Limited edition Healthy Vegetable Ramen at Setagaya Ramen Front Store — specially designed for students

▲ Setagaya Ramen Front Store exclusive Healthy Vegetable Ramen.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Setagaya Taiwan’s No. 2 store, Taipei Front Store, has opened！ In addition to classic Setagaya signature ramen, pork bone ramen, sesame oil pork bone ramen, and spicy pork bone ramen, they’ve also launched the Taipei Front Store exclusive Healthy Vegetable Ramen. Masashi Maeshima, president of Setagaya Ramen Japan, said that as there are many students in the area, the milder-tasting Healthy Vegetable Ramen is better suited for them, and eating more vegetables is beneficial for students’ health.

Following the Taipei Zhongxiao store, Taiwan’s second store, Taipei Front Store, will officially open on May 1. On the opening day, Masashi Maeshima, president of Setagaya Ramen Japan, also flew specially from Japan to Taiwan to see the opening of the Front Store. In recent years, Taiwan’s ramen market has been particularly vibrant. Maeshima, who previously opened a store in New York, USA, also sees great potential in Taiwan’s ramen market development, and thus decided to expand to Taiwan, establishing both the Setagaya Ramen Zhongxiao Store and the Front Store successively in March and May.

▲ The sliced pork in the Healthy Vegetable Ramen is cut into small pieces.

Regarding ramen flavor preferences, most Taiwanese may not be accustomed to overly greasy or salty tastes. Therefore, while maintaining authentic Japanese flavors, Setagaya Ramen allows customers to adjust the taste by informing the staff in advance if desired. Additionally, each Setagaya Ramen branch in Japan has its own limited-edition flavors, and Taiwan will follow the same model. Currently, the Zhongxiao Store has an exclusive pork bone-flavored tsukemen, while the Front Store features the Healthy Vegetable Ramen specially designed by Maeshima for students.

The Healthy Vegetable Ramen primarily features cabbage, along with corn, carrots, onions, and bean sprouts. The sliced pork is also different from other ramen varieties — it’s cut into smaller pieces. Maeshima explained that this makes it easier to eat the vegetables and pork together with the noodles. He added that the Healthy Vegetable Ramen has a sweeter flavor, making it very suitable for students, and emphasized that students should eat more vegetables.

Although Maeshima can’t stay in Taiwan all the time, he said he’s grateful for mobile phones and the internet. Any issues at the Taiwan branch can be addressed via phone, allowing him to monitor the quality of the Taiwan branches at any time.


▲ Masashi Maeshima, President of Setagaya Japan.

Setagaya Setagaya Ramen Taipei Front Store
Address: 36, Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Taipei City, HOYII North Station B1-02
Phone: 02-23883258
Business Hours: 11:00–22:00

Setagaya Setagaya Ramen Zhongxiao Store
Address: No. 15, Lane 27, Alley 216, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Taipei City
Phone: 02-27311958
Official business hours after opening: Weekdays 11:00–14:00; 17:00–21:00. Weekends 11:00–21:00.