The other day, I was contacted by a friend I hadn't seen for a while and we decided to meet up. That's when I was invited to Ramen Yellow.

This shop is located near Niigata University and stands out for its yellow exterior.

'Karasawa-san, you have a website called Igata Repo, right? This is a good place for stories!" He said.

Yellow! This is still yellow! The self-assertive exterior of the

The sign is a kind of 'pop-up sticker'. From different angles, the ramen noodles appear to float up. I have always liked this kind of visual magic and walked right and left in front of the sign for a while.

'Ooooh! Ramen floats out!" And while I'm grinning and playing by myself, a friend I haven't seen in a while appears, saying, "What are you doing...?". We shake hands stiffly. But when old friends suddenly ask you to meet them, it's usually for religion, insurance or some strange business. Don't tell me that I was on the alert, wondering what on earth was going on today.

So we immediately went inside the restaurant. I came here without any prior information, but the restaurant was already full of office workers and students at lunchtime. It gives the impression of being oily. There is a ticket machine at the entrance.

The ticket machine tells you how to order. There are free toppings of vegetables, garlic and oil, and if you want a double portion of vegetables, ask for 'Yasai mashimashi'.

Right! This is the Jiro System, which has attracted some ardent fans! I didn't know there was a Jiro System restaurant in Niigata... I was a little nervous about the system for the first time.

I bought a ticket for the 'ordinary' (700 yen) and my friend bought a ticket for the 'special' (900 yen), and we took our seats at the counter. We chatted for a while over cold drinks. Meanwhile, ramen noodles with vegetables on top are being delivered to other customers.

Just as the noodles were about to be cooked and served, I was asked about the toppings. My friend asked for 'hassai mashimashi', which was a brilliantly done dish. I said, "Yes, yes... and... I said in a dazed tone, "As it is". 'Eh? Can I just leave it as it is?" The waitress asks back. I'm a little embarrassed!

So, this is the special 'Yasai Mashimashi' that came to my friend. Bean sprouts and cabbage are piled high. And from the bowl, the greasy soup is overflowing.

I ordered left. The standard "Normal". On the right is the 'special' Yasai Mashimashi. The standard has 200 g of noodles, while the special has twice as much, 400 g.

Top view. How do you eat a mashimashi? I looked at it and saw that my friend was eating it while trying her best to break it down.

The vegetables did not give the impression of having much flavour, and were eaten with the flavour while soaking in the broth.

Even the average dish has a lot of pork. It is more like pork than chashu pork. Even without the usual toppings, there is a considerable amount of vegetables.

Thick noodles that do not stretch easily. Thicker than chopsticks! Vegetables, meat and these thick noodles are tossed in a thick soy sauce broth. This is a ramen that men like to eat in large portions. It is exactly like 'men's ramen'.

I am now more used to Niigata's refreshing ramen than back fat ramen, and I am full even with a medium portion. I respected my friend who had a special serving at about the same pace.

As the name Yellow suggests, the shop is full of yellows from previous generations of the squadron. Cups, plates and tissue covers are also yellow.

We came at around 12:00 on this day, but the customers kept coming in and out of the restaurant. Is the secret of the restaurant's popularity also its commitment to yellow?

I think it is a genre of ramen that does not belong to Niigata's four major ramen genres, but it seems to tickle the fancy of ramen lovers. My friend simply wanted to talk to me for the first time in a while, and she didn't solicit me for anything safely. I apologised in my heart for doubting her while we happily talked about various topics... Thank you for bringing me here!

Spotlight.

rigid-frame yellow

• Address: 186-1 Ono, Nishi-ku, Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture
• Opening hours: 11:30-14:00 18:00-21:00 (soup out).
• Closed: Sunday