I went for an early lunch at a restaurant known for its "Kombu Tsukemen" originating from Arita-cho, Saga Prefecture. The location is in Ogon 2-chome, on the monorail street, a left turn after walking from "Yamauchi Kousan." There is no sign, so look for the curtain of the udon shop "Dondon-an" across the street as a landmark. The main menu is the "Kombu Tsukemen," with one type of noodle. The price is the same for 200g and 300g, with an additional 200g for 200 yen. Toppings affect the price: - Noodles (200g/300g): 1000 yen - Soft-boiled egg (200g/300g): 1150 yen - Meat (200g/300g): 1200 yen - Meat and egg (200g/300g): 1350 yen I ordered the "Meat and egg (200g)" for 1350 yen, choosing the cold option. The noodles are served in Kombu water with chicken ham, soft-boiled egg, and fragrant grilled chicken on top. Following the instructions on how to eat the "Kombu Tsukemen," I started with the salt. The combination of wheat flavor, Kombu, rock salt umami, and saltiness made it delicious from the start. Then, I tried it with wasabi and finished with the katsuobushi-infused dipping sauce. The noodles are made with original whole grain flour, thin but chewy with a unique texture similar to udon or ramen. They are satisfying, even with just 200g. I enjoyed changing the taste with the grilled chicken, chicken ham, and soft-boiled egg throughout the meal. All ways of eating it are delicious, but personally, I prefer it with salt. The price is a bit high, but it's a unique and carefully crafted original Tsukemen that you can't find elsewhere.

"Meat and egg 300g for 1350 yen at a ramen shop that specializes in kelp water dipping noodles. You can enjoy various flavor combinations, all of which were quite delicious. I opted for the 300g portion since it was the same price as the 200g, and it left me feeling satisfied. There is parking available nearby."

This restaurant offers a light, Japanese-style chicken dipping soup instead of the usual rich type. The dipping soup goes well with noodles that have a firm texture soaked in kelp water, but it is also delicious just with salt as mentioned in the description! You can enjoy it with just salt, salt and wasabi, dipping soup only, or dipping soup with wasabi. You can choose between 200g and 300g of noodles for the same price, and even with 200g, you can feel quite satisfied. However, the wooden chopsticks provided make it difficult to grip the slippery noodles, so I plan to ask for disposable chopsticks next time. Also, the staff members have blonde hair, but they are not like delinquents, they have a refreshing and stylish hairstyle with a sense of cleanliness, and everyone had lovely smiles.

It was delicious! The flavor of the kelp and the firm noodles went well together. The slippery noodles might have been easier to eat with chopsticks as others have mentioned, but I enjoyed it until the end. I felt satisfied with about 150g, but 200g left me really full. The meat (chashu?) was not greasy like the usual ramen toppings, and the "meat" here was healthy and tasty. The grilled chicken was a nice touch and the bitterness was delicious. The seaweed had a nice aroma, and I regret not adding more. Personally, I like spicy food, so I would have been happy with shichimi, spicy grated radish, or ginger. Even with salt, wasabi, or dipping sauce, it was delicious. It was refreshing and smooth to eat on a hot day.

I don't know much about the genre of Saga Tsukemen, but I decided to try it because they offer Konbu water Tsukemen. This was not available in the Kitakyushu area before. The quality of the noodles was good, and when dipped in seaweed salt, you could really taste the aroma of the wheat. The dipping sauce was also delicious, but I felt that I wanted the noodles to be more coated with it. In the end, I preferred eating it with salt and wasabi. I remember having something similar at Namikoshi before. So, I wish they would pay more attention to the wasabi.

When I visited, the dipping sauce was cold. At first, I was given algae salt and wasabi to accompany the noodles. The noodles seemed to be made of whole wheat, which was a bit different. The noodles soaked in kelp water were slippery, so it might be better to ask for chopsticks. Eating the noodles dipped in the sauce was delicious at first, but after a few bites, I started to get bored. The sauce became thinner like with somen noodles, and I found myself washing the slimy noodles in the sauce. It wasn't bad, but it didn't meet my expectations. The staff themselves may not realize, but in the food service industry, lack of attention to customer service can be perceived as unfriendly.

I went at 10 am because it seemed crowded during the day! It's great when a restaurant opens at 10 am! Even so, more than half of the seats were already taken. (On a weekday) The cold tsukemen was perfect for the hot weather. The attention to detail is amazing. I will definitely go again!

The noodles with meatballs cost 1350 yen for 300g. Instead of chashu, there was grilled chicken on top, without much explanation. It seemed like there was plenty of chashu in the kitchen, so it was unclear why they used chicken. The noodles were hard to pick up and eat because they were soaked in kombu water. It would have been better if the chopsticks had some texture or grip to prevent slipping. It's recommended to ask for less noodles as the dipping sauce gets diluted quickly.

