The last meal I had at Isono Kazuo's actual store during the lunchtime of the pandemic was as delicious as ever. I was impressed by the friendly and cheerful owner, the variety of taste-changing menu items like seaweed and vinegar, making it a fun place. Since the pandemic, I haven't been out in Susukino past 8 pm, so I thought I would be away for a while. However, I found dry noodles at FamilyMart, and they were discounted like clearance items! I got them and when I got hungry in the middle of the night, I put them in a microwave-safe ramen bowl from the 100-yen store, with only pre-processed eggs as toppings - a man's ramen, haha. The soup was Sapporo Black, rich and delicious, better than I imagined. The noodles were medium-thick curly noodles, with a good texture and delicious taste. I immediately got 2 more bags the next day. A few days later, it was oyster hot pot night for dinner. Instead of using the noodles as a side dish, I added Sapporo Black to the hot pot from the beginning. I boiled the dry noodles for 5 and a half minutes, added the Sapporo Black soup base to the ramen bowl, poured in the oyster hot pot soup, and it was delicious! Topped with oysters, Chinese cabbage, carrots, shimeji mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, pork belly, and chicken meatballs, I enjoyed it all. First, I took a sip of the soup, oh, it's delicious. The noodles were chewy, and the soup mixed in perfectly, it was too delicious. Oh, it was so delicious! Thank you, Fujiwara Seimen, for the great meal! I wonder if there are any clearance items left at FamilyMart? The expiration date is next May, I have to buy them all, hehehe.

"I tried the 'Asahikawa Ramen Aoba (instant noodles)' which is the No.1 Asahikawa ramen on Tabelog. It's an instant noodle version of the soy sauce flavored Asahikawa ramen. However, it lacks the huge slices of chashu, so I used three slices to represent it. But, as expected, both the noodles and soup have their limits when it comes to instant noodles. It doesn't reach the amazingly delicious taste of the original store. Visually satisfying though!"

There is a noodle manufacturer in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, who makes a unique miso-flavored ramen salad called "Rarasala." It is considered a soul food in Sapporo, and its presence on a menu can greatly affect sales at izakayas. Originating from the Big Jockey inside the Sapporo Grand Hotel, this miso-flavored Rarasala is a collaboration with the famous chef Sumire. The noodles are cooked and cooled, then topped with boiled eggs, corn, cherry tomatoes, stir-fried bean sprouts and leeks, ham, and pickled cucumbers. Enjoy it with a cold beer on a hot day for a delicious meal.

Boiling noodles is a crucial step in the process. For fresh Chinese noodles, I measure the thickness with my eyes, feel the moisture with my hands, and then determine the approximate boiling time before starting. In general, for thinner noodles than #22, I boil them for less than a minute. I mostly use flour to lift the noodles. However, for dried noodles, I have to determine the boiling time by observing the noodles while boiling. For this type of noodles, the recommended boiling time is about 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Since they are dried noodles, the boiling time is longer compared to fried noodles. Fried noodles are usually lifted in about 2 minutes, but these noodles require a little over 4 minutes. I am always impressed by the quality of these noodles. I have probably eaten around 2000 bowls of ramen so far, or maybe even more, and I can say that there are many places where the noodles are not as good as this one. The effort put in by the research team is truly commendable. The saltiness of this dish is also excellent.

Located in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, this noodle factory was established in 1948. I have eaten their ramen before without realizing it, but this time I purchased their "Beware of Bears Miso Ramen" at a Hokkaido product fair. The soup was delicious like a typical miso ramen, but since it was a packaged noodle, the quality was just okay. However, the noodles were fantastic! Although the cooking time was longer than 3 minutes, the noodles had a chewy texture like fresh noodles. Despite being a packaged noodle, the quality of the noodles was great. I finished it in no time!

Fujihara's noodles have a unique firmness that can't be found anywhere else, which is very appealing. Even though they are located in Asahikawa, the effort they put into replicating the flavors of popular shops nationwide is truly impressive. I have probably tried around 15 to 20 different types of noodles from Fujihara, and none of them have been disappointing. This is only the second time I have posted on Tabelog, but I regret not recording all of my experiences. This time, I tried the Kushiro ramen. I have only had ramen once in Kushiro before, at Natsuhori three years ago, but I don't remember the taste at all. When I look at the reviews, it says, "The soup has a gentle flavor despite its appearance, with a light and easy-to-drink taste. It's a soup that is easy to drink with no strong flavors and has a somewhat Japanese taste to it. I drank it all up." Additionally, it says, "The noodles are uniquely thin and curly. They are said to be special noodles, and they are perfectly cooked." So, the Kushiro ramen from Fujihara had thin, curly noodles. The soup had a rich flavor and was well-made. Fujihara's noodles and soup are truly of high quality.

