WHAT WE ATE
- Shoyu Ramen – 90/100, Gunma
- Shio Ramen – 90/100, Gunma
Ramen Shibahama is famous for a variety of reasons. It’s the first ramen shop to serve a 3-course ramen experience. Their noodles are freshly handmade every morning, and they use premium ingredients. Listed as Tabelog’s East Japan Top 100 Ramen and Rakuten’s #1 Ramen with a score of 4.95/5.00, they also offer fried rice, gyudon, and oyako don as morning set meals.
The shop’s popularity is evident, with fans driving 2 hours from Tokyo to visit. Queues start forming at 5am, two hours before they open for business. Even on weekdays, many items sell out within the first two hours.
For those interested in the 3-course ramen, it consists of Mazesoba, Tsukemen, and Shoyu Ramen, each served in half portions. Make sure to reserve stomach space for 1.5x ramen. The meal sells out fast and starts at 10am, although the shop opens at 7am. The proper name for it is “Ramen Kaiseki” or “Wheat Samadhi” (小麦三昧).
Review for Shoyu Ramen: 90/100
Noodle: 35/35
The noodles are medium thin, straight, and have a firm texture. Served al dente, they have a snappy, clean bite with a satisfying earthy wheat taste.
Soup: 35/35
The soup offers a rollercoaster of flavors. Despite its glistening look, it’s not oily and leaves a clean, crisp taste. It starts with a sharp fishy note of mackerel and bonito, followed by a clammy sweetness, and aromatic tangy undertones of shoyu. There’s also the familiar meatiness of chicken and duck.
Meat: 15/20
There are two types of meat:
1) A large, medium-thick slice of melty pork chashu. The lean meat crumbles in your mouth while the fat melts, highlighting the meaty goodness of the pork.
2) A slightly undercooked piece of lean chicken that continues cooking in the hot soup. It’s firmer with a surprising meaty sweetness, but a bit too tough and meaty.
Topping: 5/10
Other toppings include green onion and bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots are crunchy, juicy, and tender with a nice fruity sweetness. We also added a marinated egg, which, despite its golden gooey yolk and nice texture, had a mirin-heavy taste that felt out of place in the balanced meal.
Review for Shio Ramen: 90/100
Noodle: 35/35
The same noodles are used here. Medium thin, straight, and with a firm texture, they’re served al dente. Their snappy, clean bite and satisfying earthy wheat taste stand out.
Soup: 35/35
The Shio soup has a similar base broth yet feels distinct. Despite its clear and thin look, it’s rich. It starts with a light, refreshing seafood taste, followed by a deep meaty sweetness.
Meat: 15/20
The same two types of meat are used:
1) A large, medium-thick slice of melty pork chashu. The lean meat crumbles in your mouth while the fat melts, highlighting the pork’s meaty goodness.
2) A slightly undercooked piece of lean chicken that continues cooking in the hot soup. It’s firmer with a surprising meaty sweetness but a bit too tough and meaty.
Topping: 5/10
Other toppings include shiranegi, adding visual appeal, and bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots are crunchy, juicy, and tender with a nice fruity sweetness. Ramen – 75/100
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
