Noodle Journey Episode 14: Nissin Demae Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu Ramen

This one brings back memories. I first tried Nissin’s Demae Black Garlic Oil Tonkotsu early in the pandemic, and it’s one of the noodles that kickstarted this entire channel (and ultimately website). I really liked it at the time, but I’ve had a lot more tonkotsu since then, including some that were pretty underwhelming (I’m looking at you, Nissin Raoh).

The Demae product line is positioned as a slightly more premium line from Nissin made in Hong Kong. It’s not as upscale as Raoh, but definitely above Top Ramen, and this version includes a powdered tonkotsu base and a separate black garlic oil packet. I picked up a bag of this from my local Asian grocery store for $1.78 at the time of review. It’s also available at Yamibuy and often available in 5-packs or cup form (though the cup version contains fish). Sodium is a hefty 2030mg (88% DV), and the pack is vegetarian but not vegan due to a milk-derived ingredient in the soup base.

Noodles:
Pleasantly chewy and slightly thicker than I remembered, but nothing mind-blowing. They sit squarely between Top Ramen and Raoh in quality, and they’ll probably go mushy if you let them sit too long. Still, for the price, they do the job.

• 6.5/10

Spiciness:
Aside from garlic, there’s no heat in this at all. If you think garlic counts as spicy, you might notice something, but otherwise this is very tame.

• 1/10

Overall:
This holds up really well. The broth is nicely balanced, much less yeasty than Nissin Raoh’s tonkotsu, with a good hit of onion and garlic up front and a pleasantly thick consistency from the creamer base. The black garlic oil really ties everything together, adding a sweet, almost caramelized depth that lingers without overpowering the rest of the bowl. It’s still artificial tonkotsu, but it doesn’t taste overly fake to me, and the added bits of green onion and garlic flakes help round it out visually and aromatically. I still think there are better tonkotsu options if you’re willing to spend a bit more, but for under $2, this is one of the best bang-for-your-buck tonkotsu packets out there. Definitely something I’ll keep stocked for days when I want something comforting, garlicky, and fast.

• 7/10

Notes since filming: More than two years after filming, and I still think this is the best balance of price and quality as far as instant tonkotsu goes. I have no idea why Nissin Raoh’s artificial pork flavor sets off my tastebuds so badly while this one doesn’t, but I still happily buy this one on occasion when I run out of Marutai.