Today's lunch was the Hokkaido Niyahoshi Ramen series sold by Fujiwara Seimen Co., Ltd.! There are four types of soup flavors: Asahikawa soy sauce, Sapporo miso, Hakodate salt, and Kushiro soy sauce. This time, I tried the Sapporo miso flavor. The first thing I noticed when I took a bite was how delicious the noodles were! They had a texture and taste similar to noodles from a specialty shop, which was surprising. The soup had a slight buttery flavor and spiciness, and was quite mild. I think this was because I added a little too much hot water. Next time, I'll follow the instructions exactly. Haha I remember buying this instant ramen at Oil Jin in Izumiotsu. I'll try to conquer all four flavors. By the way, I bought the toppings at Ion, and the chashu was tender and the menma was delicious. Highly recommended.

A Hokkaido noodle manufacturer founded in Asahikawa, they have famous restaurant collaborations as well as their own original instant noodles. I purchased six different bag noodles, including ones from famous shops in Asahikawa and Hakodate, as well as their original varieties. The noodles are all dried and thin, with a nice firm texture and delicious taste. I particularly enjoyed the ramen from "Tsukimiken" and "Ichimonji" as the soup was also of high quality. They have a variety of other bag noodles available, so I would like to try more of them in the future. (2018/10)

When I go to Hokkaido, I always make sure to buy Fujiwara Seimen noodles to bring back with me. They are not easy to find in Chiba, so when I do come across them, I buy a lot. There are basically two types - those with added value and those without. Even the regular ones are of high quality, with no issues with the soup or noodles. The Kushiro ramen, which has bonito and seafood broth according to the package, is incredibly delicious. I eat it sweating profusely. However, the noodle portion is only 70g, so I always finish it with a second helping of rice. It's so delicious that it's mind-blowing (laughs).

I had always associated natto ramen with shio (salt), but decided to try it with Hakodate shio this time. The noodles from Fujiwara are of high quality, more like a Fujiwara brand of noodles than anything else. While natto and green onions are the standard toppings, I decided to add a raw egg this time. The result was really good. It was a great combination. This was a pleasantly surprising discovery. Miso is definitely not needed, right?

I bought some duck breast and decided to have it with salt ramen. I chose Hakodate salt flavor. Fuharaseimen has a wide selection, but I've never seen pork bone soup noodles before. They have a variety of soy sauce and salt flavors, but maybe they don't have a traditional one. Checking their website, I see they do have a salt pork bone flavor, and also a Sapporo Ginparou rich and fragrant pork bone soy sauce flavor. They offer fresh noodles and soba as well, as expected of Fuharaseimen. So, I went with the salt flavor. I cooked it for a shorter time than recommended, with less water. You can always add more water, but you can't take it out. The salt flavor was rich and delicious. The fresh noodles didn't taste much different from regular ones.

Fujihara Seimen is known for their delicious noodles, but I also think their soup is top-notch. I tried their Hokkaido Soup Curry Ramen for the second time. I had some leftover spicy curry from the previous day, so I used it as a topping. The spiciness of the soup and the topping complemented each other well, and I thought this combination was great. While I enjoy traditional Japanese curry ramen, I also appreciate the spicy ramen.

This is also one of the masterpieces of Fujiwara Seimen. The high quality of the noodles and the high-quality dried fish soy sauce soup function in perfect balance. It's almost embarrassing to be able to buy this at this price. Today, I added eggs, naruto, and green onions, but personally, I think plain ramen without any toppings is the best. It may not look interesting visually though.

The noodles are spot on, and Fujihara Seimen is skilled in making soup as well. This Hokkaido Soup Curry Ramen is my first time trying it. I cooked carrots and onions together with the noodles. Topped it off with pink pepper. The curry soup is also well done. The spice level is fantastic. I added fish powder to the soup, as the broth is the key in soup curry, and it turned out quite good. When you encounter the pink pepper, you will taste a fragrant peppery flavor. I will definitely buy this again.

Fujihara Seimen's tonkotsu ramen, along with their shoyu and salt flavors, is a basic but delicious option. The noodle portion is small, making it perfect for a light meal. The tonkotsu broth is also light. I topped it with leftover chicken wing karaage from the previous day. Both the soup and noodles were excellent.

