WHAT WE ATE
- Signature Ramen (with egg) – 40/100, Nagoya
For many Nagoyans, reminiscing about childhood visits to Sugakiya with their families is a shared sentiment. The allure of Sugakiya ramen extends beyond mere nostalgia; it’s known for its affordability. Remarkably, even in today’s economy, a satisfying bowl of ramen can be savored for just 350 yen! The heartwarming taste is attributed to their signature ‘double soup,’ a harmonious fusion of pork bone broth and seafood stock. Since its inception in 1946 as a confectionery shop in Nagoya’s bustling Sakae district, Sugakiya has evolved into a renowned ramen chain, characterized by its uniform appearance of red decor and a distinctive girl character emblem. With expansion across Japan, Sugakiya ramen has become an essential culinary destination, particularly in the food courts of malls throughout the Tokai region.
Apart from it’s affordable ramen, Sugakiya stands out with its soft-serve ice cream offerings and renowned invention—the ramen spork. Additionally, its status as the oldest ramen chain in Japan, as highlighted on its Indonesian site, adds to its esteemed reputation in Japanese cuisine.
SIGNATURE RAMEN (WITH EGG) – 40/100
Noodles: 15/35
The noodles are medium-thin and curly, offering a springy and chewy mouthfeel. While they possess a strong alkaline water taste, there’s a subtle sweetness present.
Broth: 15/35
The soup appears pale yellow and lacks visual appeal. It’s a simple paitan with a clean texture, yet it carries a strong alkaline water taste more than anything else – likely from residual taste from the noodles.
Meat: 5/20
The pork slices are thinly cut, dry and tough at the lean parts, and chewy at the fatty portion. The marination is thin and inadequate, resulting in a rather flat and porky taste.
Toppings: 5/10
Additional toppings include a very small portion of negi (I think I counted 5 pieces…) and crunchy bamboo shoots with a pleasant sweetness. The onsen egg provided with the meal is decent in both texture and taste. However, the toppings are pretty average and didn’t add much to the flavour profile of the meal.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
