by Hugh McCafferty


Tired of your run-of-the-mill instant ramen? Two local ramen shops offer tasty alternatives!

Rich or poor, young or old, gourmand or glutton – somewhere in the recesses of your kitchen you’ve more than likely got a packet or two of arguably the greatest culinary common denominator there is: instant ramen. Not only is it ubiquitous, but, in Japan at least, it’s a national treasure. In a public survey of the country’s greatest twentieth century inventions, instant ramen noodles came out on top ahead of karaoke, home computer game consoles and the walkman.


Needless to say, then, we’ve all indulged, especially given the mind-boggling variety of flavors and forms on offer. Since Fukuoka’s greatest gastronomic draw is delicious Hakata ramen, though, why should we settle for the uninspiring, desiccated efforts found on conbini shelves? With this in mind, we decided to investigate two new brands of DIY-ramen that aim to fill a gap in the higher end of the market.


The first comes from Ippudo, a nationally renowned ramen chain based here in Hakata with over 30 locations across Japan (as well as New York and recently Singapore) and the second, Nagahama Tonkichi, is named after Fukuoka’s famous dockside yatai hotspot. Kitakyushu residents John and Nikkie McHugh (both originally from Ohio in the U.S.A.) were on hand to provide the necessary expertise in the kitchen.


Unfortunately for the pair, there wasn’t much opportunity to flaunt their skills as neither ramen kit required much effort to put together. The first step was to make the soup, which was just a matter of boiling up some water and adding the ingredients (which mercifully were not in powder form.) Then came the noodles, which were done in less than a minute. It’s worth mentioning that both kits’ noodles are fresh and don’t come in a hard, pre-fried block, which makes for a healthier option (as well as a welcome break from the norm.)



With the ramen made, it was time for the fun part: adding our own toppings. This is a stellar opportunity to use up leftovers and pretty much anything goes. John and Nikkie had a root around their kitchen and came up with some chicken, nori, scallions, tomatoes, tomato purée and, to spice things up, some jalapeño peppers. All that remained, then, was to sit down and enjoy their delicious concoctions.


So, for all of you out there too busy or lazy for complicated culinary efforts, help is at hand – instant ramen kits provide a fast, healthy and delicious option.




Where to get "Cook-at-home" Ramen Kits
Nagahama Tonkichi Ramen kits can be purchased at Nagahama Tonkichi located on Nagahama Yatai Street. Tel: 092-864-9652
Or order online: www.nagahama-tonkichi.com




Hakata Ippudo Ramen Kits
Hakata Ippudo Ramen kits can be purchased at all Hakata Ippudo ramen shops and at Iwataya and Mitsukoshi department stores.
Or order online: http://fun-ippudo.com


WIN Free Ramen!
Fukuoka Now has five packages of both Hakata Ippudo (two servings pack) and Nagahama Tonkichi (four servings) to give away.