Taiwanese Mazesoba Made in America
Now that it’s January, the weather in the U.S. has been bitterly cold day after day. When winter feels endless like this, I suddenly start craving the mazesoba I used to enjoy in Japan. That’s when I thought, “Could I make mazesoba using ingredients I can actually find at American supermarkets?”—so I went online and started researching recipes.
However, many of the recipes I found assumed you had access to ingredients commonly sold in Japanese supermarkets, which made them difficult to recreate exactly in the U.S. So I made a few adjustments to fit what’s available here, tested different versions, and after some trial and error, I finally arrived at a recipe that made me think, “Yes—this is delicious!” (You’ll find it at the very bottom.)
Is Taiwanese mixed noodles not "Taiwanese"?
Is “Taiwan Mazesoba” Actually Taiwanese?
Despite the name, Taiwan Mazesoba is not directly from Taiwan. It actually originated in Nagoya, Japan, as a creative dish developed by a ramen shop called Menya Hanabi.
Here’s the story often shared about its origin:
- Where it began: In 2008, it was created at Menya Hanabi Takahata Main Store in Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture.
- How it started: The owner was experimenting with a new Taiwanese ramen idea, but the seasoned “Taiwan minced meat” didn’t pair well with soup. When he tried placing it on boiled noodles without broth, he realized it tasted amazing.
- Why it’s called “Taiwan”: The name comes from Taiwan minced meat, an ingredient used in Taiwan ramen.
- How it spread: It quickly gained popularity through word of mouth and eventually became the Taiwan Mazesoba we know today.
Kyoto's Ramen Culture and the "Ramen Battleground"
Did you know Kyoto is considered one of Japan’s most competitive ramen cities? On the top floor of the Kyoto Station Building, you’ll find Kyoto Ramen Koji, a special ramen street featuring famous shops from all over Japan—so you can enjoy “national-level” ramen without leaving Kyoto.
Menya Hanabi’s Taiwan Mazesoba was once available there, directly connected to Kyoto Station. However, the contract has since ended, and the space has been replaced by another shop. If you ever visit Kyoto, I highly recommend checking out Kyoto Ramen Koji.
When people think of Kyoto, many imagine light and delicate Kyoto-style broth. But because Kyoto locals are used to refined and subtle flavors in everyday meals, it’s often said they crave bold, rich ramen when they go out. That’s one reason Kyoto has so many satisfying, punchy ramen shops—especially for popular genres like tsukemen and mazesoba.
Recommended ramen, tsukemen, and mixed soba restaurants in Kyoto
Here are some of the ramen, tsukemen, and mazesoba restaurants in Kyoto that I’ve personally tried and truly enjoyed.
🍜 Ramen Classics in Kyoto
Honke Daiichi Asahi
A legendary Kyoto shoyu ramen shop, also famous for early-morning lines.
Menya Inoichi
A 100% seafood-based clear broth ramen shop, selected for the Michelin Bib Gourmand for nine consecutive years. Same-day reservations only (no phone reservations).
Tenkaippin (Main Store)
The iconic name in rich “kotteri” ramen. It’s a nationwide chain, but the main store is in Kyoto.
Ramen Mugyu Vol.2 (Karasuma)
A unique shop that may divide opinions, featuring “Onibara Black” and the deeply flavorful chicken-based “Onibara White.”
🍜 Bonus: Kyoto Ramen Chains & Famous Names
Rairaitei
A customizable ramen chain where you can adjust soup strength and noodle firmness.
Kairikiya
Known for its sweet-and-savory dark soy sauce broth topped with plenty of green onions.
Ramen Yokozuna
Popular for its tonkotsu shoyu broth with unlimited green onions, plus its sizzling teppan fried rice.
Daikoku Ramen
A charming shop in a former sake brewery, operating for about 40 years. It’s impressive how affordable it still is today—Ramen (regular) 530 yen and fried rice 240 yen, plus a 100-yen discount coupon for your next visit.
Ichiran
Not originally from Kyoto, but I still go often because it’s delicious—and in the U.S., one bowl can cost nearly $30, while in Japan it’s closer to $9. The solo dining booth setup is also a fun experience.
🍜 Tsukemen & Mazesoba
Kyoto Tsukemen Tsurukame
A fragrant seafood-based dipping broth paired with thick noodles.
Wajo Ramen Sugari
Highly recommended for their yuzu motsu tsukemen. The location is a little hard to find, but worth it.
Kirameki no Tori
A chain shop, but consistently delicious tsukemen with lots of topping and flavor options.
Menya Yamahide
Originally a Taiwan Mazesoba shop from Nara. Very tasty, but best for those who can handle spicy food.
My Favorite Abura Soba Spot in St. Louis
After eating my way around St. Louis, my favorite ramen shop is Menya Rui. My absolute go-to item is their abura soba.
