is the time it takes to simmer the broth used for a bowl of ramen. Plunging your spoon in, you can enjoy different textures and flavours. Miso, tonkotsu (pork), shoyu (soy sauce) and shio (salt) are common ones.

What is ramen? It’s a type of wheat-based noodle served in relatively thicker soup (in comparison to the noodle soup in say, Chinese cuisine). Pieces of meat (commonly slices of “chashu” pork) are layered on top, followed by toppings including shallots, bamboo shoots, black fungus and onsen egg.

When eating ramen in a Japanese restaurant like Shinmachi Newtown, it is considered polite to slurp. To the chef, this shows appreciation of their creation.