Hey guys, it's Mike Chen I'm here in Kyoto, Japan.
Now if you've been watching this channel, you know I have this obsession with Ichiran ramen.
Of course, I did find another ramen place to be obsessed about on this trip, so check out that video.
Anyway, just walking around tonight trying to figure out what to eat for dinner...
...And of course my ramen craving is hitting me again.
I seem to get that like once an hour.
So trying to figure out where to go, and I realize...
...A lot of you guys have been asking me to try out the Ippudo ramen here in Japan.
Of course, Ippudo ramen, just like Ichiran, both founded in Fukuoka, ...
...Both featuring very porky tonkotsu broth, a lot of similarities.
And I really do want to try out Ippudo ramen here in Japan, because I've only been once, ...
...Back in New York, so I figure for this video
Let's try both places out.
The two major ramen chain restaurants in Japan head-to-head.
And we'll see how they compare.
Let's start with Ippudo first.
By the way, I absolutely love walking around Kyoto at night.
This is a complete different vibe than Tokyo, ...
...So calm and peaceful, a lot of traditional architecture, ...
...Restaurants everywhere. My favorite city in Japan.
Maybe, maybe in the whole world.
Wow, this place just has a line anywhere in the world, huh?
The original Shiromaru, the Akamaru, which is just a spicy version of the Shiromaru, ...
...And then the Ippudo Karaka.
I remember really liking the Gyoza, though.
The Shiro model, which is their classic Akamaru, which is more of a miso based ramen broth, ...
...And then the Karaka, which is basically the spicy version of the Shiromaru.
And then for this one, you can choose five levels of spicy, ...
...From standard to ultra extra spices. guess which one I'm doing
Guess which one I'm doing?
So instead of a magical, genie, ramen window, the kitchen is right in front of me.
Which is nice. Some bean sprouts and chili oil, some ginger, ...
...Spicy pickled veggies.
Also, I try to get the spiciest ramen. They really don't want me to do that.
Um, so I got a level 4 spicy and level 5 spicy on the side. just a tiny bit of chilli on the edge
Just a tiny bit of chili on the edge.
This is the Akamaru modern and then this is the Karaka.
So far, the Karaka is really making me salivate. with this set scallions mushrooms a
With this set, scallions, mushrooms, a couple pieces of Chashu.
It is very, very fragrant and I can see that the broth is more about the Miso noodles.
Classic, Ippudo, Hakata, thin noodles. Thin and straight and beautiful.
Wow. First of all, I like, I like how they give you a laddle as a spoon.
The broth extremely, extremely flavorful. Very thick and creamy. Also, very fragrant and ...
...You can taste a little bit of the peppers in here. You can see all that attaching to the noodles.
This is probably my favorite type of ramen noodles, just because it's so...
...Incredibly chewy and it hangs on to the broth incredibly well.
Noodles are amazing. very similar to the ones in Ichiran extremely flavorful because they're so thin
Very similar to the ones in Ichiran. Extremely flavorful, because they're so thin.
Wow.
This broth is excellent. So rich, but at the same time it's all smooth.and this is really cool
And this is really cool.
You can actually ask for minced garlic and you can mince it yourself.
This is for those of you who love garlic in your noodles and who want to avoid vampire attacks.
This is what you do. And I don't know why I'm feeling like this.
For some reason, I'm liking this so much better than my Ippudo experience in New York.
Yeah, let me try the Chashu.
So garlicy now. So garlicy.
This is honestly so, so good. especially with the fresh minced garlic the egg.
Especially with the fresh, minced garlic.
The egg, aw yeah. That's a beaut right there. Soak it in some broth.
Everything about the soup, from the rich Miso broth to the crunchiness to the scallions...
...To the mushrooms, has everything you want in a beautiful ball of Ramen.
I wanna try adding some of the sprouts here for some extra crunch and some extra spice.
That's so gorgeous. That's like a side dish I would have gladly paid for, but it's free here.
