Popular ramen chain Ippudo, known for its rich and flavourful tonkotsu noodles, has just added a new limited-time item to its menu. The ‘Men in Black’ ramen (¥890) is available through June 30 at selected stores throughout the country.
Created to celebrate the release of ‘Men in Black: International’ (in cinemas June 14), the dish’s name is a cheeky pun on the movie title, as ‘men’ means noodles in Japanese. True to its name, the ‘Noodles in Black’ features a fragrant, unctuous dark broth that’s ink black.
Don’t worry though, there’s nothing extraterrestrial in the soup; the brand’s signature creamy pork broth is enriched with flavoured oil, burnt garlic and lots of black pepper to bring out the distinctive colour and flavour. To finish, the noodles are topped with two slices of pork, sprouts, leeks and mushrooms, plus a dollop of spicy red miso paste to turn up the heat.
During the promotional period, Ippudo is also giving away movie tickets and merchandise. Check the Twitter account and website (both in Japanese only) for more details.
For more eating out recommendations, check our list of the ten things you must eat in Tokyo, as well as the city's best udon and soba.