The Selfish Guide to a Ramen Run in Fukuoka, Japan

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan

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Asia, Canal City, Chiba, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Ichiran, Japan, Ramen Stadium, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Shin Shin, Tontoro

Mr. Selfish and I remember the days when we were ramen newbies and could genuinely enjoy most ramen bowls. Those days are long gone, and we’re now ramen snobs. It was bound to happen. If you keep eating something over and over again, you start to develop a palate for it. Unfortunately, once this happens, your discerning palate knows when a ramen bowl isn’t up to snuff.

So when we decided to come back to Fukuoka for a couple of nights, we knew that we had to do a ramen run. Fukuoka is, after all, where tonkotsu ramen originated.

Shin Shin: Good Broth but a Little Fatty on the Pork

Mr. Selfish and I had added Shin Shin to our Google map during our first trip to Fukuoka back in April. We didn’t make it there but had read from many sources that it had some of the best ramen in Fukuoka. We made sure to go to Shin Shin this time around.

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Searching for the Best Ramen in Tokyo

29 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Searching for the Best . . ., Tokyo

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Ichiran, Japan, Kyushu Jangara, Menya Musashi, Ramen, Rokkakuya, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I knew that as soon as arrived in Tokyo, we would start our search for the best ramen there. We went to three new ramen shops, as well as an Ichiran, which we loved in Fukuoka.

Kyushu Jangara

First, we went to Kyushu Jangara, which is located in Harajuku (located at Shanzeru Harajuku II 1-2F, 1-13-21 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo). They serve tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen with a boiled egg, pork chashu, and thick slices of pork belly.

Verdict: The ramen was quite tasty, especially with the two different types of pork. The broth was porky and flavorful but the noodles were just standard.

Score: 8.0.

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One Night to Sample the Delicious Food in Fukuoka

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Gyoza, Ichiran, Ippudo, Japan, Ramen, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tonkotsu, Yatai

Upon leaving Seoul, Mr. Selfish and I flew to Fukuoka, which is the sixth largest city in Japan and is located about 680 miles southwest of Tokyo. We had read online that tonkotsu ramen originated from Fukuoka and knew that we had to try it there.

Tonkotsu ramen is made from boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen for an extended period of time. The broth is typically thick and creamy. The first place we tried was Ichiran (1-2-22, Sumiyoshi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka). Ordering your ramen at Ichiran is an interesting process devoid of all human contact. First, you pick what you want to order and pay for it at a vending machine.