Nara Seimen (楢製麺) is a new ramen kid on the block. But they’ve quickly made an elegant splash. You’d expect nothing less from the creators of Udon Shin.
Dining Elegance
Nara Seimen has an unassuming exterior. But when you enter, you’ll feel a rush of classiness.
I used the word “shack” because of the low ceiling, the sparse number of seats, and the overall snug environment. But their shack is an elegant one, complete with elegant menus.
Biggest Ramen Takenoko I’ve seen
Choose from shoyu or shio. The shoyu is softly flavored, with just enough chicken bone goodness glistening on top. The chicken bones come from Yamanashi and Tottori prefectures and are cooked alongside Raus kelp. No chemical seasoning here.
Shoyu Ramen with All Toppings
Ordering all toppings is on the pricier side (¥1,380) – but such is the cost of elegance. Cripsy white negi and silky egg are from Tochigi. It’s a triple treat for the chashu – low-temp cooked, broiled chicken from Yamanashi, pork jowl from Hokkaido, and pork shoulder from Miyazaki.
But the topping that physically stands out is the gigantic bamboo shoot (takenoko). It’s crunchy, earthy, and so pure in taste.
The ramen noodles are made on-site and with three types of Hokkaido wheat. Just like in udon, these noodles don’t contain kansui. It’s a deliberate choice – the same group operates restaurant Udon Shin right around the corner.
In summary, Nara Seimen elegantly ticks all the boxes.
For similarly elegant, Michelin recommend ramen in trendy Jiyugaoka, CLICK HERE.