I was watching YouTube and someone said Rairaitei’s spicy ramen suits Korean tastes. So I went to check it out.

Rairaitei

It’s famous enough to have its own cup ramen, and you see these shops all the time traveling around Japan.

Open

There was a line even though it was raining. Goes to show how popular this place is..

Seating

You order on a tablet, and since you don’t have to say anything out loud, I find this way much easier. It feels like this is becoming the default now.

Umeboshi

First time I’ve seen umeboshi at a ramen shop. Surprisingly, they kind of go well with it.

Menu

Once you use it, it’s pretty convenient.

Inside

This is the vibe.

Finally, the Umakara-men

It’s a spicy ramen, and it’s seriously spicy.. Now I get what they meant by a flavor Koreans would love. I’d say it’s about the level of a fiery kimchi jjigae.. It’s spicy enough to kill a Japanese person, and a chain sells it? I had to wonder how that’s even possible.. Anyway, it’s not just heat, it’s loaded with garlic chives and bean sprouts, so it’d be a good place to go when you miss Korean flavors. The only thing is.. the broth is so spicy that the noodles alone don’t really tame it. I think it’s better to order something like fried rice on the side.

Noodles

Ramen here normally comes with thin noodles, but this spicy one is the only one that uses thick noodles.

Extra green onion topping

The green onion adds a refreshing note, which is nice. Anyway, I really got to enjoy proper Korean-style heat for the first time in a while.

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