16: Erik Bentz | Cafe Mochiko, Ida Shoten, Shonan Negiya, Hasumi, Fukufukutei, Yokohama Iekei Samurai

Episode 24 of the Ramen in Japan podcast is all about looking back into the ramen year 2023 with recurring podcast guest Cody Mizuno, also known as Ramenguidejapan. He is the prime source for English language ramen reviews in Japan and ramen tour guide for your future ramen tour in Tokyo. In this episode, we highlight all the top shops we have eaten in 2023 and also some of the disappointing shops, which have left us scratching our heads.. Top shops of Cody in 2023: Ramen Rikido https://maps.app.goo.gl/ULHHjMxRoihGbzaP7 Ramen Matsui https://maps.app.goo.gl/ThDiWsinKtiHFKnj7 Sakurajosui Funakoshi https://maps.app.goo.gl/5fC8FLkPXBEJPawCA Top shops of Sebastian in 2023 Ramen Feel https://maps.app.goo.gl/SVnrsPZDaqk789nx9 Ramen Bros https://maps.app.goo.gl/GZp7gZd4bKWeuGd19 Niboshimania https://maps.app.goo.gl/WYfbJbi4taV4Riwk6 If you would like to know more about other mentioned shops, just message me on Instagram @namajapantv --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 23 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Hans Lienesch, who is also known as the Ramen Rater. At the time of publishing this podcast, he has reviewed nearly 5000 instant ramen varieties. He and his family are currently going through some rough times, so if you could find it in your heart to help him out for all the work he does for the instant ramen world, you can find his donation site over here: https://gofund.me/76eef59a Check out his instant ramen review website: https://www.theramenrater.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 22 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Jake Vo, who runs the Yume Wo Katare ramen shop in Boston. We talk about his dreams and philosophies surrounding ramen and his ramen shop. Get ready for a slightly different episode of Ramen in Japan. Check out the Instagram of Yume Wo Katare: https://www.instagram.com/yume_wo_katare/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 21 of the Ramen in Japan podcast, this time recorded live and in person with Lindsay Steigerwald and Jesse Pryor, the co-owners of Neighborhood Ramen in Philadelphia. This is the first episode I have ever recorded LIVE, which was so much fun, we could barely stop ourselves and went to almost 3 hours of non-stop ramen talk! We start with the history and background of Neighborhood Ramen and then transition into Lindsay and Jesse's ramen adventure in Japan, which included a ton of great ramen shops in and outside of Tokyo. You can find the most important ramen shops we talked about below: Toy Box https://maps.app.goo.gl/WpHtrDgcsqB8Pu3c9 Nukaji https://maps.app.goo.gl/BcEdRANh9Wx9qVaG8 Ramen Jiro Matsudo https://maps.app.goo.gl/ppF3hNKpKj7F3Pyx5 Senrigan https://maps.app.goo.gl/YWRjNnufVTE6gmAc9 Hayashi https://maps.app.goo.gl/PWtbd3Hwi9xQkCfv6 Kissou https://maps.app.goo.gl/464RRg9rZduieRC8A Maruboshi https://maps.app.goo.gl/jnqUhfEXcDAhRVWf8 Maruko Ramen Center https://maps.app.goo.gl/xZPAYFm5nEwkK5nDA Uzu to Kaminari https://maps.app.goo.gl/8QZCEh4BEFQq25bt7 Bario https://maps.app.goo.gl/gWQCQa6qNZJbNQuP6 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 20 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Madoka aka Backyardramen, serial ramen pop-up chef and regularly viral with her ramen creations which you can check out on ⁠@backyardramen on Instagram. In this episode, we talked about the following shops: Mugi to Mensuke https://goo.gl/maps/X2GQWpRqC5GLjey68 Sennotori https://goo.gl/maps/Q1fNCis97qaGzj2T7 Hanauta https://goo.gl/maps/3yqsm4u7SJbHwQeW7 Suehiroya https://goo.gl/maps/NizGFt28xh2XcHaY7 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 19 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Drew Huckey, home ramen engineer