Hey everyone,

I was wondering if you guys and gals had any good recommendations for relatively easily procured instant ramen brands (here in the Bay Area, if that matters), particularly in the shio and/or tonkotsu vein. Maybe something along the lines of Santouka (my hands-down favorite ramen house)? Kurume Taiho looks like it fits the bill, but I’ve yet to find it anywhere at any Mitsuwa or Nijiya I’ve been to.

these are difficult times, due largely to the ban on certain meat products from japan to the U.S. anything like kurume taiho (which includes chashu in the topping pack) isn’t likely to be found for some time at your local mitsuwa or japanese supermarket.

that said, there are plenty of decent alternatives… several instant tonkotsu varieties can be found (negi tonkotsu, for example), there’s the acecook “super cup” line, UFO yakisoba (which, while not really ramen, is damn tasty), and others.... do some experimenting - there’s nothing on shelves now that are really too atrocious, although some are definitely better than others, depending on what you’re looking for. let us know what you find!

Has anybody tried Yamachan froz/refrig ramen by Nippon Trends Food Service?  I like the shoyu ramen they make, haven’t explored their whole spectrum, but have their tonkotsu sitting in the freezer waiting (comes with kaedama! how can ya not like that?).  Then again, my frame of reference might be skewed partly because I appreciate the judicious use of propylene glycol in frozen noodles (mmm… texture so smooth after freezing AND possible temporary nervous system depression), and the fact that it’s from San Jose.  Saw a mixed review on another site.  However, since it’s a domestic product, availability wouldn’t be impacted by import issues…