The Chashu just crumbles. That's how tender it is.
Loving these pickled vegetables, suppose even more.
Really, really spicy
Mmm. Wow.
That's, that's the best.
This is so unbelievably good.
This, little bit of this, perfect complement to this broth.
Just like a couple minutes in, I'm already like, to the bottom of this first bowl of ramen.
And this is where the goodness is. Look at this.
It's like panning for gold. All that good stuff is at the bottom.
So far, seriously, much better than what I had in New York.
I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm actually here in Japan or maybe it tastes the same?
I'm just kind of a little crazy right now, but I think it tastes much better.
My second bowl, level four spicy.
The Karaka has actually has different noodles, so it's medium thick. It's a little bit curly.
And what's interesting about this bowl, is that, really in the ingredients, they use some bean paste.
Which is something utilized a lot in Chinese cooking.
But this is their famous broth, of course, with a lot of heat.
Oh, yeah. With this level of spiciness, if you really can't handle your spice, ...
...This is gonna be way too much for you to the point where it is actually changing the flavor of the broth.
I can still taste how smooth and silky this broth is, even after one sip, definitely feeling the heat.
Noodles, just like the first one, nice and chewy, nice and Al dente.
And I preferred the thin noodles myself, that is just my favorite type of noodles.
But this bowl is really like, as aggressively seasoned, a lot of heat, ...
...And the noodles are not gonna be as delicate and as thin as the other bowl.
You know what?
Even through the spice, you can taste how deliciously, silky and smooth this broth is.
Oh yeah, wow
That really, that burns me right here.
The chilies they use here is way spicier than the ones they use in Ichiran, for sure.
I don't even think twenty times Ichiran spice will be as bad as this.
I can taste the fermented beans a little bit.
Not too much.
This thing is a little different texture with the ground meat inside.
I forgot to talk about the Chashu at this place.
It's okay. Very porky. A little bit smoky. It's not the best Chashu I've had, but it's good.
But you know what? I think level four is perfect for me.
It is just right amount of spice where it's not killing all the flavor.
It's just the perfect amount to make me feel really, really good.
While still retaining the deliciousness of this bowl ramen.
It's my second egg. That's always pretty.
Mmm. That egg.
I've only had one bad experience with a ramen egg.
But every other time I bite into that, it just gives me that instantaneous boost of happiness.
Totally forgot about the Gyoza. I'm sorry.
Oh, this Gyoza is good here, really, really porky.
It looked tiny, but I think it packs a nice flavor
The one thing is, I wish I added some garlic.
I totally forgot. That's my bad.
Yeah, I think I gotta do one more thing.
I had to get one more bowl.
I mean there's three things on the menu. That's not that much.
I really should give each one of them a try.
The classic, legendary, Tonkotsu broth, Hakata noodles, original Ippudo ramen.
The broth for this thing. It's so smooth.
It's not even making a sound when its falling back into the bowl.
Wow. I gotta tell you guys, when I did my ramen noodle tour in New York City, ...
... I didn't like Ippudo that much. I really did not.
This visit changed my mind completely.
This is actually a fantastic, really deep, bowl ramen.
The broth alone, that thing could write books. That's how deep the flavor is.
And this thing is so incredibly creamy.
It's just sitting on my tongue and you can taste the pork.
Such a clean, majestic flavor.
I did not get this while I was in New York.
And noodles, Hakata style, just thin and straight.
And this doesn't look like there's a lot of broth covering this, but, oh trust me, it's there.
You're gonna be able to taste this,
Ugh, actually, I mean you gotta chase it with some broth though.
Perfectly cooked noodles.
The noodles themselves, are slippery. They're smooth with the broth.
It gets even smoother. If you can imagine that.
This is how you shower noodles with love.
Noodles, meet love.
Ground sesame.
This is already pretty perfect, but I just want to jazz it up just a bit more.
Trust me, that raw garlic is something you need, you need, in ramen.
