Noodle Journey Episode 186: Nissin Raoh Fugu Dashi Yuzushio Ramen

I’m wrapping up 2024 on the channel (or rather, I intended to but something else came along) with one of the most unusual instant ramen products I’ve ever reviewed, and that’s saying something. This is Nissin Raoh Fugu Dashi Yuzushio Ramen, a limited-edition Japanese release built around pufferfish extract. Yes, that pufferfish. The famously venomous one that requires special licensing to prepare safely in Japan. Any time a product like that shows up in instant form, curiosity alone makes it impossible to ignore.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 186: Nissin Raoh Fugu Dashi Yuzushio Ramen

This cup is part of the Nissin Raoh line, which means air-dried noodles and a more premium presentation than standard cup ramen. The broth is described as a dashi-based yuzu shio, meaning a seafood and kelp-based salt broth with citrus notes from yuzu. I’ve enjoyed yuzu shio ramen before, but never in combination with something quite this unusual. The idea of pairing delicate citrus notes with something as infamously dangerous as fugu is intriguing, and the novelty factor here is very much part of the experience.

This was a Japan-only limited release from Nissin in June 2024, and I picked it up through Japanese Snacks Republic. It’s not something you’re likely to encounter in Asian markets or storefronts here in the US, and it very much feels like a product designed to raise eyebrows just a little bit. I’ve been a little obsessed with trying fugu ever since that episode of The Simpsons 34 years ago where Homer almost dies from eating fugu sushi, and this seems like an ideal solution to that since Nissin has added the flavor of grilled pufferfish to this cup without the risk of death. Nice!

Sodium for the cup is extremely high, with a salt equivalent of 6.2g, translating to just over 2400mg. Inside are air-dried Raoh noodles, a powdered broth base, dried toppings, and a seasoning oil on the lid. The broth powder contains salt, pork, chicken, seafood extracts, kelp, yuzu, and pufferfish extract. The dried toppings include chicken meatballs, egg bits, and green onion. Since these are Raoh noodles and not normal Cup Noodles, this cup takes five minutes to steep.

Before adding the seasoning oil, the aroma is very much a traditional dashi, clearly fish-forward but not citrus-heavy. Once the oil is mixed in, the yuzu becomes much more noticeable, adding brightness along with an extra layer of seafood aroma.

Noodles:
These are Nissin Raoh air-dried noodles adapted for a cup format. They have a good chew and are noticeably higher quality than typical cup noodles, but they’re slightly thinner and softer than the Raoh noodles found in pack versions. Still very solid, just not quite at their peak.
• 8/10

Spiciness:
There is no heat here at all.
• 0/10

Overall:
Once you get past the absurdity of knowingly eating a product associated with one of the most famously venomous fish on the planet, this turns out to be a reasonably flavorful and even approachable bowl of ramen. The broth is dashi-forward and salty, with a mild seafood character rather than anything aggressive or funky. The yuzu adds a light citrus accent that keeps the broth from feeling flat, but it never dominates. The seasoning oil contributes richness and a slightly buttery finish that helps everything come together. As for the dried toppings, the chicken meatballs are decent and provide some nice flavorful meatiness, while the egg bits are small and largely forgettable. Flavorwise, this doesn’t deliver any kind of dramatic “fugu moment,” and I didn’t walk away feeling like I now understand what pufferfish tastes like compared to other fish. Instead, it comes across as a competent yuzu shio ramen with fish stock that happens to include a somewhat shocking ingredient. Taken on its own merits, this is a mildly interesting fish broth that works well enough without being something I’d actively seek out again.
• 7/10