A. Hakata Ramen is a kind of Ramen (Chinese-style noodles) born in Hakata, or Fukuoka City in the western island of Kyushu, Japan.
Note that it is also called 'Nagahama Ramen' from the name of the district in Fukuoka City where it was born.
A. A bowl of ramen consists of three things; noodles, soup, and toppings. (Four things, actually, if you include the bowl.) And each part of Hakata Ramen has characteristic features. The noodles of Hakata Ramen are hard and thin, which gives you a unique touch on your teeth. And the very system of Kaedama gives satisfaction to your hungry stomach. The soup is extracted from tonkotsu (pork bones), which is very thick and strong.
A. You think that the servings of Japanese restaurants are too small for the prices? Then Kaedama is for you! Kaedama is the system that offers you two or more 'balls' of noodles for a little more money. To order a Kaedama, finish (or get almost finished with) the noodles in the ramen that will come to you first. Then say, 'Kaedama Kudasai' or 'kah-Eh-Dah-Mah, Koo-Dah-Sigh.' In a few minutes, the clerk will bring you another 'ball' of noodles, and put it in the soup. (And pay for it now, if you are asked.) At that time, you must have enough amount of the soup in the bowl to accomodate the new noodles, that is, you shouldn't drink much of the soup if you are going to order a Kaedama.
A. I have never heard of anyone who had a stomachache as a result of eating hakata ramen, but if you are anxious, or if you just don't like hard noodles, try asking for softer noodles next time you order. Say 'Yawamen de.' or 'Yah-wah-men-deh.' On the contrary, if you would like harder noodles than the shop usually offer, say 'Katamen de' or 'Kah-Tah-men deh.' You can say these words when you order a Kaedama, as well as when you first order a ramen.
A. Generally a kaedama is tasteless compared with the first serving, simply because it is dipped in the soup for a shorter time. If there's some kind of sauce in front of you, unless it is for 'Gyoza,' try adding it. Go easy on the sauce, because it might destroy the taste if added in excess.
A. Get used to it. If you can't, forget about hakata ramen. Sorry.
A. Yes. Though some people use 'lamen' instead of 'ramen', I stick to 'ramen' because the letter L is never used in Japanese words.
A. There are Sapporo, Kitakata, Sano, Tokyo, Kumamoto, Kagoshima to name a few major kinds named after their birthplaces. According to another categorization by the recipes, there are shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, shio (salt) ramen, miso ramen, and, of course, tonkotsu (pork bones) ramen (the category Hakata Ramen belongs to). After all, Hakata Ramen beats anything!
Q. What is 'Kaedama'?
Q. The noodles were so hard that it smelled like flour. Were they safe?
Q. The Kaedama I ordered was completely tasteless. Can I add my ketchup in it?
Q. I can't stand the taste and/or smell of hakata ramen.
Q. Do 'ramen' and 'lamen' represent the same thing?
Q. Other than Hakata Ramen, what kinds of ramen are there in Japan?
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