I entered the restaurant on Saturday at 3:00 PM to avoid the crowded time (business hours are from 10:00 to 16:00). There were 4 customers before me. I used the coin parking lot across the street. I ordered the meat and egg 200g for 1350 yen. The noodles were smooth and chewy, thanks to the effect of kelp water. The noodles were slippery and easy to eat. I was given sturdy disposable chopsticks. I enjoyed eating the noodles with wasabi and seaweed salt. The dipping sauce had a taste that would also go well with Japanese soba noodles. The charcoal-grilled brand chicken meat had a satisfying texture. The chashu and egg had almost no flavor, so I dipped them in the sauce to soak up the taste. The noodles were so delicious that I want to come back next time just for the noodles.

Meat dumplings 300g for 1350 yen. It's not easy to come across kombu water dipping noodles in Kitakyushu. It's nice that you can choose between 200g and 300g of noodles for the same price. First, sprinkle with seaweed salt and try it as is. Then add some wasabi for another bite. Finally, dip it in the broth. The broth has chunks of chicken which is satisfying. The egg is cooked to a soft-boiled finish, which is well done, but I struggled a bit with how to eat it with the dipping noodles. The service was polite and overall good.

Jeanne Mammy Blog: https://lovefairy.jp/ This is a ramen restaurant that opened in June in Ogura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu City. The main store seems to be in Saga Prefecture. The Ogura store is a bit far from the monorail station and Route 3, so it's convenient to go by car, but unfortunately there is no parking lot. There are no prominent signs, but you can tell it's the store by a board about A2 size and an orchid at the storefront. Inside the store, there are counter seats surrounding the kitchen and about 5 counter seats along the wall. Purchase a meal ticket at the ticket machine and take a seat. Choose the amount of noodles and toppings. Meat and Egg 300g (1350 yen) It's a dipping ramen with homemade noodles soaked in kombu water. The noodles are cold and firm. Instead of dipping them directly in the soup, try them first with seaweed salt and wasabi. The warm soup gives a nice contrast to the cold noodles. The fact that the soup is soaked in kombu water means it's not overly salty or too light, which I liked. The meat is cooked at a low temperature and is tender and delicious. Finally, drink the remaining kombu water with the soup (recommended?). Kombu is nutritious and good for the body, so it would be a waste to leave it. Saga Chimaki (400 yen) I love chimaki, so I was curious about "Saga Chimaki." It turned out to be a chimaki with seaweed in it. One thing that caught my attention was the service. It's hard to tell since the restaurant just opened, but there was a lack of liveliness in the atmosphere. It doesn't have to be lively, but I think better customer service, especially from female staff, would be nice. Thank you for the meal! Thank you for reading (Jeanne Mammy)

I found this ramen shop on Instagram and was curious about it. I don't eat tsukemen (dipping noodles) often, but I went because I was interested in the noodles. There are a few coin parking lots around the shop. The interior is stylish with counter seats. I bought a meal ticket and then sat down. The noodles had a chewy texture and the seaweed salt was delicious. The dipping sauce was a bit strong for me. The chopsticks were slippery, making it a bit difficult to eat the noodles.

Original Saga tsukemen Koto. Which comes first or last? Similar to Hakata's Gekkoken. A refreshing soba. The broth contains Arita chicken roasted over charcoal, giving it a fragrant and delicious taste. The rich flavor of chicken bones comes through in the broth, but it's a shame that the flavor diminishes with each sip due to the kombu water. If you're looking for a good balance of texture and flavor in your broth, then TATSUMI in Kokuraminami Ward would be a better choice. I was looking forward to the original Saga tsukemen, but it felt like it needed a little something extra. More importantly, I hope they start serving the dried fish tsukemen that they offer at the main store in Saga at the Kokura branch as well.

I heard that a Konbu dipping noodles shop opened in Kitakyushu, coming from Saga, and the reviews around were good, so I decided to give it a try. It was my first time and I didn't know anything, but there was a staff at the ticket machine who explained about Konbu dipping noodles in detail. I got the recommended "all toppings" and added some extra seaweed. The interior of the shop was surprisingly spacious and clean, which I couldn't tell from the outside. I think even a woman dining alone can feel safe and enjoy their meal. The noodles were soaked in Konbu water, cold and refreshing. When dipped in the warm dipping sauce, it was easy to eat with a hint of sweetness. There were two large pieces of grilled chicken in the dipping sauce, which added a satisfying touch to the meal. Lastly, adding the leftover Konbu water into the dipping sauce made it taste delicious until the end, like soba broth. I visited in the early afternoon and there were quite a few customers, which was understandable considering how delicious the food was.

I don't usually eat tsukemen, but I saw it on YouTube and it looked delicious so I decided to try it. Eating it with algal salt and wasabi (if you like) was very refreshing, especially the salt. The restaurant was clean and the service was good. I will definitely visit again!

Niku Tamago (200g) for 1350 yen. I rarely eat tsukemen, so I was curious about what "kombu water tsukemen" is. I had never heard of this before. An old man, who is not very knowledgeable, rode his bike to try it out. I pressed the button for the recommended Niku Tamago. The portion size was small, with only 200g of noodles. I handed the food ticket to the lady at the restaurant and my dish arrived in about 10 minutes. I tried eating it as recommended. The noodles were thick and had a chewy texture. They were good on their own and also tasted great with seaweed salt. The wasabi was too little to notice. The dipping sauce on the left side looked like it would be strong in flavor, but it was relatively light. It had a nice smoky flavor from the meat. The chashu tasted like ham. The egg was average. The noodles were slippery, making it hard to pick up with chopsticks. It could be partly due to my chopstick skills.

