Niboshi Noodles NiboNiboCino / 煮干しNoodles NiboNiboCino - Hatanodai

Niboshi Noodles NiboNiboCino is a ramen shop, specializing in niboshi heavy ramen dishes with a strong allure to Italian pasta. From the outside already, you will see Italian flag decoration and several niboshi (dried sardine) imagines. The main dishes at NiboNiboCino are mazesoba or mixing noodle style ramen dishes, which have a strong similarity to what you would call pasta, or specifically spaghetti. Of course, ramen noodles with kansui are used, but you can’t help but wonder if you’re really eating ramen or pasta.

Looking at the bowl of Niku Nibonibocino (肉ニボニボチーノ), you can identify a heap of noodles, sitting on a gravy like sauce, flanked on the left what looks like braised meat rather than chashu and on the right by finely diced red onion cubes. Starting with the noodles: They are of medium thickness and have a nice bite and chew to them, not unlike well executed al dente pasta.

The gravy like sauce coats the noodles really well, although some mixing is recommended, as the sauce gathers at the bottom over time. The base of the sauce is a gritty and flavorful niboshi plus aromatic chicken fat. Additionally you will find fried garlic throughout the sauce. A very very enjoyable slurping experience, especially if you're a fan of niboshi. The meat basically falls apart when touched and works well when mixed into the noodles. Same goes for the red onions, which are a common combination with niboshi heavy soups, since they cut trough the heavy flavors and offer a bit of crunch.

*Looking at the front of Niboshi Noodles NiboNiboCino*

The shop itself is basically next to Hatanodai station. On the opposite side of the street you will actually find another ramen store, Menya Brigthon (麺家ぶらいとん), which serves tonkotsu-gyokai based ramen, tsukemen and abura soba. Normally you will find both stores having reasonable lines in front of them.