself savouring any food that contains cheese... so, while browsing through their menu, this sushi caught my attention. This sushi is slightly on the expensive side compared to other places (approx. $1.XX per piece).

impressions:

• nice marriage of the ingredients
• would be better if they didn't use single slice cheddar cheese
• very filling

I am a huge fan of cheesy foods... I really liked the idea... although... as much as I like Single Slice Cheddar cheese, I would prefer and much appreciate it, if they had chosen a Cheddar Cheese that was less "processed"... I found it a bit difficult to tell that the Cream Cheese was there... the cheddar cheese's taste was too overbearing. Besides the cream cheese, the other ingredients made their presence known and made this sushi extremely flavourful and "fun" to eat, the different textures added an intriguing blend to the experience.

Hours:

Mon: 11:30 am - 11:00 pm Wed - Sun: 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

Verdict:
I will definitely be visiting this place again... will probably get the pork bone soup ramen again, but will perhaps skip the other ramen available.

score: 7/10
website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yokozuna-Ramen-%E6%A9%AB%E7%B6%B1%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%8B%89%E9%BA%B5%E5%BA%97/269986869697845

Santouka Ramen part 2 review

So, I decided to give Santouka a second try because I refused to believe that everyone likes their ramen so much and yet, I found it average.... Please read Part I here.

Something worth mentioning: Service was excellent!

Miso Ramen with Salmon Rice

Salmon rice

It was paired with seaweed 

I was impressed with how fresh and well cooked the salmon was although the I wished it would be better if the salmon was more raw.... is it just me or do you also prefer salmon that is more raw... rare...? (which is correct here?)

Miso Ramen

The Ramen was definitely less salty/savoury... but still wasn't tasty... I do not like the ramen they serve at this place... they feel dry and the soup is too oily. I like the ingredients... they were all very fresh. I didn't like how the egg was too well cooked... I prefer the watery half cooked eggs provided by other ramen shops.

Kara Miso Ramen with Pork Rice

Pork rice

The pork bits were a little salty 

They were layered with some fresh green onions and were drenched In some broth... I liked the broth.

Kara Miso Ramen

It was my first time trying Spicy Ramen... I find the taste quite interesting... it definitely added a intriguing taste to it... but despite that... I still found the ramen to be dry and oily (similar to the regular Miso). I did enjoy the fresh bamboo shoots though.

Verdict:

After this visit, I am convinced that I am not a fan of their ramen... I know that a lot of people love their ramen... but I am not a fan at all... I find that their ramen are quite pricey compared to most places but do not like the quality... I was quite impressed with their rice which came with the combos. Service was excellent!

Ramen: 7/10

Rice: 8.5/10

Service: 10/10

Overall Score: 8.5/10

Address: 91 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 1E1
Phone: (647) 748 – 1717
Website: http://www.santouka.co.jp/en/

Magic Noodle Lanzhou ramen review

partial menu

My friend introduced me to this LanZhou Ramen place. Prior to coming here, I had absolutely no idea what LanZhou Ramen (拉麵) was. Basically it is a type of hand made ramen where the master would pull and thrash the dough until it becomes noodles.

Environment
This place is always packed, it is opened 24 hours, and I can see the need to... no matter when you visit this place, it is packed. It is also a really small shop, so do not expect to have "good seats". At most seats, you will find yourself elbowing or being elbowed by others.

better view of menu and prices

I think the prices were a little on the pricey side. The "cheapest" ramen is $6.99. The bowls are big... but compared to other noodle shop places, it is considered a little expensive.

menu

There's a huge selection of ramen as well as side dishes. They also have the slicing type of "noodle" where the chef would shave off pieces into a broth. (I didn't get to try this kind of noodle while I was there).

side dish

I wasn't impressed with the side dishes they offered... my friend and I got this marinated tofu type of side dish and we didn't like it... we didn't even finish it... the seasoning was ok, but we didn't like the tofu.

Lanzhou Ramen with lamb 

ramen impressions:

• very authentic "Lanzhou Ramen
• broth is too oily
• lots of meat

However, I am not sure if this is the traditional taste... the broth reminded me a bit like "Little Sheep's Hot Pot broth" with lots of Chinese herbs.  I found the broth to be too oily though.

There were lots of big lamb pieces, they weren't consistent with one kind... there were several types (e.g. some had bones, some were from the belly, etc).

shredded beef pancakes

Another disappointing side... this was not authentic at all... it was just 2 pieces of Chinese buns holding some meat inside. The meat was not properly marinated and the bun was too oily.

beef brisket Lanzhou Ramen

For this particular visit, I got a beef Lanzhou Ramen (since I felt the lamb ramen was too oily)... unfortunately, this was also oily... the beef brisket was too oily... and the broth was not seasoned well.

