Ramen Hunter

Am joined this episode by Abram aka Ramen Beast and Cody aka Ramen Guide Japan, two elite English speaking Ramen Hunters. These guys are on a mission to hit-up every Ramen Jiro, a soul crushing style of Ramen know for volumes of noodles, vegetables, and oil. Ramen Jiro is a genre that literally has a cult following. Ramen Jiro is also notorious for shunning media, so it's tough to get English...

Abram Plaut aka Ramen Beast joins the pod for a chat. We cover his journey morphing into the Ramen Beast, as well as his involvement with Menya Shono's overseas projects. We also dig into his Ramen travels, specifically his recent trip to Okayama prefecture which has some hidden ramen secrets. Do they really put Tonkatsu in Tonkotsu?? Abram also tells us about some of the elusive bowls on his...

Frank from 5AM Ramen joins as we have a conversation with Ramen Walker contributor Brian MacDuckston of Ramen Adventures. Ramen Walker publishes an annual guide of worthwhile shops to check out, and we dig into the Tokyo edition that dropped on 9/07. We touch on new shops, the best of various styles, the Grand Prix Rankings, and more! This years edition features 429 shops, so its a bit overwhelmin...

Brian MacDuckston of Ramen Adventures fame sits down for a pod! We dig into the tools that Ramen Hunters use to guide their slurping activities. Hear about his involvement with Ramen Walker, one of the top annual guides for Ramen content across Japan. We also get into Brian's TV appearances and interaction with pop idols. Make sure to Google "Go!オスカル!X21" to see some of his hila...

Keizo Shimamoto of Ramen Shack/Ramen Burger fame sits down for a chat. We cover his blogging days and journey to Japan. Learn about Tantantei and other shops that influenced Keizo. We also discuss going from being jobless in New York to becoming an overnight sensation with the Ramen Burger. Learn the story behind the Ramen Shack and his current project, Shimamoto Noodle. Most importantly, listen t...

Frank (5AM Ramen) and I are joined by The Noodle Slurp, an accomplished Ramen Hunter with deep experience in the Osaka area. We pick his brain about Takaida-kei shops, as well as the New School boom taking place in the area. Learn about the shops making the biggest impact out there. We also discuss The Noodle Slurp's recent move to Tokyo, and differences in the respective Ramen markets For th...

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen as he shares his exploration of Abura Soba, or Soupless Ramen. Frank highlights several shops that are early pioneers, including Sankou and Chinchintei. We also discuss a recent experience at a Michelin starred shop, leading to a Schmoe rant. Our favorite Ramen Drama comes to a close, so Frank and I review the final episode of Gyoretsu no Megami - Ramen Saiyuki (Mond...

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen as we share our top picks for the strangest bowls we've had. Did Pineapple Ramen make the list? How about Pizza Ramen? We also break down Episode 7 of Gyoretsu no Megami - Ramen Saiyuki (airing Mondays @ 10pm on TV Tokyo). In this episode our protagonist provides consulting to a shop in a Ramen Theme Park. What are some of the pitfalls that can befall an ill pre...

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen to dig into regional Tantanmen styles. We look into Hiroshima's Soupless Tantanmen and Katsuura (Chiba prefecture) style Tantanmen. How did they come about? Who were their target customers? Listen to find the answers! We also break down Episode 6 of Gyoretsu no Megami - Ramen Saiyuki (airing Mondays @ 10pm on TV Tokyo). In this episode our protagonist goes into...

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen to explore the roots of Tantanmen in Japan. What is the connection with an Iron Chef? When Yakuza trouble brews, where do they squash beef? Listen to find the answers! We also break down Episode 5 of Gyoretsu no Megami - Ramen Saiyuki, the Ramen Drama airing Mondays @ 10pm on TV Tokyo. 

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen to explore the different iterations of Taishoken, the legendary shop that is credited as the birthplace of Tsukemen. We break down Higashi Ikebukuro and Eifukucho versions of Taishoken. We also discuss the California branch of Taishoken and explain where it fits in the big picture. Be warned it gets quite nerdy at times. We also break down Episode 4 of Gyoretsu no Me...

Joined by Frank from 5AM Ramen to explore the different iterations of Taishoken. We discuss the history of Taishoken and how it gave birth to Tsukemen. Be warned it gets quite nerdy at times. We also break down Episode 3 of Gyoretsu no Megami - Ramen Saiyuki, the new Ramen Drama airing on TV Tokyo.

I sit down with Frank from 5AM Ramen to discuss current events in the Japan Ramen scene. We also take a deep dive into the history of Tokyo Ramen, and provide some context for how Ramen evolved over the years. You can hear us share our top pick, and the history behind them. Frank and I also re-cap the newest J-Drama series "Ramen Saiyuki" airing on Tokyo TV, breaking down the second epis...

The very first episode of Ramen Hunter! I sit down with Frank from 5AM Ramen to discuss current events in the Japan Ramen scene. How are Ramen shops in Japan dealing with COVID-19? Frank and I also re-cap the newest J-Drama series "Ramen Saiyuki" airing on Tokyo TV, breaking down the first episode. We also discuss Chibakiya, the founding father of the half-boiled Ramen egg  that is now p...

Ramen Hunter Podcast dropping soon!