Oh my god this broth. That garlic kicked it up by twenty notches.
Happy ramen day to me.
And that's the way to do it.
Before coming in here, comparing Ippudo to Ichiran, to me there was no comparison.
Each one wins hands down.
These three bowls of noodles really changed my mind.
Now see I'm ready to say that I like Ippudo much better than Ichiran.
But, wow, the broth here tastes smoother, is richer.
They give you the delicious veggies on the side.
And with the fresh garlic, it just powered up every single bowl of noodles sitting in front of me.
Oh and the Gyoza, that's all love right there.
And on top of all that, if you just get a bowl of the noodles here, it's about seven or eight dollars.
That's pretty much more than half the price of the New York place.
I mean, same thing goes for Ichiran as well.
But the value and the flavor in the ingredients and just the overall experience you get here. Amazing.
All right, I'm a little noodled out tonight.
But as soon as I get some rest, we're gonna go see how Ichiran compares.
And I know I've had Ichiran plenty of times, but I need to reassess it now.
Now that I, now that I've had this.
Hey, good morning. Just walked through - ooh.
Oops. Can't handle my umbrella.
It's raining and this is perfect ramen weather, can't waste it.
Let's go to Ichiran.
Two floors of Ichiran.
Hello, friend. Shall we?
What I love about Ichiran? Open twenty-four hours.
There it is, the vending machine. At this point, I know exactly what to do.
Of course the spicy as I can get without having to pay more money.
This is the first time I'm filling this out in line...
...And not while sitting down, but I know what I want
Typically, this should be closed.
But this Ichiran, right now, is pretty chaotic like, they're just lining out the door.
I do really like the fact that even though this store is pretty chaotic, ...
...When I sit down, within my little ramen bubble, I do feel a degree of privacy. And that's nice.
So the world could be falling apart out there, I'm safe within my little ramen cubical.
Every time I say this, I don't care how many times its been, it gets my heart pumping.
That beautiful slab of chili right there, that's like the essence of the ramen, ...
...Sitting in the middle like a spicy volcano emerging from this ocean ...
...Of creamy, soaky, porky broth.
Aw, look at these scrumptious pieces of Chashu.
Perfectly thin, a nice proportion of fatty and lean meats.
And then of course it wouldn't be complete without the egg.
I always get the set which includes the mushrooms, the extra chashu, the seaweed, ...
...And of course the most glorious of eggs.
It's a familiar feeling, but the same time every time I eat this it's something new.
Oh my gosh.
That is so lovely. Always so rich and creamy. Let me savor that for the second here.
Noodles, of course, similar to Ippudo.
Hakata, really thin, straight, ramen noodles.
Again, my favorite type of noodles, because we just look at it.
One little mix, all the ingredients are attaching themselves to these noodles.
These noodles are like, are like a quarterback in high school.
Like, as soon as they show up, all the other elements, it just attracts to that.
Even though this Ichiran is in New York, it's just not the same as coming to Japan and having your first slurp.
That's so amazing. This garlic infused broth makes these noodles so incredibly fragrant.
And the chili's perfect amount of heat, doesn't impact the flavor whatsoever.
It's always like happiness and sadness at the same time whenever I come here.
But it's like meeting somebody you love somewhere in the world for like two days.
You're happy to see them, but there's never enough time. Already it's time for my noodle refill.
Ippudo broth, I feel like it's silkier, it's smoother.
But look how well the Ichiran broth grabs on and infuses to the noodles.
I think I like that Chashu at Ichiran a little better too, because it is a bit thinner cut and a bit more flavorful.
Every single element just orchestrates this intensely, flavorful, ramen symphony.
And every single time I eat it, I want to give it a standing ovation
Ooh, felt good.
Ooh, it's raining right now, but oh i'm new to this.
I feel like I could walk through the Arctic without a jacket.
But before we break this down, I need, I need something else.
Feel like I needed something sweet after the ramen and I was passing by Happy Pancakes.
