With the 2020 Olympics on the horizon, restaurateurs in Tokyo are already thinking about how they can appeal to the crowds of foreign tourists set to descend on the city. Most of them are focusing on spiffing up their English menus and adding pictures, but some eateries are actually cooking up new menu ideas to appeal to the non-Japanese palate.
We got word that a ramen shop in Shinjuku had concocted just such a dish, so we naturally went to check it out.
Niku Niku Ramen, which translates as “Meat Meat Ramen,” is a noodle shop in the office district of Nishi Shinjuku. They had already caught our attention with their meat-focused approach, but then we discovered an even more interesting option on their menu.
THE SUKIYAKI! JAPANESE SPRIT!! [sic]
This wouldn’t Asia without some weird Engrish and superfluous punctuation, so that alone wouldn’t necessarily have stood out, but we did raise an eyebrow at the Japanese text above. It says this menu item is targeted at foreigners.
Really?
It looked like ramen just topped with sukiyaki, a classic Japanese dish. For those of you that have never tried it, sukiyaki is a hot-pot dish of beef, tofu and vegetables simmered in a broth sweetened with sugar and mirin. It is very tasty, but some foreigners balk at the last step of the preparation: dipping each bite in raw egg.
This didn’t seem like a necessary addition to ramen, which is already quite popular among tourists, but we forged ahead.
▼ Not just sukiyaki, but THE sukiyaki! Hold on to your butts
Sweet ramen!
A few minutes after placing our order, a piping hot bowl of THE SUKIYAKI! JAPANESE SPRIT!! arrived before us. Sure enough, the sukiyaki staples were all there, beef, tofu, veggies, raw egg, even a couple bunches of gelatinous konnyaku noodles. Of course, there were regular ramen noodles lurking underneath and the customary naruto fish cake. This was ramen… and sukiyaki.
We dug in.
Wow! This was ramen… and sukiyaki, all right, but the two flavors actually meshed quite well. You can really taste the sweetness of sukiyaki in the toppings and soup, but the konnyaku noodles cleanse the palate before it becomes overwhelming. The first bites were quite tasty.
However, the volume was a challenge. After a while, the sweetness becomes a little cloying, particularly after the noodles have absorbed more of the soup. Unlike a regular bowl of ramen, we didn’t have any desire to sip the soup once the noodles were done. All in all, it was a good choice for people who like sukiyaki, but we have our doubts whether it will really be a huge hit with foreigners.
If you make it to Tokyo sometime between now and 2020, why not head over to Niku Niku Ramen and tell us what you think!
Shop Info
Niku Niku Ramen, Nishishinjuku branch
7-9-15 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Hours: 11am-5am every day
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
Chilled Soy Milk Ramen Topped With Rayu Ice Cream is Newest Creation at Adventurous Musashi Ramen Shop
Ramen Shop Serves Mountains of Meat, Gets Customers and Laughs
We try ramen from a can on the backstreets of Tokyo【Taste Test】
Japanese ramen chain becomes a hot topic with foreigners on Reddit, but is it any good?
There’s something hiding beneath this mountain of ramen toppings, but it’s not ramen
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
Train continues to stop at rural station for lone schoolgirl until she graduates in March
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu and Winne-the-Pooh announce crossover merch line [Pics]
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Wagyu ramen for foreign tourists appears in Kabukicho, with a very high price tag
What’s next after green tea ramen? Why, chocolate ramen, of course! 【Taste Test】
Do Milk and Ramen Make a Good Combination? There’s a Ramen Shop in Tokyo That Lets You Find Out!
Tokyo ramen restaurant’s made-to-order noodles are only the beginning of its awesomeness
Want to eat ramen and sushi together? New restaurant in Tokyo makes culinary dreams come true
Instant-ramen coated fried chicken appears in Tokyo, instantly makes us hungry, happy【Taste test】
Ramen vending machine in Tokyo satisfies noodle and gyoza cravings at any time of day or night
Is super-salty Tokyo ramen too much umami for foreign tastes? 【Video】
Have you tried Tokushima ramen? No? You should (says our obsessed Japanese-language reporter)
This is what Tokyo’s craziest roast beef ramen looks like…but save room for dessert!
Can you make a good chicken ramen broth with KFC fried chicken?
Frozen pudding pops among the many surprises at Ramen Deniro in Tokyo
Sushi passed up by ramen in survey of foreign tourists’ favorite thing to eat in Japan, but why?
Line of foreign tourists leads us to Akihabara’s meatiest fatty ramen【Taste test】
Japanese breakfast ramen for US$3.50 in Shinjuku is the morning meal you didn’t know you needed
Tonkotsu ramen chain Ichiran set to open first-ever non-pork broth restaurant in Tokyo