Whenever I ask for recommendations on where to eat in Japan, Ichiran always pops up! And with over 70 locations found all over Japan and overseas, the popularity of this ramen chain cannot be denied. Ichiran specialises only in Tonkotsu Ramen, which consists of a natural pork-bone soup broth and their freshly made noodles. Ichiran also does not offer anything else on the menu, aside from accompanying ingredients to Tonkotsu Ramen.
Most of Ichiran's outlets tend to congregate within large cities and the opening times vary from outlet to outlet. There are some outlets that are opened 24/7, while others have earlier closing times. Do check their official website/Google for more information on the outlets and opening times.
THE EXPERIENCE
BEFORE YOU GO
If you're going during peak period (lunch/dinner), do expect an hour queue at the very least! The short queue on the outside can sometimes be quite deceiving, as the queue continues quite a bit into the restaurant for most outlets. So do be prepared to wait unless you visit in the wee hours of the night/early morning.
ORDERING
When you finally reach inside the restaurant, the first thing you'll be directed to is the Vending Machine.
This is where you'll order your dish by selecting the options available. In order to do so, you will first have to insert cash into the machine. After which, you can select your options.
The most popular option is Ichiran Select 5, which includes ramen and a set meal which consists of a half-boiled salted egg, extra chashu (sliced pork), seaweed and kikurage mushroom, for 1,490 Yen. If that seems too filling for you, consider ordering the ramen on its own which does come with chashu. You can also add extra toppings (egg, sliced pork, seaweed, etc), rice and extra noodles. Apart from these, they also sell smoke-flavoured stew flavoured pork and matcha almond pudding. Also, there are translations for all the options in English, Chinese and Korean so you are unlikely to order the wrong item.
After you have made all your selections, you'll get back your change (if any) and your order coupons/slips that indicate what you have ordered. Make sure you don't lose it!
CUSTOMISING
The next part of ordering is the customisation portion. You'll be given an Order Sheet and a pen to state your preferences for your ramen. This order sheet includes customisation options from the level of dashi (seasoning stock), richness of broth, amount of garlic, noodle texture as well as whether you want green onions, chashu, and their signature original spicy red sauce.
WAITING TO BE SEATED
As you are doing the customisation options, you are still in the queue to get a seat! Most outlets only have individualised counter seats (referred to as flavour concentration booth), designed to help you focus on enjoying your meal. As such, they have a Counter Booth Seating Chart, which shows when a seat is available.
The staff at the start of the queue monitors this and will direct accordingly when a seat is available. But if you are in a group, fret not, as the staff will enquire how many is in your party, so that you'll still be able to sit next to each other. If you have 5 and above, they might spilt you up unless you insist. Each counter seat is also numbered so that you won't get confused when you enter the seating area.
THE SEATING BOOTH - GETTING YOUR ORDER
The seating area is compact but very well-designed! There is a hanger to hang your coats just behind your seat. There are also tissues and toothpicks available on the wall as well.
Once you are seated in your booth, a staff will lift the shutter to take your order slip and customisation sheet. (You actually won't be able to see their faces at all as the shutter only opens halfway.)
If your order consists of the half-boiled slated egg, the egg will actually come first separately. This is likely because it comes unpeeled, so you'll have to peel away the shell while waiting for your ramen to arrive. Any other side dishes such as the smoke-flavoured stew flavoured pork, will also come first separately. You won't have to wait long before your ramen arrives though, as they are really efficient. It took less than 10 minutes for my ramen to arrive.
The ramen will look, one hundred percent, AMAZING. As for the taste, it is definitely one of the best Tonkotsu ramen I have ever eaten in my life. The broth had such a great umami taste and the texture of the noodles were to my liking! I think the fact that you are able to customise so many aspects of the ramen really helps to make your meal much more appetising and appealing, especially if you are a picky eater.
P.S If you like Ichiran Ramen as much as I do, you can actually buy their take-home set. This will allow you to enjoy Ichiran Ramen from the comfort of your own home. For this purchase, they do accept cards.
TIPS
#1 If it's your first time to Ichiran, I highly recommend trying the Ichiran Select 5 so that you get to try your ramen with the standard toppings. However, if you are clear on what you like and don't like, then it might be better to order the standard ramen and add the toppings that you prefer.
#2 Manage your expectations on the waiting time. If you are really going during peak period, maybe you can choose to head to an outlet that has more seating options. Ichiran's official website lists the seating capacity for each outlet.
#3 Do remember to bring enough cash as you would not be able to pay by card at the vending machine!
All in all, this is definitely an experience you would not want to miss out when you visit Japan. I say experience because I truly believe that Ichiran aims to help you enjoy the great food they make in every way possible.
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