和dining 清乃

The night before, I was treated to a substandard bowl of Wakayama ramen. Immediately after, I did some research, postponed my morning ferry ride, and set out to Arida, a city just 30km south of Wakayama proper. Can Seino redeem the entire genre of Wakayama ramen?

Highly ranked is always a good sign. Only open for lunch is also a good sign.

People started arriving about an hour before they opened. Another good sign.

There are a lot of choices. You have shoyu, chicken shio, thick Wakayama, and Arida black. They all looked great, and their claim to fame is the shoyu. But I wanted to try the Wakayama. Dreaming of rich brown soup was how I spent the night before.

A note on shoyu; Wakayama is quite famous for their soy sauce history. Many claim that nearby Yuasa (only a few kilometers from this shop) is the birthplace of the stuff, and you can still find craft brewers making small batches of high quality shoyu. A few of the best shops in Tokyo use Wakayama shoyu, a testament to its quality.

But this isn’t Tokyo, this is Wakayam. How does this one look?

Yes! This is what ramen adventuring is all about. A ridiculously rich bowl, with just enough bite on the homemade noodles. The soy sauce really comes through with a huge initial impact, followed by a smooth, porky aftertaste. Tender chashu, an egg that burst with flavor, and seasoned menma complete the dish.

A side of shirasu gohan is recommended.

The line wasn’t unbearable, but make sure you get there well before they close to avoid disappointment.

和歌山県有田市野696
Wakayama-ken, Arida-shi, No 696
Closest station: Minoshima

Open 11:00-14:00
Closed Tuesdays and some Mondays

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

清乃 (Seino in Arida)

純 (Jun in Niihama)

龍王亭 (Ryuotei in Wakayama)

ベジ郎 (Vegiro in Shibuya, Tokyo)

清乃 (Seino in Arida)

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純 (Jun in Niihama)

龍王亭 (Ryuotei in Wakayama)

ベジ郎 (Vegiro in Shibuya, Tokyo)