Abura soba is a type of ramen served without soup, where the noodles are coated directly in sauce and oil—basically a “calorie bomb.” But the rich oil combined with the aroma of fish powder creates an incredibly deep and addictive flavor. I always order it with moromi-pickled cucumber. Of course, cucumbers don’t cancel out the calories, but the refreshing bite pairs perfectly with the rich noodles.
After eating my way around St. Louis, my favorite is MenyaRui. My favorite dish is the abura soba . Abura soba is a type of ramen without any soup that directly coats the noodles with sauce or oil, making it a veritable "calorie bomb." However, the rich oil and fish powder flavor combine to create a very deep and delicious flavor. I always order the abura soba set with the pickled cucumber in moromi . While the light cucumber doesn't offset the calories, the combination with the rich abura soba is fantastic.
Making Taiwanese Mazesoba in the U.S.
Since I can enjoy abura soba at Menya Rui, I decided to make Taiwan Mazesoba at home—because I still haven’t found a dedicated Taiwan Mazesoba restaurant here.
In the U.S., Korean Shin Ramyun is easy to find at almost any supermarket (even Walmart). Amazingly, you can make a quick and satisfying mazesoba-style bowl with just one tablespoon of soy sauce and one tablespoon of sesame oil. This time, I wanted a hearty dinner, so I added a sweet-and-spicy meat miso topping as well.
In my next post, I’ll share the full recipe for this “U.S.-friendly Shin Ramyun Mazesoba” in more detail. I hope you’ll try it too!
How to Make Taiwan Mazesoba (1 Serving)
Ingredients (1 serving)
- Shin noodle (dry noodles) — 1 pack
- Powder soup base packets from shin noodle— half
Some recipes say you can use the full amount, but it gets very spicy. Half is usually enough. If you add seasoned meat miso, even 1/4 may be enough. - Dried flakes packet from shin noodle — all
- Soy sauce — 1 tbsp
- Sesame oil — 1 tbsp
- Garlic paste (tube) — about 1 - 2 cm
If you don’t have tube garlic, chopped or crushed garlic works too. - Mayonnaise — to taste
- Chopped green onions — to taste
- Sesame seeds — to taste
- Egg yolk — 1
Optional: Ground Pork (Meat) miso topping
- Ground Pork - quarter of packet
Gochujang — 1 tbsp (substitute for doubanjiang) - Sake — 1 tbsp
- Soy sauce — 1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce — 1 tbsp
- Garlic — 1 tsp
Optional extras (recommended)
Bonito powder (katsuobushi powder) — This makes it so much better!
- Coarsely ground black pepper (generous amount recommended)
- Crushed hot pepper flakes (if you want it even spicier)
Ingridients
Instructions
- Make the meat miso topping (skip if not using)
Lightly stir-fry ground pork. Add garlic (1 tsp), gochujang (1 tbsp), sake (1 tbsp), soy sauce (1 tbsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper.
Cook until the moisture evaporates. - Boil the noodles
Cook the Shin Ramen noodles according to the package instructions. - Make the sauce
In a bowl, mix: powder soup base (half), dried flakes (all), soy sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1 tbsp), and garlic paste (about 1 - 2 cm). Adjust the soup powder amount here to control the spiciness. - Mix the noodles
Drain the noodles, place them in a bowl, and toss with the sauce until evenly coated. If using meat miso, add it on top. - Add other toppings and serve
Top with chopped green onion, seaweed, bonito powder, sesame seeds, and mayonnaise. Place the egg yolk in the center, and it’s ready to enjoy.
(Reference link)
https://www.menya-hanabi.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_mazesoba
https://kyoto-ramen-koji.com/
https://pinzuba.news/articles/-/8620?page=1
https://pinzuba.news/articles/-/8620?page=2
https://www.rairaitei.co.jp/company/?utm_source
https://www.kairikiya.co.jp/?utm_source
https://www.4527.com/?utm_source
https://pinzuba.news/articles/-/8620?page=1#:~:text=%E4%BA%AC%E9%83%BD%E7%99%BA%E7%A5%A5%E3%81%AE%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A1%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81%E3%82%A7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E5%9B%9B%E5%A4%A9%E7%8E%8B% E3%81%A8%E3%81%84%E3%81%88%E3%81%B0%E3%80%81%E3%80%8E%E5%A4%A9%E4%B8%8B%E4%B8%80%E5%93%81,%E3%81%AF %E3%80%81%E3%81%9D%E3%81%86%E3%81%84%E3%81%86%E3%82%8F%E3%81%91%E3%81%AA%E3%81%AE%E3%81%A0%E3%80%82
Chiren
President, Japanese Institute of St. Louis
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