Gluten-free ramen now on the menu at Japan’s ramen museum

An aversion to gluten doesn’t have to interfere with your gluttony for ramen at the collection of prestigious restaurants specializing in the delicious noodles.

Out of Japan’s three favorite types of noodles, soba, udon, and ramen, it’s the third that’s really taken off internationally. That’s fitting, seeing as how ramen was originally a culinary import from China, and having the shortest history in Japan makes it the least bound by traditions and the most adaptable to foreign palates.

Of course, there’s also the simple fact that ramen just tastes really, really good.

But while people across the globe have been joining in on the ramen love fest over the past few years, there’s one group that’s been left out: diners sticking to a no-gluten diet, whether for health or personal reasons. After all, ramen noodles are ordinarily made from wheat, which is the most common source of dietary gluten in most cuisines.

Starting today, though, two ramen restaurants in Yokohama will be adding gluten-free ramen to their menus, allowing lovers and haters of the divisive protein alike to slurp side by side in culinary harmony.

Both restaurants are located within the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, a collection of satellite branches of prestigious and noteworthy ramen restaurants located near Yokohama’s Shinkansen station. The first gluten-free option comes from Muku Zweite, which replaces the regular wheat noodles with ones made from rice flour and uses a no-flour miso broth. Along with chashu pork, you’ll also find carrots, bean sprouts, onions, and cabbage in the bowl.

▼ Muku Zweite’s gluten-free ramen, priced at 950 yen (US$8.60)

If you’re craving seafood instead of veggies, Komurasaki’s gluten-free ramen is filled with the blessings of the sea. The harusame (bean starch) vermicelli noodles are served in a salty pork broth and topped with shrimp, squid, clams, kikurage (cloud ear mushrooms), cabbage, bean sprouts, and half a hard-boiled egg.

▼ Komurasaki’s gluten-free ramen (700 yen)

The addition of gluten-free ramen lineup follows two other culinary globalization milestones at the museum the introduction of vegetarian ramen in 2004 and “Muslim-friendly” ramen in 2013.

Museum information
Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum / 新横浜ラーメン博物館
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Kohoku-ku, Shin Yokohama 2-14-21
神奈川県横浜市港北区新横浜2−１４−２１
Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Admission 310 yen
Website

You know what else is gluten-free? Following Casey on Twitter!

Source: IT Media
Top image: Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum
Insert images: Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum (1, 2)

Credit: