Rounding out the trio of Ichiran variations I was able to visit on my trip to Fukuoka, I’m here at Ichiran’s Tenjin Nishidori store to try out their ‘Premium’ Kamadare Ramen.
With several changes to their Tonkotsu broth and Chashu sliced pork, this store seems to offer a completely different take on Ichiran’s classic flavors. But exactly how different is Ichiran’s ‘Premium’ ramen, and is it worth the visit? Let’s get to it. How Good Is Ichiran Tenjin Nishidori Actually?
–Ichiran’s Ordering System–
–Interior Design–
–Ordering Sheet–
–Ichiran’s Kamadare Style Tonkotsu Ramen–
–Differences between Kamadare & Classic Ichiran Ramen–
–Add-Ons: Kamadare Chashu & Kaedama–
–“The Final Drop”–
–Verdict–
–Getting There-–
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🍜 Ichiran Kamadare 🍜
There are two Ichiran stores that offer the Premium Kamadare Ramen, and for today’s visit, I’m at the larger store of the two, Nishidori Tenjin. (The other store is located nearby at Canal City Hakata)
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📋 Ordering System 📋
The Ichiran experience at this premium store kicks off just like any other, by waiting in li–I mean… at their Ordering Machine. Start off by selecting your ramen + any other sides. Once your order is complete, hit the “Pay” button and complete your payment. Grab your tickets and a staff member will guide you to your seat once available.
Like a few of the stores I’ve visited, this Ichiran also gives you the option to order their “Ichiran Select 5” set, featuring a bowl of Kamadare Ramen with extra Chashu, Soft-Boiled Egg, Kikurage Mushrooms, and Nori Seaweed for ¥1,620 – a ¥20 discount VS if you order them separately. Not a substantial difference, but comes in handy if you were to order them all anyways.
Interestingly, there’s also another set – Ichiran Select 3 – available here, featuring Kamadare Ramen, Kaedama, and a Soft-Boiled Egg for ¥1,330. I recently read a comment here talking about how good the egg was, and I was excited to give it a shot. But with no actual discount to speak of, I decided to go for my usual order for today. (Will definitely try it out next time, though.)
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🍜 Interior – Tenjin Nishidori Store 🍜
The interior should be quite familiar if you’ve visited an Ichiran before (or if you’ve looked them up.) At their “Ramen Focus Booths,” you’re essentially dining in a little private room, free from any external distractions. Even with the staff, interactions are kept to a minimum, and the dining experience can be completed without a single exchange of words.
Everything you need can also be found right at the table, from cups and a water dispenser, to chopsticks, wet wipes, and a coat hanger.
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📋 Ordering Sheet 📋
At the table, you’ll be given an ordering sheet to personalize your bowl of ramen. From the richness and strength of the Tonkotsu, the texture of the noodles, and a choice of a few toppings, experiment around to figure out your ideal ramen combination.
As for how I ordered my ramen today? Here’s a quick look.
🍜 Dashi / Tonkotsu Broth 🍜
Strong
🍜 Richness / Oil 🍜
Extra Rich
🧄 Garlic 🧄
1 Clove
🌱 Green Onion 🌱
Green Onion Only
🍖 Chashu Sliced Pork 🍖
With
🌶 Original Spicy Red Sauce 🌶
Mild (1/2 )
🍜 Noodle Texture 🍜
Extra Firm
🍜 Extra Order 🍜
Kaedama (Extra Firm)
🍜 Extra Order 🍜
Chashu Sliced Pork
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Side Note: I’ll only be highlighting the main differences between the Kamadare Ramen and the standard Ichiran Ramen here. For a detailed review on Ichiran’s flavors, check out this review of their original store here
Full Review: Ichiran Nanokawa
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🍜 Ichiran’s Premium Tonkotsu Ramen – Kamadare Style – (¥980) 🍜
Ichiran’s Kamadare Ramen is served in a rectangular Jubako ceramic bowl – based on a tiered Jubako bento box – complete with a lid on top. (Which made it impossible to grab good shots of the staff serving the ramen. Just cosmetic issues, of course.)
