A shop name that is just too straightforward! Enjoying a green onion feast in Yokohama's "Green Onion Ramen" is an adult's detour.

The "Negi Ramen" located in Yokohama's Center Kita has a name that is straightforward yet intriguing. I tried the Negi Ramen soy sauce and the Negi rice set.

The shop name "Negi Ramen" was too honest and caught my attention

Right near Center Kita Station of the Yokohama City Subway, on the B1 floor of "Aitai," that shop was located. The exterior boldly proclaimed vibrant yellow and red colors. And the store name written in large letters on the sign was, simply put… "Negi Ramen."

I couldn't help but exclaim to myself, "That's just it." No decorations or twists at all. That simplicity was oddly intriguing. On the way back from a drive on a holiday, with no particular destination in mind, this shop suddenly came into my view.

"Shall I stop by for a bit?" With such a light-hearted feeling, I entered the shop.

Choosing Negi Ramen on the tablet

Since it was slightly outside of lunch hours, I was guided to a seat immediately without waiting. The shop had a calm atmosphere, and the ordering process was done through the tablet from checking the menu to payment, which minimized interaction and was enjoyable for me as the writer.

While gazing at the menu, I immediately decided on the "Green Onion Ramen Soy Sauce - Small Size 160g" (980 yen) and the "Green Onion Rice" (280 yen) set. It’s a small indulgence of “let's go all out with green onions.”

After a few minutes from the order, the bowl arrived faster than expected.

I realized it was indeed a delicious “serious soy sauce ramen.”

Despite the appearance of the back fat heavily covering the entire soup, the moment I slurped it, I was greeted with a rich flavor of soy sauce that has depth. It’s not overwhelming; the richness of the back fat nicely binds everything together.

At first glance, I thought, “Isn’t it too rich?” but that worry disappeared with the first bite.

The thin noodles, with the aroma of wheat wafting through my nose, have a delightful crunch with each bite. I didn’t specially order them to be hard, so they should be normal, but they cling well to the soup, and my chopsticks wouldn’t stop.

The grilled seaweed topping retains its robust flavor, and the seaweed, although a supporting actor, contributes a good accent by melting its coastal flavor into the soup.

Notably, the char siu is particularly impressive; it breaks apart easily when I put my chopsticks in, having a beautifully tender finish. It’s well-infused with flavor, and even just the char siu alone was sufficiently satisfying.

How is the star ingredient, the green onion?

The signboard of this restaurant displays a generous mound of green onions on top of the soup. At first, I eat it as it is to check the freshness and spiciness of the green onions themselves. The crispy texture and the well-defined aroma of the green onions are stronger than I expected, perfectly balancing out the richness of the soup.

As I gradually submerge the green onions into the soup, their flavor starts to dissolve, slightly changing the impression of the soup. The refreshing taste of the green onions blends with the rich soup, making it enjoyable without getting monotonous.

When eaten on its own, the crunchy texture and spiciness stand out, while submerging it in the soup enhances its creaminess. It's interesting how the flavor changes with different ways of eating the same bowl. I think the reason I could enjoy it all the way to the end, while experimenting with various small bites, is thanks to the generous amount of green onions.

Preparing the green onion rice with grated garlic and special spicy miso

For the green onion rice I ordered as a set, I added both the grated garlic and the special spicy miso placed on the table.

This was the correct answer. The simple green onion rice turns into a flavor that is rich and deep all at once. With the aroma of garlic and the richness of spicy miso added, the rhythm of alternating bites with ramen is just perfect. Perhaps because each flavor influences the other, I found it hard to put my chopsticks down. I felt that this had a pretty high cost performance as well.

Enjoying green onion ramen during adult leisure time

On holidays, places like this ramen shop are also nice. There are no extravagant presentations or plating aimed at looking good, but the straightforward attitude, just as the shop's name suggests, leaves an unusual refreshing feeling after finishing the meal. I was thinking on my way back, "Maybe I'll try more green onions next time."

During a drive, on the way back from an outing with family, or when you have some free time alone. If you ever come to Center Kita in Yokohama, why not look for this yellow and red exterior? You will probably enjoy pure satisfaction just as it is.

Green Onion Ramen
Location: 1-1-3 Nakagawa Chuo, Tsuzuki Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Shopping Town Aitai B1F

Interview and text by SYURI

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