Ryuji Tastes 7 Picks from "Cup Noodle Researcher" taka: A Toppings-Free Shoyu Ramen and a Ginger Tanmen Made for Convenience Stores

taka got a laugh by calling themself a "genuine NEET." After the previous appearance, taka had taken a job once but ended up quitting. taka and Ryuji first connected when taka reviewed Ryuji's cup noodle. taka has kept up a blog for 12 years and said their income comes from the blog, serialized columns in outlets such as Tokyo Sports, and occasional commissioned writing work.

The first product was a spin-off of Yakibuta Ramen from Sanpo Foods of Saga. In the previous video, Ryuji had rated the original Yakibuta Ramen highly. According to taka, the collaborating shop, Marukou Ramen Center, has its main location about six minutes by car from Sanpo Foods' headquarters. Among roadside shops in Kyushu, it is so famous that people say "Marusei or Marukou." taka also mentioned the shop's "yobimodoshi" technique, explaining that the product recreates a creamy soup with little odor, simmered under ultra-high pressure. The noodles reportedly use "Ra-mugi," a brand of wheat developed by Fukuoka Prefecture specifically for ramen. Ryuji was surprised: "You even look into stuff like that, huh."

There are four small packets, and taka gave detailed preparation instructions. Because there is a lot of powdered soup, pouring hot water with the roast pork sitting on top makes the soup hard to dissolve, so the toppings go in first. The seasoning oil packets are warmed on the lid. The pickled red ginger doesn't need warming. Since adding the red ginger changes the flavor significantly, it's better to take a bite first before adding it. The noodles are on the firm side, so stir once to loosen them lightly.

Ryuji said, "It's good, but it's definitely better with the red ginger." taka thinks it pairs with red ginger even better than the original Yakibuta Ramen. Ryuji described it as "no spiciness, but light yet rich, with real depth," and said, "Sanpo never lets you down." taka's rating was S, though taka said it doesn't beat the original. Like the limited-edition variations of Sapporo Ichiban, its flavor only exists because of the original Yakibuta Ramen, so surpassing the original is difficult, in taka's view.

Next was another Sanpo Foods product, Takana Hakata Ramen. The cooking time is two minutes, and the noodles are quite thin. The takana (pickled mustard greens) comes in a retort pouch and is added at the end. According to taka, this takana now seems to be sold on its own as a separate product. The product itself is a long seller dating back to around October 1985, about 40 years since its launch.

As for how to eat it, taka said they prefer to mix the takana in thoroughly so it blends into the soup. On the seasoning oil, taka said that while the basic rule for ramen is not to stir after drizzling in oil, Sanpo's products are better stirred.

Ryuji praised the quality of the takana. On the other hand, Ryuji said the soup was light, lacking in character, and a bit cheap. The noodles were firm, and the thin noodles had a pleasant mouthfeel. The verdict: "It's tasty, but the soup could use a bit more ingenuity." The cheapness is also part of its charm, and Ryuji took it as a bowl that wins on the strength of the takana.

From the third product on came FamilyMart's "kake" series. First up was a shoyu ramen supervised by "Japanese Ramen Noodle Lab Q" of Sapporo. According to taka, this product deliberately contains no toppings. Since toppings cost money, that budget was put entirely into the soup.

There are two packets of liquid soup, and Ryuji wondered aloud, "Is there really a need to split them?" taka explained that the contents differ, with one being strongly seafood-based, and that achieving this flavor in a cup noodle requires going that far. It is made by Toyo Suisan, and the noodles are non-fried. taka explained that, like Maruchan Seimen Cup, they are made by boiling fresh noodles. The instructions say to add the liquid soup after five minutes and stir well.

Both of them said in unison, "This is crazy good" and "This isn't cup ramen level." taka has ranked this product No. 1 on their blog's ranking and gave it SS, saying, "If I don't give out an SS here, I feel like I'll never get another chance." taka has always been in the "cup ramen doesn't need toppings" camp, so it suited taka's taste as well. Citing the extremely high quality of the soup and the complete absence of any instant feel, taka remarked, "It's come this far."

Next was a shoyu ramen supervised by Shinasobaya. Ryuji said they had watched the founder, Minoru Sano, on the TV program "Gachinko Ramen Dō." According to taka, Sano and Myojo Foods had been collaborating since around 2006. Until now, this series had been made entirely by Toyo Suisan, and this is the first one handled by Myojo.

taka also explained touches not written on the packaging. Sano was particular about "Jeffer solution," extracted from chlorella, and with that in mind, this product uses chlorella extract in its noodles. According to taka, it has effects such as making the noodles chewier and cooking faster. However, taka stressed that since Sano is no longer around, it is strictly "supervised" and not a recreation of the shop's flavor. The soup also uses Hokkaido scallop extract and Nagoya Cochin chicken. As for preparation, adding the liquid soup first tends to cause lumps, so stir once to dissolve it. The toppings are strongly aromatic, so add them partway through.

