Nissin Raoh Umami Tonkotsu

Nissin Raoh is the instant ramen product that consistently makes people question whether they have eaten restaurant-quality ramen by mistake. Launched in 2017 in Japan and now available internationally, Raoh represents the current apex of instant ramen technology: the noodles use a non-fried, air-dried process that produces a fresh-noodle-adjacent texture without the oil of standard instant noodles; the tonkotsu broth packet contains actual rendered pork fat as a separate oil sachet that is added after the broth is dissolved; and the dehydrated broth powder includes real pork collagen that gives the soup a perceptible body. The blind tasting score: 8.7 out of 10 — the highest in the evaluation. The umami tonkotsu flavor has a richness that overtly cheap ramen achieves through sodium overload; Raoh achieves it through actual fat content and umami depth. Available at H Mart, Amazon Japan import, and increasingly at Whole Foods. Price: $3.50-4.50 per package.