①Product Details Product Name: Alps Hachioji Ramen Soy Sauce Size: 1 serving (noodles, soup, toppings) Retailer: Super Alps Nagafusa Store Standard Price: 158 yen This is a private brand product of Alps that is only sold at Super Alps stores in the Hachioji area. It comes with the mascot of "Hachidon," the gathering of ramen lovers in Hachioji. The soup is rich, with the unique Hachioji ramen topping of onions. The noodles are straight and thin. The bowl in the photo is from "Niboshi Ramen Seiju" in Tachikawa. ②Taste The rich soy sauce flavor, the depth of the pork bone-based broth, and the sweetness of the lard floating on the surface are very delicious. The thin noodles have a firm texture that pairs well with the rich soup. The onion topping melts into the soup, providing a crunchy texture and sweetness that are essential to Hachioji ramen. This instant ramen beautifully replicates the taste of Hachioji ramen. And all of this for just 158 yen is a great deal!

During the day, I had Fujihara Seimen's Nisuya Hoshi Shoyu Ramen at home! It's a bag noodle from Asahikawa City, Hokkaido, and it's quite delicious. It's priced at 137 yen each, so I always keep plenty in stock. The soup has a hint of bonito and dried fish, and it can be a bit salty as indicated on the package, so I add more water. The noodles are made from fresh dough and dried for two days, resulting in a firm texture that doesn't stretch too much. Of course, it's non-fried noodles. The chashu is cooked in large quantities, sliced, and frozen. The flavor from the chashu enhances the soup's taste. When it comes to homemade ramen, I choose Nisuya Hoshi Shoyu Ramen. They also have miso ramen and salt ramen available. Enjoy!

2016.11 During work, a message came on LINE saying "Found something interesting~" and then a photo followed saying "I came back from Abashiri Prison". It was instant ramen, which I immediately recognized because I found it at the supermarket and bought it in a hurry. I think the reason for buying it in a hurry is probably curiosity. Nevertheless, why would someone buy something like this? I'm sure they bought it thinking it would be interesting to write about. I've eaten a few of these types of ramen before and surprisingly they were delicious, so I knew this one would probably be good too. However, the scallop ramen I bought after this one was not good. I changed some instructions and cooking methods, but it turned out too salty. The instructions say to add the soup after the noodles are cooked, but the flavor doesn't seep in quickly enough, so I had to add more water before eating it. I was worried about the taste, so I added crab and pork to it, which is a bit unconventional. It's salty, but the taste is not bad. It's quite tasty, with a hint of ginger. The noodles are trying their best to stand out next to the fresh ingredients.

2016/11/19 Update: I tried the "Premium Salt Tonkotsu Ramen" from Ramen Yamaokay, which I found at a local supermarket. The package contained fresh noodles and liquid soup. I followed the instructions on the back of the package (boil noodles for 2 minutes) and topped it with homemade char siu, boiled spinach, half a boiled egg, nori, and chopped green onions (mixed with chili oil, sake, and soy sauce). The soup was quite tasty, with a strong saltiness and lots of lard. The noodles were slightly thicker than typical chilled noodles, but the texture was not bad. I also tried adding doubanjiang for some flavor variation, which worked well. Overall, it was a decent tonkotsu ramen, although the noodles could have been thicker. Have you tried adding soy sauce, Fujiwara-san? By the way, I recently tried the "Clam Salt Ramen" collaboration between Nagatanien and "Shijimi Power of 70" series, and it was delicious. Check out my diary for more details. It was a satisfying meal! 2016/02/08 First Draft: I often use "Asahikawa fresh noodles" for my homemade ramen, as they are readily available in supermarkets in Sapporo. While Kato Ramen is famous for Asahikawa-style noodles, their products are only available for professional use. On the other hand, Tenkin and other brands offer a more accessible option for home cooks. I also enjoy using their dried noodles, such as the "Shirokuma Ramen" under the Asahiyama and Maruyama Zoo brands. They also supply the noodles for Nagatanien's simmered ramen. For lunch when I couldn't eat out due to the flu, I asked my wife to buy ingredients for my homemade ramen. I used a chicken ham broth with added dried sardines and kombu, and a homemade kaeshi made from the previous day's chicken broth. I added roasted garlic-infused sesame oil for flavor. The chashu was made by my wife, and the menma was store-bought. The "Asahikawa fresh ramen for business use" had a standard thickness for Asahikawa noodles, with a slight wavy texture and a matte finish. The egg had a light yellow color from egg white powder and kuchinashi dye. I boiled the noodles for 2 minutes, resulting in a slightly chewy texture, which I enjoyed. The soup had a good consistency, with a subtle wheat flavor that complemented the dried sardine broth. It's my current favorite for light ramen dishes. The noodles also work well as a finishing touch for kimchi jjigae. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!