Soy & Ginger = A magic combination. There’s nothing more satisfying than the harmony between zesty fresh ginger and the deep umami body of high quality soy sauce. Nagaoka, up in Niigata, is famous for soy Ginger ramen, but you can also get it at quite a few shops in the greater Tokyo area.

This is Nagaoka Shokudo, a chain that does the style decently well. The soup is a blend of chicken, pork and back fat simmered for a long time, and topped with raw fresh ginger prior to serving. The noodles are smooth and the pork is sliced to order, a perfect meaty ratio with less fat than other ramen styles.

I avoid shoyu if it’s bitter or astringent, but this blend uses shiitake mushrooms and kelp. It’s rich and mellow and super yummy. Less