and known as @darth.ramen.wednesday on Instagram. We talk about how he found his way to ramen, his recreation of the bowl I had at Maikagura in Tokyo, as well as the Neighborhood Ramen Pop-Up at Menya Nukaji in Shibuya and his latest bowl he had in the US at Union Ramen Bar in New Orleans. In this episode, we talked about the following shops: Ramen Maikagura ⁠https://goo.gl/maps/Po51D66aiz5qjiLr8 Neighborhood Ramen ⁠https://goo.gl/maps/8AQmqcbgBY1KNHUE8 Menya Nukaji (麺屋ぬかじ) https://goo.gl/maps/U2pDfTL1XKX6jnFk8 Union Ramen Bar (New Orleans) ⁠https://goo.gl/maps/FKJZRYWDHxpemuLG9 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 18 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Spencer Teiken, host and creator of the Teiken Ramen Channel. We talk about how he found his way to ramen, his ramen channel and his latest trip to Japan, which included a good number of interesting ramen bowls. In this episode, we talked about the following shops: Ramen Jiro Mita Honten (ラーメン二郎 三田本店) https://goo.gl/maps/pu3sRS4vyVmHq4Ka6?coh=178573&entry=tt Waka Tokyo (中華そば 和渦 TOKYO) https://goo.gl/maps/UbZ8NV8BpCqm9zSG9?coh=178573&entry=tt Ramen Kokuu (らーめん 穀雨) https://goo.gl/maps/2M4bW58jV8TEuNFEA?coh=178573&entry=tt Sakurajosui Funakoshi (桜上水 船越) https://goo.gl/maps/Z3ja2cz77Z2tefz39?coh=178573&entry=tt --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 17 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Elvin Yung, a hoarder of ramen knowledge and well known for his reverse engineering of various legendary ramen styles such as the Higashi-Ikebukuro Taishoken style tsukemen or Jiro style ramen on his Secret Pro Techniques ramen blog. We talk about how he found his way to ramen and his latest trip to Japan, which included a good number of interesting ramen bowls. You can find Elvin on Instagram as @shikaku.ramen In this episode, we talked about the following shops: Tsukesoba Kanda Katsumoto (つけそば神田勝本) https://goo.gl/maps/3n54Doy4AuPfr3o98 Chukatei Bunten (中華亭 分店) https://goo.gl/maps/R5Y4y5KQkNdXygAdA Shinasoba Tantantei (支那そば たんたん亭) https://goo.gl/maps/QiuGppf1PprWBZEi8 Hasumi Shinmachi (蓮爾 新町一丁目店) https://goo.gl/maps/MFKRpCDSJxKqr1WN8 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 16 of the Ramen in Japan podcast with my very special guest Erik Bentz, a gourmet chef turned ramen chef and co-owner of Cafe Mochiko in Cincinnati. We talk about his latest trip to Japan, his pop-up at Ramen Feel in Ome, his visit to Ida Shoten and many more ramen shops in Japan, we both enjoyed in the recent time. You can find Erik on Instagram ＠erik_bentz and his ramen restaurant Cafe Mochiko ＠mochikocincy Cafe Mochiko (Cincinatti) https://goo.gl/maps/z5fNChnregSHqpu86 Ida Shoten (らぁ麺 飯田商店) https://goo.gl/maps/MKxu8424P6H18Cpq7 Shonan Negiya (湘南ねぎ家) https://goo.gl/maps/ywZaNYm18isFmyZJ8 Hasumi (蓮爾 新町一丁目店) https://goo.gl/maps/Qr7MKaVuv6b2koCV9 Fukufukutei (自家製麺 支那そば 福々亭) https://goo.gl/maps/v4tqU4BvdqnmYnPi6 Yokohama Iekei Samurai Shibuya (横浜家系ラーメン 侍 渋谷本店) https://goo.gl/maps/oSLBviNZjxBLA2MU8 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message

Episode 15 of the Ramen in Japan podcast, this time going a bit beyond Japan, all the way to São Paulo, Brazil, with my very special guest Simoe Xirata, the owner of the ramen shops Jojo Ramen, Jojo Lab and Jojo Go in São Paulo, Brazil. She is also the vice president of the Brazilian Association for Japanese Gastronomy. We talk about her ramen shop, ramen in Brazil in general, as well as the ramen she has eaten during her recent visit to Japan. Make sure to follow her on Instagram: @simone.xirata Jojo Ramen Google Maps Link Ramen Nagi Google Maps Link Ramen Kenta Google Maps Link Kadoya Shokudo (中華そば カドヤ食堂 総本店) Google Maps Link Niboshimania Google Maps Link --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rameninjapan/message