WHAT WE ATE
- Diamond Sardine Dashi Ramen – 75/100, Tokyo, 26 October 2025
九段井さい Kudanisai is a Kudanshita-based niboshi specialist now showing at Dai Tsukemen Haku 2025, the annual “new creations” ramen showcase in Shinjuku’s Okubo Park. The shop is a relatively new Tokyo entrant, opened in April 2024 near Kudanshita and Iidabashi, led by the team behind the Sapporo-born “Isai” brand known for assertive dried-fish profiles. For the festival run, they are debuting a one-off concept that pivots from their usual thick silver niboshi toward a rethought extraction dubbed a “diamond” niboshi style, positioned as a first for the shop. Expect craftsmanship, restraint, and technique-forward clarity rather than a copy of the regular shop bowl.
九段井さい Kudanisai Diamond Sardine Dashi Ramen: 75/100
Noodle: 35/35
The thick, flat ribbon noodles are beautifully made and possibly the most polished element in this bowl. Speckled with brown flecks of whole-grain wheat, they carry a subtle graininess that gives texture and grip. The noodles are firm with a mochi mochi bounce, delivering that satisfying chew every good tsukemen or shoyu bowl should have. The taste leans earthy and nutty—an understated flavour that anchors the bowl and highlights the shop’s focus on craftsmanship.
Soup: 25/35
The broth starts with a clear sweetness from the fish before easing into a faint briny tone laced with deep shoyu aroma. It finishes on a soft, lingering warmth that clings gently to the back of the throat. The base has promise, but the dashi doesn’t quite sing. The interplay between the sardine stock, the Hakodate ma-konbu, and Okinawa’s “Nuchimasu” salt feels slightly discordant, as if each note is competing for dominance rather than harmonising. The result is a soup that’s interesting, even cerebral in concept, but lacking the layered grace expected from a bowl built on refined ingredients. The slight oiliness also mutes the purity of what could have been a clean, mineral-driven finish.
Meat: 10/20
A medium-thick slice of chashu accompanies the bowl. The cut blends lean meat with faint traces of fat, resulting in a texture that’s firm and somewhat dry, yet still flavourful. It disintegrates easily when bitten, leaving behind a deep savouriness and a faintly sour undertone reminiscent of old-school braised pork. It has character but feels slightly dated, out of sync with the modern clarity of the dashi base.
Toppings: 5/10
- The bamboo shoots are unfortunately limp and stringy, offering more resistance than reward.
- Negi adds a fresh, piquant lift that cuts through the heaviness
- The sheet of seaweed provides an umami burst that plays well with the broth.
- The standout visual, though, is the dried fish topping—it commands attention and reinforces the bowl’s sardine identity, delivering a punch of aroma and flavour that’s as bold as it is polarising.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
