WHAT WE ATE
- Ramen Fromage – 95/100, Tokyo
- Golden Salt Ramen / Shio Ren – 80/100, Tokyo
The chain’s signature “Ramen Fromage” is an innovative fusion dish that marries Italian and Japanese cuisines. This unique creation features a rich, creamy ramen broth infused with Italian cheese, adding a savory twist to the traditional Japanese dish. The cheese’s umami flavor complements the broth’s existing depth, while unconventional toppings like prosciutto ham replace the traditional chashu. By blending elements from both culinary traditions, Ramen Fromage offers a distinctive dining experience that showcases the restaurant chain’s creativity and willingness to push culinary boundaries.
Note: we went to the Ginza outlet but Due Italian is actually a chain so you might find another outlet closer to you.
Ramen Fromage: 95/100
This innovative fusion dish masterfully blends Italian and Japanese culinary traditions, offering a unique dining experience. The Ramen Fromage features a rich, creamy ramen broth infused with Italian cheese, elevating the traditional Japanese dish with a savory twist. The cheese’s umami depth complements the broth perfectly, while unconventional toppings like prosciutto ham replace the traditional chashu. This creation exemplifies the restaurant’s culinary creativity and adventurous spirit.
Noodles: 30/35
Medium-thin noodles with a translucent appearance offer a firm, springy texture and a subtle earthy sweetness. While served softer than typical ramen, the texture harmonizes well with the creamy cheese. The provided instruction card suggests trying the noodles with the topping cheese, resulting in a delectable combination that elevates the overall experience.
Broth: 35/35
The base broth, deceptively simple in appearance, delivers a complex flavor profile with mellow savoriness and deep sweetness. Once the melted cheese is fully incorporated, the soup transforms into a creamy, milky delight with a rich, lingering umami. The intricate balance of saltiness, sweetness, and umami creates a truly exceptional broth.
Meat: 20/20
Prosciutto ham, an inspired Italian touch, replaces the traditional chashu. The thin, salty slices complement the dish perfectly when eaten with the noodles or lightly dunked in the soup, adding depth and complexity to each bite.
Toppings: 10/10
Soft cheese globules and green onions are the initial toppings. The mellow, creamy cheese enhances the dish without overpowering it. A side of “beautiful brown rice” transforms the leftover soup into a risotto-like dish. The rice’s chewy texture (possibly including barley) adds another dimension to this already multifaceted meal.
Golden Salt Ramen / Shio Ramen (with healthy noodles): 80/100
Noodles: 30/35
We opted for the “healthy noodles” – a blend of regular and konjac noodles. While we’re not typically fans of konjac, this combination was surprisingly palatable. The occasional jelly-like strands provided an intriguing texture contrast. The konjac’s neutral flavor made its integration with regular noodles a sensible choice.
Broth: 25/35
The clear, light broth initially resembles that of the cheese ramen, offering a clean finish with mellow savory notes and a lingering sweetness. However, once stirred, the soup becomes noticeably greasy, with fried shallots dominating the flavor profile. A provided “yellow pepper” condiment (reminiscent of yuzu pepper) helped balance the taste, but couldn’t fully counteract the overpowering shallots. Minced garlic, while present, was largely masked by the robust shallot flavor.
Meat: 20/20
Despite its lighter appearance suggesting minimal marination, the chashu exceeded expectations. The medium-thick slice boasted a rich, savory taste with subtle sweet undertones. Its standout feature was the remarkably tender, juicy texture that allowed even the lean portions to melt in the mouth.
Toppings: 5/10
Additional toppings included a slice of bamboo shoot – crunchy yet tender, with a subtle sweetness and a pleasant bitter undertone. Some greens rounded out the dish, though they didn’t significantly impact the overall flavor profile.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
