I tried Ippudo's winter limited ramen "Miso Akamaru". The 2019 edition has a faint cacao flavor, but it's surprisingly good.


The price is 890 yen (excluding tax). Only a limited number of cups are available at each store. The most popular seasonal ramen that Ippudo has been selling since 2012, it is made by mixing several types of miso with pork bone soup, and instead of thin noodles, medium-thick, chewy noodles and sansho. It also contains toppings such as minced meat, vegetables, and special perfume oil, and of course, two pieces of char siu.


As a new attempt, we are collaborating with "Chocolate Shop," a Western confectionery specialty store that originated in Fukuoka, the same as Ippudo. It seems that "cacao perfume oil" that floats in soup was jointly developed with "chocolate shop". It is said that the cacao content is mixed in consideration of the balance of sweetness and bitterness suitable for soup that combines pork bones and miso.


When you look into the bowl that arrives at the table, you can see that a black and glossy liquid with a chocolate-like scent floats in the soup, and when you scoop it up and drink it, it has a faint sweetness. However, it is not strong enough to break the thick umami that is entwined with miso and pork bones. When dissolved in soup, it goes well with it as a complement to the miso and as an accent to accentuate the taste of pork bones.


Plenty of this soup is entwined with minced meat in the medium-thick small noodles. The amount is quite satisfactory even if it is served normally, but the taste of the soup is so strong that you will want to serve it in large quantities.

Two thick char siu with fat. Not only minced meat but also this one goes well with miso and cacao sesame oil, so it is recommended to taste it well.


The soup, noodles, and toppings are very well-balanced, probably because they use cacao perfume oil, and you can enjoy it to the end. You may not need to add bean sprouts and mustards that are provided on the table. This menu is recommended for people who want to fill their stomachs and warm themselves up.