I have childhood memories of playing with all the neighborhood kids and running around until we were exhausted. I remember one of the mothers of one of my older brother's friend would make a huge pot of instant Ramen for all the kids and lay it out on a large picnic table when it was cold outside. She would boil the instant noodles with fried garlic and ginger then top it off with little bits of cilantro. It was fantastic and I've loved all forms of Ramen ever since.
I've been blessed in my career to work in business development for a large Japanese video gaming company that has me travelling a lot. When asking my coworkers in Japan what makes a perfect bowl of Ramen, you'll hear a lot of different answers, but generally you'll have those who prefer the fattier richer flavor of Tonkotsu Ramen (pork broth) or Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce based). They'll also tell you a specific shop that has their favorite, and how none other's can really match up bite for bite. For me personally, I love Tonkotsu. The broth is rich and thick with a ton of flavor that is perfectly complimented with thin slices of Chashu. I also really enjoy when the noodles have a bit of a spongy bite into it, so it can soak up more of the salty buttery flavor.
Below are the 3 best bowls of Ramen I had so far over the last few years.
Tiny shop in some corner of Ikebukuro with only 8 seats. The egg was cooked beautifully.
Shoyu Ramen shop in an alleyway near Ebisu. This has very subtle hints of eating seafood and the bites of bamboo really added a nice texture.
Surprisingly, in Las Vegas, NV. This is Tonkotsu with a black garlic oil and topped with fried garlic.
What makes the perfect bowl of Ramen for you?