Types of Ramen

There are tons of different types of Ramen and if you have not done any research in advance, it might be a bit confusing to understand what taste each ramen in the menu has.

Every type of Ramen has a variety of more or less similar toppings so I am going to cover only the broth.

1. Shoyu Ramen: Shoyu means soy sauce in Japanese. This type is a classic Japanese ramen variety with a soy sauce-based broth which has a salty, Umami-rich (yes, it is actually a real taste 😅) base that is complemented by a subtle sweetness and tanginess.

2. Shio Ramen: Shio means "salt" in Japanese. It is another classic Ramen that is known for its clear, light, and salty broth.

3. Tonkotsu Ramen is characterized by its creamy and rich broth made from pork bones that have been boiled for an extended period, resulting in a gelatinous consistency.

4. Miso Ramen: Miso is a fermented soybean paste, and miso ramen features a rich and savory broth made from this paste. It has a deep, savory flavor with a hint of sweetness.

5. Tsukemen, also known as dipping ramen, consists of separate bowls of thick noodles and concentrated broth. The noodles are usually served cold or at room temperature and are dipped into the hot broth before eating. Tsukemen broth is usually intensely flavored and can be made from various ingredients like fish, pork, or chicken.

6. Maze Soba is a brothless ramen (don't ask why is it still called Soba, I have no idea 🤣) dish where the noodles are covered in a flavorful and very thick sauce.

7. Curry Ramen is a fusion ramen that incorporates Japanese curry flavors into the broth. The curry broth is typically thick and rich, seasoned with spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander.

8. Vegan Ramen - well, this one is pretty self-explanatory, it is a vegetable/tofu soup. Just know that the main ingredient for any classic Ramen broth is pork or chicken bones boiled for a very long time, so it is still highly questionable weather Vegan Ramen can be called Ramen at all.

If you have never tried Ramen, I recommend to start with either Shoyu or Shio Ramen, they both have a relatively light broth and manageable flavors.

On the other hand, if you want to go all-in, go for Tonkotsu, but be warned, sometimes it can be very smelly (not in good way), but it is how it supposed to be (a lot of Japanese people actually do not like Tonkotsu Ramen because of how it smells).

By the way, in all my life I have never experienced a similarly tasted Ramen (comparing one type of Ramen of course) in two different Ramen restaurants.

Each restaurant has its own unique recipe and if you did not like one particular type of Ramen in one restaurant, it does not necessarily mean that it will taste the same in another, so it is always with trying once more.