Smitcha B.
Yelp
NRT = Narita International Airport can be one chaotic place. It's a glimpse of what to expect if you are visiting Tokyo. Tons of shops, cute snacks neatly boxed and wrapped, gifts and novelties, and a decent amount of food options. People moving about fast; endlessly walking about, determined and focused. Expect lines at all the stores including the food and convenient stores.
If you have a layover or just have ample of time to spend, check out Ippudo for their ramen. Located in Terminal One (1), 3rd floor, in the Central Building (across from Gate# 26). The line may look a little intimidating. But like I said, every spot has a line in this airport. It moves fairly decent, so long as customers eat and go and keep the turnover rate moving. I had about a 2-3 hours layover so after I did my sprint across the stores for duty free, snacks, and gifts, I left myself some time to replenish the soul.
I ordered the #1 on their menu which is the Akamaru Special Toppings ramen for 1,060 Yen. At the time of the conversion rate, it works out to be about $10 USD. Don't worry, they accept credit cards so you don't have to go looking to exchange for some Yen. You will be asked to choose your spiciness option as well as the firmness of the noodles. For a solo traveler, this bowl of ramen was more than enough. I didn't order anything else with it, although I was quite temped.
Grab your # sign, find a spot (bar or table), and await your food. There's a bar along the wall which has condiments like vinegar, chili flakes, pepper, sesame seeds, and a DIY water dispenser. Also, next to there is where you return your tray with used tableware. Please don't just get up and jet after you slurp down your noodles without returning your stuff.
The ramen itself was just perfect. The soup base was solid, rich, and full of flavors. I ordered the noodles a little firmer because I generally prefer the al dente style which they made just right. There was a good amount of chashu pork in the bowl and the nicely runny yolk hardboiled egg. This bowl of ramen was ultimately satisfying and just hit the spot. It did not taste like regular airport food especially if you compare it to the crappy airplane food on a long flight. After 10-12 hours of flying and you land to a bowl of ramen like this, it's undeniably magical.
If you have the time to spare and an appetite to conquer, Ippudo is a solid pick especially if you consider it being airport food. If ramen isn't your forte, then the McDonald's next door may serve you better.