Coffee Ramen-Food-Ohanajaya-Tokyo-Untapped Cities-Jonathan DeLise (3)Photo by Jonathan Delise

Here at Untapped Cities, we love coffee…and we love ramen. But have you ever thought to combine coffee and ramen into one dish? Well, a Tokyo café known as Aroma (亞呂摩) has done it. 

Ohanajaya is not exactly in the part of town where any tourist or local for that matter is apt to go. We learned of Aroma from a thread at a travel forum, and figured that coffee ramen needed to happen.

Coffee Ramen-Food-Ohanajaya-Tokyo-Untapped Cities-Jonathan DeLise (1)Photo by Jonathan Delise

If you don’t speak Japanese, you’re in luck- consistent with many other restaurants in Japan, the challenge isn’t in ordering your dish, it’s in wondering how glasses of water can be that petite.

Coffee Ramen-Food-Ohanajaya-Tokyo-Untapped Cities-Jonathan DeLise (2)Photo by Jonathan Delise

What do you think is most unappetizing about that photo of coffee ramen?  If you guessed the container of parmesan cheese, we’re on the same page.  Though, let’s give it the benefit of the doubt, after all, coffee ramen counts kamaboko (steamed fish cake),  banana, salami, ice cream and eggs among its ingredients.  The broth was coffee, and the noodles (which can be bought in packages at the restaurant), were also made of coffee.  I thought it was at least edible, and at most, worthy of a trip report.