Nishiyama Seimen Sumire Shio Ramen

Another one I picked up in Japan. Nishiyama Seimen is a well-known Sapporo ramen brand and the Sumire Shio is their salt broth variety. It comes with bamboo shoots already included which is a nice detail for an instant ramen.

Produced in Japan.

What’s in the Package

Inside the package, you’ll find a square block of air-dried noodles, a white pouch containing the liquid shio (salt) soup base, and a vacuum-sealed transparent pack of seasoned bamboo shoots (menma).

How to Cook Sumire Shio Ramen

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring gently to separate them.
2. While the noodles cook, place the unopened soup pouch in a bowl of hot water to soften the lard inside. In a separate serving bowl, mix the contents of the soup pouch with 300ml of boiling water.
3. Drain the cooked noodles well and add them to the prepared broth.
4. Open the bamboo shoot pack and place them on top. Serve immediately.

My tip is to add about 50ml extra water and cook for an extra 30 seconds.

How Does It Taste

The broth has a clean authentic Japanese shio character that’s hard to find in instant ramen. The saltiness is balanced. It’s noticeably less aggressive than most instant ramens at this level which lets the actual flavor come through. No spice, no heat, just a clean salt broth.

They still came out with a good al dente texture which says something about the noodle quality. The included bamboo shoots rehydrate well and add a chew that gives the bowl more texture than it would otherwise have.

How Does It Compare

One of the more authentic Japanese instant ramens on the site alongside the Misen Taiwan Ramen and Ichiran Ramen. The shio profile puts it in different territory from both of those. It’s cleaner and more delicate than the Misen’s meatier broth and more approachable than the Ichiran’s tonkotsu base. If you want to experience a Japanese shio ramen in instant form this is the one to reach for.

How to Level Up Nishiyama Seimen Sumire Shio Ramen

I would add fish cakes, chashu, and green onions.

Final Verdict

A good shio ramen in instant form. The salt level is well calibrated, the noodles hold up, and the bamboo shoots are a welcome inclusion. Might be hard to find outside of Japan but worth seeking out if you can.

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

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• Misen Taiwan Ramen
• Ichiran Ramen
• Sanyo Foods Junren Sapporo Miso Ramen
• Itsuki Instant Ramen Noodle Hokkaido Yuzushio
• Sapporo Ichiban Miso Ramen