Japan Halal TV`s Choice : Kaenzan Halal Lanzhou Ramen in Ikebukuro, Tokyo - Japan Halal TV（ジャパンハラールTV）

Lanzhou Ramen, a Chinese style ramen

One of the best halal ramens I have ever tried in Japan is the Kaenzan Halal Lanzhou Ramen located just 5 minutes walk from Ikebukuro station. Lanzhou ramen is a Chinese style hand-pulled ramen originated from Lanzhou city of Gansu province, China; which is considered as the birthplace of Islam in China. Islam is one of the major religions in Gansu province, taking more than 6 percent of the citizen and there is a lot of famous mosques including the Lanzhou Xiguan Grand Mosque. Given that, the halal Lanzhou ramen is really popular in China and also in Japan. The halal Lanzhou ramen is characterized by its clear but flavor-rich soup made from beef, spices, and herbs.

Kaenzan Halal Lanzhou Ramen

Once you enter the restaurant, the thing that attracts my attention is the hand-pulled noodles making that you could see over the counter. The chefs wearing a Taqiyah (moslem cap) all moving in sync, preparing their best dishes for the costumers. The noodles are made by orders, it is quite interesting to see them preparing your dinner. You can choose your noodles to be thick, thin, or triangular.

The soup has a strong umami flavor but also refreshing at the same time since it was made with a lot of spices and herbs. Compared to Japanese style ramen, Lanzhou ramen is much spicier. But do not worry if you can not handle spicy, they have some less-spicy options on the menu. Needless to say, this is on the top tier of my Ramen standing in Japan. Aside from the ramen, a most favorite item on the menu is the mutton skewers. The muttons are so tender that it is almost effortless to bite and chewing it.