Opening the box, you’re treated to an interesting display, with the ramen noodles placed in the center – dividing the bowl into three sections of: Ramen, Chashu, and Topping. The heavy ceramic bowl definitely adds a premium touch to the meal, although by design, drinking the broth from the corners can be a bit challenging at times.
Let’s take a look at each component of Ichiran’s Kamadare Ramen.
🍜 Kamadare Broth 🍜
Ichiran’s Kamadare broth features a deeper color and flavor than the classic Ichiran Tonkotsu. With the addition of their Kamadare Tare to their classic Tonkotsu broth, the end result is this rich, creamy, pork bone-based soup with sweeter and meatier notes from the Kamadare sauce.
Compared to the classic Ichiran Tonkotsu, the overall profile of the Kamadare is considerably heavier from the soy sauce and other aromatics in the Tare. Some of the flavors in the classic Tonkotsu (garlic, salt, etc.) aren’t as strong as a result, but I think the broth does a pretty good job of balancing out the flavors.
🌶 Secret Red Sauce 🌶
Ichiran’s Secret Red Sauce is a complex blend of 30 spices that provides a nice warmth to the dish. Trying it by itself, the chili paste is surprisingly sweet (before the heat kicks in, of course.) For my tastes, I find that ‘1/2‘ gives the dish a nice kick, while also being mild enough to not drown out the ramen’s other deeper flavors.
But if you really want to know, here’s what a ‘6’ on the chili scale looks like, here you go. My mom’s a big fan of spicy food, and this was (apparently) her ideal spice level. Try ordering this if you feel adventurous.
🍜 Hakata-Style Noodles 🍜
Ichiran’s noodles are Hakata-Style ramen, a thinner, higher-protein noodle with a nice bite to it. I went for the ‘Extra-Firm’ option today, and the texture of the noodles combined with darker flavors of the Kamadare Tonkotsu works extremely well together.
🍖 Kamadare-Style Chashu 🍖
The sliced pork Chashu they use here is also a bit different from the standard Ichiran formula. While the classic Chashu uses Pork Shoulder, Ichiran’s Kamadare Chashu uses Pork Belly – a fattier cut of meat that works really well when slow-cooked.
The end result is a richer cut of pork that’s slightly sweeter from the Kamadare marinade, and definitely much more tender compared to the classic – leaner – Ichiran Chashu. It’s also sliced slightly thicker than the usual Chashu. And since pork belly’s a bit smaller, you’re served three slices per bowl.
Overall, the Chashu was quite nice. It’s richer and more flavorful than the classic Chashu, and pairs up really well with the more powerful Kamadare Tonkotsu.
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🍖 Extra Kamadare Chashu (¥260) 🍖
The Kamadare Ramen, by itself, comes with just three pieces of Belly Chashu. It’s not the most protein-rich meal in the world, so if you want to grab some extra meat, you can also grab a 4-piece plate of extra Chashu for (¥260). Not a bad thing to get, especially if you’re also planning to get their Kaedama.
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🍜 Kaedama (¥210) 🍜
A customary way to end a bowl of Hakata Ramen, Kaedama is essentially an extra serving of noodles you can order once you finish your first serving – just be sure to save some Tonkotsu broth for it!
To order, place the Kaedama plate over the sensor by the table. A little jingle will play in the store, and once a staff member picks up your order, your Kaedama should arrive in about a minute. Place your freshly prepared noodles into the Jubako bowl (plus any other toppings you ordered,) and you have yourself another round of Ichiran ready to go.
Side Note: Since you don’t get any extra Tonkotsu broth with your Kaedama, it’s probably a good idea to order it just before you finish your original serving – as if you wait too long, the broth might be a bit cold by then. (The heat from the fresh Kaedama will warm up your broth slightly, but order it early on regardless.)