After reading the reviews of Mairevi-san, I found out that a new restaurant in Kokura Kitaku Ogonmachi is selling something called "Kombu Water Dipping Noodles," so I decided to visit it right away. When I arrived around noon on Wednesday, there were about 5 people waiting outside the restaurant. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I finally entered the restaurant. I ordered the "Meat and Egg 300g" at the ticket vending machine by the entrance. The price for 200g and 300g of noodles is the same, which is a strong point of their homemade noodles! After sitting at the counter seat, it took about 10 minutes for the dish to be served. The whole wheat medium-thick noodles soaked in kombu water were neatly arranged and beautiful! The chewy texture was delicious even with just salt and wasabi. The dipping sauce was soy sauce-based and light. It contained chicken and leeks like yakitori, which balanced well with the noodles. Finally, I poured the kombu water into the dipping sauce and finished drinking it all. I enjoyed the "Kombu Water Dipping Noodles," which made its debut in Kitakyushu.

Opened on June 1, 2023, in the middle of the Monorail Kashunokuchi-San Hagino to Katano Station, this specialty shop offers konbu water dipping noodles. The main store is said to be in Saga, but since I have not visited there, I visited with a neutral mindset. The signboard features a mascot character on a pillar, with just one small standing sign. Currently, a flower wreath serves as a landmark. The interior of the shop is modern and stylish, with trendy lighting. The menu only offers konbu water dipping noodles, so I automatically went for the all-in menu with extra 300g of flavored egg and char siu. The price is ¥1,350. It was unusual for a dipping noodle shop to ask, "Would you like green onions added?" when handing over the meal ticket. Perhaps this is the style of the main store, or maybe it's a style similar to Doki Doki Udon (which is also commonly asked here). Now, about the konbu water dipping noodles... It was created by Mr. Shimazaki of Rock'n' Billy S1, but perhaps because the original source is not well known, it has been appearing in many places lately, including Hakata and even reaching Kitakyushu via Saga. The specifications include rare char siu and whole grain noodles, which are a standard choice. The noodles are said to be homemade and they meet the standard for now. It's nice that up to 300g of noodles are available at the same price with homemade noodles. The broth is a light soy sauce-based broth with a slightly salty taste. The rare char siu has almost no flavor but adds texture, and it's mainly seasoned by soaking in the broth. The flavored egg is similar. Personally, I may have been better off without adding these two. The chicken meat, which is like grilled chicken skewers, has a somewhat cheap seasoning. Also, the fact that it was charred until burnt may make it tasty on its own, but because it is added to the broth, the burnt flavor turns into bitterness, which is unfortunate. It would have been better if they had charred it without burning it or removed the burnt parts. Nevertheless, it's truly a "safe taste that everyone can enjoy." The seaweed salt is as expected, but the wasabi is a bit unusual. It's a shame that there's no black pepper. Be careful because the amount of broth is small, so if you pour all the konbu water at the end, it will dilute quite a bit. Overseas, and even away from the city center, ordinary Japanese izakayas can become a gathering place for expatriates, but here, it seems like it will be appreciated by those in Kitakyushu who have become hooked on konbu water dipping noodles in Kansai, Tokyo, or Hakata. Since konbu water dipping noodles have become such a hit (or copied), it should be easily accepted by first-time visitors as well. Personally, it feels a bit lonely to have only a "konbu water dipping noodle specialty shop," but I wonder if they will eventually start offering various original ramen dishes as well? Right? Also, the noodles are shaped like a ball of noodles, which is not bad, but it makes it difficult to pick up with chopsticks. Additionally, the chopsticks at this shop are not designed for ramen, making it a bit difficult to eat. If I buy chopsticks next time, I hope they have ones specifically for dipping noodles. The broth is usually placed on the left at a regular dipping noodle shop, but here it was on the right, which also felt a bit odd, but this may be a minor detail.

The parking lot is a nearby coin parking. I went straight to the newly opened kombu dipping noodles shop today. There was a wait for a few groups. It's a ticket vending machine system. I tried ordering the recommended Niku-tamago (200g of meat and egg). The noodles are homemade using spring samurai wheat flour from Saga Prefecture, with a smooth and chewy texture. The combination of salt and wasabi is delicious. I used to avoid tsukemen because I thought it would be too strong in flavor, but this one is refreshing and has a taste I like. The fact that they serve cola in bottles is also nice.

Last time, the wooden chopsticks provided made it difficult to grip the noodles as they were too slippery, so this time I asked for disposable chopsticks from the beginning! It was early on a weekday morning, so there were no other customers and I was able to enjoy my meal slowly.

One day, one noodle series. Style of eating noodles by dipping them in cold kelp water and then in the dipping sauce. I'm not a fan of dipping noodles, but I managed to finish 200g. The rare chashu and seasoned egg were both delicious even without dipping them. The noodles had a light seasoning which was great. I will definitely come back.