Fortunately, it is the most important half.

Cup noodles is loved in all parts of Japan, but in each of these parts there are also certain foods that the locals particularly like. This is the basis for Cup Noodle Maker Nissin’s regional cup noodles (or “Gotochi Cup Noodle”) series, and the latest part of Japan to receive a special instant ramen greeting to its culinary culture is Osaka.

Osaka has a number of famous dishes, but none is as famous as Takoyaki soupThe bite-sized octopus dumplings are a classic of Osaka street food and the inspiration for the brand new Takoyaki Flavor Cup Noodlewhich went on sale this month.

These are exclusively in the Osaka areabut luckily we stumbled upon an exhibition for them indoors Itami Airport. You get four servings in a box for 1,080 yen (US$7.30), with each of these servings weighing 33 grams (1.15 ounces), smaller than the standard 78-gram cup noodle size, so they’re more of a snack than a full meal.

Another important difference is that these cup noodles do not come in cups! Its full, official name is Local cup noodles to eat in a bowl – Kansai souvenir takoyaki flavorand inside the box (which is decorated with popular images from the Kansai region such as stand-up comedians and a tiger) you’ll find four sealed packets, each containing a portion of dried noodles, as well as the packets of broth and toppings.

Since there is no cup included, you have to put the noodles in a bowl, but from there on, the cooking process is pretty much the same as regular cup noodles. Pour the broth and toppings over the top, then add 160 milliliters (5.4 ounces) of hot water and let it all cook for three minutes without stirring. Unlike regular cup ramen, however, you don’t need to cover the bowl while the noodles cook.

However, since there was no cup included, we felt that Takoyaki Cup Noodle was slow to live up to the expectations we had raised based on the name, but all would be forgiven if the takoyaki flavor was there.. But as always with ramen, you smell it before you can taste it, and sure enough, it has the mix of sweet, starchy, and seafood flavors that a serving of freshly cooked takoyaki has.

Then it was time for our first taste and we are happy to confirm that Takoyaki Cup Noodle not only smells like its inspiration, it tastes like it too!

We were particularly impressed by how pronounced the taste of Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) is. Katsuobushi are sprinkled over the takoyaki right before serving. Their flavor is strong but doesn’t overpower the other flavors of the takoyaki, and the same goes for this ramen broth. Besides katsuobushi, we could taste aonori (seaweed powder), beni shoga (pickled ginger), and mayonnaise, all important takoyaki seasonings.

And of course, because these are cup noodles, there were chunks of Nissin’s famous mystery meat floating in the broth, which also tasted like takoyaki, and the noodles themselves were just as reliable and delicious as we’ve come to expect after decades of eating cup noodles.

So in the end, although it doesn’t actually come in a cup, other than that Takoyaki Flavor Cup Noodle is exactly what it saysand it’s definitely worth picking up as a souvenir for friends, family, or your own ramen-loving stomach the next time you’re in Osaka.

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(Read in Japanese)