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🍜 “The Final Drop” 🍜
This is the point in the review where I show you the text that’s printed at the bottom of the bowl when you finish. And while I usually do that, this was literally my 4th bowl of Ichiran + Extra Chashu + Kaedama in four days… But while I can’t show you what’s written down there, I can at least tell you what it is (by the power of Ichiran’s website!)
“この一滴が最高の喜びです” // roughly translated to “The final drop is the pinnacle of joy.”
You can also find this message at Ichiran’s classic bowls, so unlike the Gokaku bowl at Dazaifu, the message here isn’t store-exclusive.
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⭐VERDICT⭐
So how good is Ichiran’s Kamadare Ramen actually? Ignoring any comparisons to Ichiran’s Classic Tonkotsu Ramen for a bit, I thought the Kamadare Ramen was pretty good. The Tonkotsu combined with the sweetness and meatiness from the Kamadare broth creates quite a balanced flavor. Add to that some slices of rich Pork Belly Chashu, and Ichiran’s amazing Hakata-style noodles and Chili Sauce – and I say it’s a pretty solid bowl of ramen that plays into its strengths really well.
But do I think it’s better than Ichiran’s Classic Tonkotsu? I was with my family for today’s visit, and our opinions were split. Personally, I prefer Ichiran’s Classic Tonkotsu Ramen. Tonkotsu Ramen is by far my favorite ramen variation, and while the Kamadare Ramen was pretty good, it just doesn’t hit that pure Tonkotsu flavor on my checklist. But for the rest of my family (Also big fans of Ichiran,) they told me that the Kamadare ramen, while a different style, was just as good as the classic Ichiran. A sidegrade, if you will. But of course, personal preference plays a big role when you’re directly comparing two dishes. Try it out and let me know what you think!
So if you wanna try out a different take on the classic Ichiran flavors, definitely check out Ichiran at Tenjin Nishidori and their premium Kamadare Ramen.
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🚗HOW TO GET THERE 🚗
There are two stores that serve Ichiran’s Kamadare Ramen, and today’s visit was at their main store at Tenjin Nishidori. Getting here by subway, your closest options are Tenjin Station and Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station.
Once you arrive at Tenjin Station (Kuko/Airport Line), take Exit 5, and Ichiran should be a comfy 5 minute walk from the station.
From Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station (Tenjin-Omuta Line), it’s the North Exit and a similar 5 minute walk from the station.
If you wanna visit the other Kamadare Ramen store, you can find that over at Canal City Hakata (B1 Floor). The closest station would be Kushida Shrine Station (Nanakuma Line) – where it’s a quick 2 minute walk from the exit. Alternatively, you can walk here from Hakata Station (15 mins) or Tenjin Station (20 mins) for a little bit of exercise. The exterior isn’t as photogenic as their main store, so if you care about that… I recommend you prioritize a visit to the Tenjin store.
Ichiran Tenjin Nishidori
🌏 Location 🌏
2 Chome-1-57 Daimyo, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0041, Japan
🗺 Map 🗺
https://goo.gl/maps/ReKvmwuZ637jEEwU9
⏰ Opening Hours ⏰
10 A.M. to 7 A.M.
💻 Website 💻
https://en.ichiran.com/index.php
🏠 List of Stores 🏠
https://en.ichiran.com/shop/area-index.html
📖 Online Menu (English) 📖
https://en.ichiran.com/shop/kyushu/tenjin-nishidori/
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💬 Final Words 💬
I was reading a Facebook comment the other day recommending me to try out Ichiran’s Soft-Boiled Egg. After seeing the “Ichiran Select 3” set, I was really excited to try it out, since the set is exactly what I usually go for. But with no discount to speak of, and with my purpose here being to compare Ichiran’s base flavors, I suppose I’ll save the egg for my next visit. Thanks for reading this week’s review. Next week’s review will be my guide to anime/figure hunting in Fukuoka!
Also, do check out Ichiran’s toilets – regardless of which store you visit. Their toilet paper displays are something else…
