The hidden ramen kingdom! A gourmet trip around Niigata's top 5 ramen and the best bowls

In this article, we will introduce the five classic flavors of Niigata, known as the "Five Great Ramen," as well as ramen that is currently attracting attention. Let's go on a journey to eat local ramen in Niigata, the hidden ramen kingdom.

*All prices include tax.

A collection of unique dishes! The top 5 ramens representing Niigata

Warm up with ginger-rich soup: "Nagaoka Ginger Soy Sauce Ramen"

In Nagaoka city, known as a place with heavy snowfall in Niigata prefecture, rich soy sauce ramen with ginger has long been a staple to warm the body even a little. This ginger also has the effect of eliminating the odor of the pork bone broth used in the soup, and is the secret to creating a refreshing flavor.

Aoshima Shokudo Miyauchi Ekimae Branch serves a slightly thick soy sauce soup made from dashi stock made from pork bones and chicken bones, with a rich ginger flavor. This is paired with homemade medium-thin noodles, which have a chewy texture and go down smoothly. The pork slices are made from lean meat and are cut only after an order is placed to prevent them from drying out, and careful work is behind the flavor.

Aoshima Shokudo Miyauchi Station Branch

Hearty "Tsubame Back Fat Ramen" born from the delivery culture

In the Tsubame area, where Western-style tableware manufacturing is thriving, ramen was often delivered from factories. It is said that the noodles were made extra thick to prevent the ramen from becoming soggy during delivery, and a large amount of back fat was used to cover the surface of the soup to prevent it from getting cold.

Hangzhou Hanten's Yan Back Fat Ramen has a soup with a hint of back fat, thick noodles, and is topped with roast pork and chopped raw onions. The fresh, high-quality back fat adds a refined sweetness to the soup, and when combined with the dashi stock made from dried sardines and soy sauce, it creates a deep flavor that rivals the thick noodles. You can order the amount of back fat to your liking: "with ribs," "normal," "less," or "no fat."

Hangzhou Hotel

Originating from a food stall. The nostalgic taste of "Niigata Light Soy Sauce Ramen"

The taste of this noodle comes from the many food stalls that used to line the moats of Niigata, where it was enjoyed as late-night noodles. This is a nostalgic bowl of thin noodles in a soup flavored with dried sardines.

The flagship store is "Miyoshiya Nishibori Main Branch." The clear soup is made from boiled dried sardines, pork bones, and vegetables, and the extremely thin noodles are smooth and springy, topped with lean pork thigh char siu, bamboo shoots, naruto, and spring onions. This bowl is the epitome of simplicity, and once you try it, you'll be hooked.

Sankichiya Nishibori Main Branch

"Niigata Rich Miso Ramen" where you can dilute the soup to your liking

The roots of this style lie in delivery. After a customer had been drinking, he asked for something "stronger in taste," so the restaurant delivered a very strong miso ramen with a soup mix, which proved popular. Since then, the restaurant has adopted the style of mixing soup to suit customers' tastes.

The key to a bowl of "Komadori," which is said to be the origin of this style, is the miso sauce, which is a blend of three types of miso, in a soup made from pork bones and chicken bones. The rich, flavorful soup is combined with thick noodles and vegetables, making for a very satisfying meal.

Komadori

"Sanjo Curry Ramen" is perfect as a finishing touch after drinking, as it is full of the delicious flavors of vegetables

Curry ramen is a staple delivery item that was a favorite of blacksmiths in Sanjo, a town of metal industry. This dish, beloved by Sanjo for over 70 years, is also a staple after-drinking dish.

The noodles at "Taisho Shokudo Masahiro" are made in-house and are thick enough to be thoroughly mixed with the curry soup. The ingredients, including potatoes, carrots, pork, and onions, are large but well-cooked so that they crumble with chopsticks. To finish off the meal, add rice to the bowl and enjoy the soup to the fullest.

Masahiro Restaurant

Besides the top 5 ramen! Ramen that is gaining attention

"Mapo noodles" with an addictive spiciness and numbness

There are various theories, but it is said that mapo noodles were first added to the menu at a restaurant in Niigata City that was founded in the 1960s, ahead of other restaurants across the country. This led to mapo noodles spreading not only within Niigata Prefecture, but throughout the country, with each restaurant in Niigata creating their own unique flavor.

The mapo noodles served at "Ryōma-ken" are made without any artificial seasonings, and have a delicate taste that brings out the flavor of the ingredients. The homemade noodles are a perfect match, and the moment you take a bite, the spiciness and numbness of the mapo spreads in your mouth, followed by a unique umami flavor.

Ryoma-ken

"Snow Muro Sake Kasu Ramen" was born in a snowy country

Sake lees, which have long been an essential ingredient in the snowy Joetsu region, are highly nutritious and warm the body. In 2019, an initiative was launched to create "Snow Muro Sake Kasu Ramen," a local ramen dish that combines sake lees with "snow room ingredients" unique to snowy regions, as well as the bounty of the sea and mountains.

At WITH Dream, a restaurant in Joetsu City, the soup is carefully made one by one after receiving an order, so as not to lose the flavor of the sake lees. The gentle and natural richness of the sake lees is appealing, and it mixes well with the noodles. Please try this bowl, which is becoming a new winter staple in Niigata.

WITH DREAM

In addition to the ones introduced in this article, Niigata has many other popular ramen shops serving different styles. Even the same style has its own unique characteristics, so it's fun to go around and try them all, which is recommended. Niigata ramen is becoming increasingly popular, with ramen lovers gathering together and planning their own ramen tours to Niigata. While the classics are spreading nationwide, new flavors are still being born within the prefecture. Why not go on a trip to explore Niigata ramen, a place where the buzz never ends?

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