WHERE TO EAT The best Kitakata ramen in the world (according to food experts)

"This is Japanese soul food, serving Kitakatya-style ramen in a light soy sauce soup with a kick of dried sardines."

"The compatibility of the rich soup with the rich taste of pork and the thick and curly noodles is outstanding and very delicious. Because of the simplicity, you can feel the quality of the material."

"Although the flavor of the fish is a little strong, it is well balanced. There is nobody who eats this tasty ramen without the feeling of transparency, richness, sweetness, sourness, and saltiness. This ramen is rich chicken-gala soup, with a slightly savory seafood flavor."

"6 Delicious Kitakata Ramen Restaurants: Shokudo Namae - Try the thick noodles that you can only get here and that will definitely satisfy you. The soup is clear and colored very beautifully, with a slightly darker seasoning."

"The noodles used here are hirauchi jukusei takasuimen (slightly thicker, flat and wavy, made with a higher water concentrate). As we later found out, the place we visited had won awards for its shio based ramen and was obviously a popular spot. I opted to try the shio here and it was well worth the wait!"

"The charm of this ramen is, after all, char siu. Slowly cooked char siu has a soft and melty texture. The soup has a well-balanced flavor because it contains plenty of vegetables and meat. It is a soup with a simple yet deep taste."

"The US location of a popular ramen chain from northeastern Japan is known for its chewy, curly, wobbly (their word) hand-crumpled noodles. The broth stews for hours yet remains light, while the chashu (sliced pork) is marinated in soy sauce imported from Japan."

"Delicious, flavoursome bowl of goodness that will satisfy any traveller who passes through Abe Shokudō’s doors."

"Ramen filled with the uniqueness of Kitakata. Recommendations include Kitakata Char Shumen and flat a bit thicker noodles, which you will never forget. Soup flavored with soy sauce has a mild seafood scent, while char siu is rich, soft and satisfying. Plus, it’s good to have a standard Kitakata ramen, refreshing."