I was at this place in Tokyo, and typically I would have ate probably twice what I ate today at Ichiran.
But this looks really, really good. Oh this looks good, tiramisu pancake.
Pumpkin, chestnut, raisin butter?
But when in Kyoto, gotta get some matcha.
I kid you not, for some reason eating Ichiran makes me hungrier. I'm not even joking, but I'm starving right now.
Anyway, let's break this down. This is what I love about Ippudo.
I love the fact that they gave you so many extra things that add into your ramen.
Like the pickled veggies, the spicy bean sprouts, and that garlic you mash into your ramen.
That's a trans-formative move and makes the ramen so, so, so much better.
In terms of the dishes itself, I appreciate how incredibly silky.
I mean it is for sure the smoothest, silkiest broth I ever had when I tasted the Shiromaru classic.
But I think my favorite of the three noodles I tried is a hundred percent the Akamaru.
I just feel like that ramen is, is more fragrant, much more powerful, more aggressively flavored, ...
...And for me I like things seasoned pretty well. I mean, adding the Miso to the original pretty, fantastic, pork broth ...
...I mean it's indescribable. But the taste is like an exploding umame bomb.
Oh, sorry. My matchas pancakes. Ah, thank you, thank you.
Pardon the delicious interruption, but I gotta do this really quick.
The sweet cream is melting on the fluffy panc- aw that is fluffy.
If you ever wonder what a matcha cloud will taste like, come here and get this.
Perfect post ramen food.
Now I feel complete. I feel, I feel good. All right, let's, let's go back to talking about ramen.
Like I mentioned at Ippudo, my favorite was the Akamaru without a doubt. I didn't feel rushed.
Everyone was so polite, so accommodating. Really enjoyed my experience.
And that was by far, like I mentioned, the best experience I've ever had at Ippudo.
And as I said in a restaurant before this, I never ever felt the need to eat at Ippudo.
But this experience here, it's completely changed. Now I crave Ippudo ramen.
What I did not enjoy, and this is just a personal preference, you guys may totally disagree.
I didn't really love the Shiromaru Classic. I love the broth. I think the broth is just out of this world.
Well, when I was eating the noodles with the broth, I wasn't getting as much flavor in the noodles.
I definitely needed a lot of the little veggies to eat with the noodles to get more flavor.
Now onto Ichiran. I've done a few videos in Ichiran, so you guys know I love that place.
I mean everything from the chilies, from the broth, to the noodles, ...
...To the garlic they put in there. I love everything about that bowl of ramen.
It's something I crave and dream about and I know I just did a ramen video.
Um, at Tomitas, but that is a really different type of ramen than Ichiran.
Ichiran is one of those places where I slurp the noodles and drink the broth and I just, I feel so good inside.
I really do. It's just incredibly tasty.
I don't have to overthink. Yeah.
Just go in there, get the noodles, get what I typically get, customize it whatever way you want, and then you just fill it right here.
Although they don't really give you any little veggies on the side, which I wish they did.
I mean that's what I really, really loved about Ippudo. I like this space you get at Ichiran
That's like your own little personal ramen world. So, after eating at these two places, if I had to choose right now...
...I feel like I still prefer Ichiran over Ippudo. Again, my own personal opinion.
You don't have to agree with me. In terms of broth, I think Ippudo has a slight advantage in terms of noodles.
I think they're pretty much even, but I love, love Ichiran's chili.
Such a fragrant chili powder.
Even thinking about it now, my mouth is watering and I just ate like, three, fluffy pancakes.
I think taste wise, that's really what's pushing Ichiran over the edge for me.
But I'm glad I was able to try both places. Thank you guys so much for urging me to try Ippudo.
Give it another chance because I absolutely adore it now.
But in either case, both of these places absolutely must try if you are ever visiting Japan.
Also guys, please let me know in the comments below...
...Which one do you prefer? And why? Again, thank you all so much for watching this video. Until we eat again. See you later.