Kumamoto Ramen Noodles
The noodle soup known as Kumamoto ramen is an offshoot of Kurume ramen, Japan’s original tonkotsu pork-bone broth ramen. Kumamoto ramen consists of thick noodles in a tonkotsu broth, sometimes mixed with chicken broth, along with blackened chips of fried or roasted garlic and garlic oil (mayu). This is topped with onion, kikurage wood-ear mushrooms, seaweed, and braised pork belly.
Kumamoto ramen is subtler, lighter, and less meaty than Hakata ramen, which has thicker noodles, tonkotsu broth only, and raw garlic (with the accompanying risk of garlic breath). Ramen makes for a hearty meal, and is energizing and satisfying at any time of year.