Ryuji called it "a pretty ideal shoyu ramen soup." That said, Ryuji was surprised at how rich it was for a shoyu ramen. Even though there isn't that much of it, it hits hard. taka's rating was high as well. But Ryuji felt the noodles in Lab Q were better. Noting that the two have different concepts, Ryuji said this one was "pretty heavy." On the spot, staff members said they preferred this one.

The fifth product was a rich niboshi soba supervised by "NIBOSHIMANIA," run by an owner who trained at a famous niboshi (dried sardine) ramen shop. taka first warned, "This one is really divisive. If you can't handle niboshi, you definitely won't like it." It is made by Toyo Suisan, and taka's view is that because the company started out in seafood processing, it handles niboshi differently from other companies.

It has an unusual setup: two packets of powdered soup and one packet of liquid soup. Although the noodles are non-fried, it is the type where the powdered soup goes in first, and the powder is hard to dissolve. taka recommended stirring thoroughly at the start. The liquid soup is thick and sludgy and also contains niboshi.

Ryuji said, "I totally get what they're going for," and guessed that the sardine innards had been removed. taka's rating was B+. It's a tasty ramen with plenty of niboshi flavor, but taka felt "it could be even more niboshi." Despite being supervised by niboshi maniacs, it leans toward mass appeal and doesn't go beyond the realm of cup noodles, in taka's judgment.

The sixth product was not shop-supervised but a FamilyMart original staple. taka focused on the price. The suggested retail price for tall big-size cups is 271 yen, and the typical tall big-size cup sold at convenience stores is 278 yen, just under 300 yen with tax. By contrast, this product is 198 yen, or 213 yen with tax—considerably cheaper than the going rate.

The noodles are thick, and Ryuji remarked, "Kind of like Menshin." There are lots of toppings, too. taka recommended starting from underneath the toppings, since with tanmen the soup tends to pool beneath them. taka also said that while tall non-fried noodle cups have been increasing lately, Myojo is still strong in this category.

After eating, Ryuji was surprised: "Whoa, it's all ginger," and "It's way bolder than you'd imagine from the packaging." Ryuji said the impact was even stronger than the niboshi one before it. With this many toppings, the toppings actually mean something, and Ryuji liked the crunchy texture of the vegetables. "I might really love this," Ryuji said, praising the soup as powerful.

taka acknowledged that this one is also divisive but said it "really hits the spot" personally. It's light, yet the thick noodles make it satisfying, and the toppings are crunchy. It's not a special bowl, but taka described it as having "a flavor that fits into everyday life," to which Ryuji responded, "Good way to put it." In taka's assessment, it is a model of what a convenience-store cup noodle should be, with a strong flavor and a high overall score. taka added that if it were sold at supermarkets, it would probably look cheap and not sell.

The last product in the first part was a garlic shoyu ramen supervised by Suzuki. Ryuji had previously eaten the version with egg. According to taka, the contents are completely different from that one; in fact, this one is the base, and the egg version is a limited-time spin-off. This product is a renewal of one released in January of the previous year, with more garlic and shoyu than before. Another point of the renewal is that the thickening ingredients were reduced compared with the previous version.

taka introduced this product as having "the highest attack power ever," saying they saved it for last because serving it in the first half would have been a problem. Garlic is kneaded into the noodles as well. The seasoning oil looks like ordinary lard, but it also contains garlic.

Ryuji was surprised that even the shoyu flavor was shop-like, and rated it as quite close to the actual shop. However, Ryuji pointed out that the noodles are different, since the shop's noodles have a distinctive chunky, chewy texture. The oil is also restrained; according to taka, the shop uses about four times as much oil as this product. Ryuji said, "No, it's good. I really love this."

taka described the soup as "pretty much the shop." The garlic has a kick more like grated or chopped garlic than powdered garlic. Moreover, taka emphasized that recreating it this well with powdered soup, without using liquid soup, is "an incredible thing." taka's conclusion was that people who want to eat Suzuki but can't get to the shop in Mitaka could eat this to get a reasonable idea of the shop's flavor.

In closing, Ryuji said the one that left the strongest impression was the ginger tanmen. When taka asked back, "Not Lab Q?", Ryuji acknowledged that Lab Q was superior in terms of tastiness and polish as a ramen. However, Lab Q was similar in direction to Shinasobaya. The ginger tanmen, on the other hand, was a product Ryuji hadn't even known existed. Ryuji also revealed plans to create a ginger tanmen recipe.

This episode was the first part, and it ended with a preview that the remaining 7 to 8 products would be covered in the second part.