With so many options to personalize your ramen, it can be tempting to add all kinds of toppings. However, I recommend that first-time visitors to a ramen shop try the house specialty without any extras. The ramen master has spent years perfecting their recipe, which makes it wise (and respectful) to experience it as intended. Once you take your first bite, feel free to add chili oil or garlic to customize it to your liking. During your next visit, you can progress to the next level of customizing the firmness of noodles, thickness of soup or adding extra ingredients like additional hanjuku tamago (soft-boiled egg) or chashu (slices of slowly-braised, pork belly).
If you’re feeling adventurous, consider trying one of the side dishes. My favorite–seen commonly in my hometown of Yokohama–is the chashu-don. This delicious dish features rice topped with tender blocks of chashu. A local tip is to add a couple scoops of your savory ramen soup into the chashu-don for an even more mind-blowing umami experience.