What is your number one favorite Japanese food?
The number one joy of traveling to Japan is, without a doubt, a gourmet trip.
It seems that Japanese people put a lot of thought into how to best bring out the natural flavors of their food.
Sushi is a prime example.
They continuously discover ways to make rice more delicious and harmonious by utilizing various fish, meats, and many other ingredients.
I think the same applies to ramen. In Japan, ramen is an indispensable staple, but since the preparation methods vary slightly from shop to shop and from person to person, it can sometimes feel like a completely new experience.
An Anecdote from Japan’s No. 1 Ramen Shop
A few years ago, I visited and tried a ramen shop that had earned the honor of winning first place in a nationwide ramen taste contest.
This was an authentic Japanese-style ramen shop, but for me as a foreigner, it wasn't particularly tasty.
The ramen contained nothing but greasy noodles slathered in original pork fat.
The overwhelming greasiness made it difficult for me to even eat a single chopstickful properly. It seems Japanese people like this kind of thing.
Perhaps because I am Korean, I prefer food that is spicy, savory, light, and flavorful.
I remember visiting Japan about 10 times. There are two restaurants I never forget to visit every time I go.
One is Mos Burger, and the other is Ichiran Ramen.
Both are hamburger and ramen chains operating nationwide.
A distinguishing feature of Mos Burger is that they boast the highest level of freshness because they prepare the meat and vegetables immediately upon ordering. There is nothing tastier than food made fresh on the spot.
Ichiran Ramen is excellent for its unique savory pork bone base, adjustable spiciness, and the infinite expandability to add and modify various eggs and other ingredients to your liking. In fact, even eating the basic version exactly as it is without adding anything is highly satisfying.
Generally, it seems that restaurants in Japan possess a high standard of taste across the board. This is because I have never once thought the food was bad when entering a sushi restaurant, and I have always been satisfied with the taste, even when going into just any place.
As anyone familiar with traveling in Japan knows, everyone has their own favorite menu items.
Whether it is dango, takoyaki, or yakisoba.
The reason I am mentioning Ichiran Ramen today is that, as a chain restaurant, you can find it in any city, and if you are looking to experience Japanese ramen, it might be difficult to find a place as good as Ichiran Ramen.
Features of Ichiran Ramen
As you can see in the photo, Ichiran Ramen features a partitioned single-person table structure.
The ramen company argues that eating alone is better for properly enjoying the taste of the food, but it is true that it can be inconvenient for groups or couples to eat together.
However, for someone like me who enjoys traveling alone, it couldn't be better.
It is a system tailored to me.
You fill out an order form and submit it at the front of the swing door in front of the table, and an employee collects it. This is for fine-tuning the flavor.
You can place your order first using the kiosk located at the entrance of the store.
The staff will guide you to your table number.
On the order form, you can specify whether to add an egg, extra noodles, or if you want a stronger level of spiciness.
After a short wait, a staff member will set up and serve the ramen.
Then, you can simply enjoy the enchanting taste of Ichiran Ramen.
Sale of Ichiran Instant Ramen
Actually, I wanted to eat Ichiran Ramen in Korea, so I looked it up online and found that it is imported domestically. However, there is the issue that it sells out as soon as it is imported, so it is not easy to buy.
So, I did consider it a little. I wondered if I should order it to eat occasionally.
But I decided not to. I thought it would be better to preserve the exact taste of eating it inside an Ichiran Ramen restaurant while in Japan.
I felt that if it were to become just like the ramen sold in regular stores, my precious memories would fade a little.
When traveling in Japan, delicious ramen restaurants are overflowing in every region.
However, I believe Ichiran Ramen is a good choice for those looking for a place where you can enjoy consistently high-quality taste anywhere.
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