There aren’t enough breath mints in the world to save us, but we’re going in anyway.

Japanese folk wisdom holds that garlic is a food that boosts physical stamina, and it’s supposed to be helpful in dealing with the adverse effects of hot weather too. The actual science behind those claims gets a little indistinct, but for garlic lovers, we’re getting into a time of year that provides ample excuses to load up on the seasoning. Today that leads us to Yoshioka, a ramen restaurant in downtown Tokyo’s Mejiro neighborhood.

You might have a little trouble spotting Yoshioka, because it actually shares space with a branch of the izakaya (Japanese pub) chain Torimero, with Yoshioka operating in the hours when Torimero isn’t and vice-versa.

▼ The Yoshioka (吉岡) and Torimero (鳥メロ) signs, and the stairway that leads up into the hybrid eatery.

Making the place a little easier to find for us on this day, though, was the sign that was placed at the bottom of the stairs advertising Yoshioka’s Garlic Ramen (“Ninniku Ramen” in Japanese), which included the bold statement:

“Try it once, and you’ll never be able to go back.”

We weren’t sure if this open-ended prophecy was meant to imply that we would never be able to go back to less garlicky versions of ramen, or whether we’d have such strong garlic fumes coming out of ourselves that we’d never be allowed back into regular society. That second possibility might sound a little overly dramatic, but consider this: Yoshioka boasts that it uses 200 grams (7.05 ounces) of garlic in every bowl of its Garlic Ramen. To put that in perspective, an average-sized clove of garlic weighs about 5 grams, meaning that eating a bowl of the Garlic Ramen should be the equivalent of eating roughly 20 cloves of garlic.

And yet, when the restaurant staff set our bowl down in front of us, it had what looked like even more garlic than that.

This is an insane amount of garlic. Like, there’re enough cloves that you could eat them by the spoonful, like the world’s most powerfully pungent cereal.

Oh, and in addition to the dozens of cloves of garlic, you get a sizeable squirt of garlic paste waiting to be mixed it into the salty soy sauce-based broth too.

And the taste? Pretty much the fiercest punch of garlic we could imagine. This is an edible declaration of the idea that one can never have too much garlic, and if that’s a conviction you share, you’ll fall in love with this instantly.

The seasoning is so powerful that by the second bite of noodles it was no longer shocking, either because of the bliss we were wrapped up in or because we’d already consumed so much garlic that we were transitioning into a clove of garlic ourselves, and so the flavor now felt natural.

Speaking of the noodles, they’re of excellent quality, with a smooth and slippery surface and firm consistency. Actually, even the broth has a noteworthy texture, as there’s so much garlic in it that the liquid takes on some fluffy, sticky characteristics.

At 1,500 yen (US$9.70), Yoshioka’s Garlic Ramen is on the pricier side, but with how much garlic you get, it doesn’t feel like a bad deal at all, especially when you take into account that you’re allowed one refill of noodles for no additional charge.

All in all, the Garlic Ramen is an unforgettable food experience, but there is one potentially negative aspect to it. Remember how we said Yoshioka shares its space with another restaurant? Because of that, Yoshioka is only open for lunch, meaning you’re going to have to eat this garlicky-loaded bowl of noodles in the early afternoon, or maybe even the late morning, and there is no imaginable way that you won’t smell have the smell of garlic emanating from you wherever you go for the rest of the day. Still, if you’re a garlic lover, it’s worth it, and if you’d rather have some super-salty ramen, we can show you where to find that too.

Restaurant information
Yoshioka (Mejiro main branch) / 吉岡（目白総本店）
Address: Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Mejiro 35-13, Fujiya Building 2nd floor
東京都豊島区目白3-5-13 フジヤビルM2F
Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

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Eudaemonius posted a photo:

This vibrant soup made in an Instant Pot is proof that simple ingredients can deliver big flavor. Sweet beets, ripe tomatoes, and tender carrots puree into a silky bowl that’s as nourishing as it is beautiful. Fragrant rosemary and garlic round out the flavor for a soup that feels anything but ordinary.

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes

Pressure Cooker Beet and Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 whole cloves
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium beets, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Add the onion, rosemary, cloves and sauté for 3–5 minutes, or until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes, beet, carrot, and water. Lock the lid and cook at high pressure for 15–20 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then puree and strain into a medium pot.

Add the salt and black pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: About 1 cup

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 77; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 354mg; Carbohydrate: 15g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 2g

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium: 4%; Iron: 5%; Potassium: 585mg; Vitamin A: 401%; Vitamin C: 39%

Originally published: October 26, 2018; Updated May 2026

The post Pressure Cooker Beet and Tomato Soup appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.

Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine — a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction — and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Oatmeal Chicken Caldo

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 boiled eggs, halved
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• Juice of one lemon or calamansi

Directions

In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes — watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.

In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3–4 minutes.

Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency — about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken — it should register 165°F (74°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 346; Total Fat: 22g; Saturated Fat: 14g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 247mg; Sodium: 159mg; Carbohydrate: 17g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 22g

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin D: 13%; Calcium: 5%; Iron: 12%; Potassium: 389mg; Vitamin A: 1%; Vitamin C: 12%

Originally published: November 7, 2018; Updated June 2026

The post Oatmeal Chicken Caldo appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.