Magic Noodle's House Ramen special

I was definitely unimpressed with this House Ramen special... House specials are usually the best choice, but this one was really bad.... they fried everything... if the previous ramen bowls were considered oily, this was considered flat out oil... the chef overcooked and fried the pork chop and eggs; there were hardly other ingredients... I felt like I was drinking oil. DO NOT ORDER THIS!

Verdict:

My suggestion is to stick to their ramen options (specifically their lamb ramen), their side dishes aren't worth the price at all.... I really appreciate the authentic of the ramen (拉麵) but feel they definitely need to improve on their broth and flavouring, next time, I think I will just get the Spring Noodles Broth Ramen (simple broth with Ramen in it's plain form).

score: 5/10

address: 2190 McNicoll Avenue, Scarborough, ON M1V 5M2, Canada
website: no website

Santouka Ramen review

photo credits: www.torontolife.com

The ramen craze continues in Toronto despite the hot weather we are getting. I was introduced to this Ramen place by a friend. Outside the shop, they advertise themselves as an Authentic Hokkaido ramen shop. When I went to do some research, I discovered that this place is huge... there are more than 50 Santouka Ramen shops around the world.

The service was amazing... One of the best in Toronto, however, I was a bit disappointed in the ramen...

Shio Ramen (salt flavour Ramen)

Impressions

• Shop has a very nice environment
• Ramen had fresh ingredients
• Ramen is extremely salty and oily
• Ramen portion is too small (compared to other ramen places)

Shoyu Ramen (Soy Sauce Flavour)

Both were so salty and oily and the portions were too small... (compared to other ramen places).

Shio Ramen (Salt Flavour)

This ramen had an extremely creamy soup with salt flavour (hence the name). It had a tasty Japanese pickled plum on top. 

Shoyu Ramen (Soy Sauce Flavour)

This ramen tasted heavily of pork broth and soy sauce. The seaweed was a perfect match for this ramen because while you are indulging the seaweed, it helped keep the ramen less salty and giving my tastebuds a chance to savour the pork broth essence. The Cha-Shu tasted really good an authentic. 

Their $2.50 Green Tea

I cringed at the price of $2.50 per cup of tea... the most unfortunate part is this tea didn't taste good... and it was from a tea bag... so... if you don't want to feel ripped off, remember to just ask for water when you visit this place.

I do not see myself returning to this place in the near future as I feel their ramen needs to be improved. Their prices do not match their quantity and they need to make the soup less salty. It took my tongue about half an hour before it can "reset/calibrate" itself to taste again. 

service: 10/10

ramen: 6.5/10

Address: 91 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5B 1E1 

Phone: (647) 748 – 1717

website: http://www.santouka.co.jp/en/ 

Oishii Japanese Ramen review

Business Card and Awards card of Oishii Japanese Ramen

It is extremely hard to find ramen places in Scarborough (let alone authentic ones). While I was browsing for ramen places in Scarborough, my friend told me about this place. However, after eating here, I doubt I'll be back...

Impressions

• Not authentic
• Ramen was not "ramen"
• Variety of food
• Terribly seasoned

Vegetable Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

I really liked the Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) sauce (at the top), I really appreciated the amount of 木魚 shedding on top. But, the Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) was overcooked. Nonetheless, this was probably one of the best dishes there. It was only $4.50.

mussels baked with cheese

The mussels were ok, I guess it was fresh, the cheese was nice but the mayonnaise sauce was too salty, my friend and I were slightly shocked by how salty it was... It was $4.50

BBQ pork ramen

There were 3 types of soup to choose from:

• salt flavour
• soy flavour
• miso flavour (which they charge an extra $0.50)

The descriptions weren't exactly.. Ramen .... nor sounded extremely tasty, so we decided to go for their most basic, the "salt" flavour.

I guess I should have been warned about their ramen when I saw Wonton ramen in their menu, this was the most disappointing dish we had. The BBQ pork was thick (we didn't complain about this) but it was too lean making it dry. On top of that it was also very tasteless... It wasn't marinaded properly.

The portion size was large... I couldn't finish it. For a price of $6.99, I consider that a fairly good portion. Unfortunately, the soup was not authentic ramen broth, it didn't not taste anything Japanese. 

There were also very little extras (e.g. Green onion, seaweed) The noodles were some kind of egg noodle, making it not taste like ramen. 

The egg yolk wasn't watery enough (overcooked).

Verdict:
Overall, we were quite unhappy with this place.. the service was so-so... we don't think we will be coming back very soon

Score: 5/10
Website: https://www.facebook.com/oishiiramenT.O