Japanese Noodles: What is Katsuura Tantanmen?

Today at lunchtime, I had a long-selling instant noodle from Acecook that recreates the taste of “Katsuura Tantanmen (勝浦タンタンメン)”.

In its name, “Katsuura (勝浦)” is actually the name of a city in Chiba Prefecture adjacent to Tokyo. 

Meanwhile, as you may know, “Tantanmen (坦々麺, タンタンメン)” is the Japanese take on Chinese Dandan noodles or Dandanmian.

Katsuura Tantanmen (勝浦タンタンメン)

Katsuura Tantanmen is a local dish that originated at a restaurant located in Katsuura “Ezawa (江ざわ)” (Google map) in 1954. 

Unlike regular Tantanmen, it is soy sauce-based with plenty of Layu chili oil and doesn’t use either sesame paste or tahini sauce.

The soup is topped with ingredients, such as green onions, garlic, and pork mince stir-fried with Layu chili oil or red chili pepper.

At the time of its release, the Tantanmen was favored by local fishermen as it quickly warms the body to the core.

Today in Katsuura City, the dish is not only offered by ramen shops but can also be eaten at various genres of restaurants, including Yakiniku and cafes.

Katsuura Tantanmen won the B-1 Grand Prix in 2015, and in recent years, its related products can sometimes be seen in supermarkets and convenience stores.

(Reference Page: Wikipedia 勝浦タンタンメン )