Casual — to friend
Cultural · Dining
こってりかあっさり、どっちにする？太麺と細麺はどっちが好き？ — Are you going for rich, heavy broth or light, clear broth? Do you prefer thick or thin noodles? (Cultural · Dining, Casual — to friend, JLPT N4)
You
こってりかあっさり、どっちにする？太麺と細麺はどっちが好き？
こってりかあっさり、どっちにする？ふとめんとほそめんはどっちがすき？
Are you going for rich, heavy broth or light, clear broth? Do you prefer thick or thin noodles?
Romaji: Kotteri ka assari, docchi ni suru? Futomen to hosomen wa docchi ga suki? / Reply Romaji: Watashi wa assari de hosomen ga suki! Kotteri wa chotto omoi kara.
Reply
私はあっさりで細麺が好き！こってりはちょっと重いから。
わたしはあっさりでほそめんがすき！こってりはちょっとおもいから。
I like light broth with thin noodles! Rich and heavy is a bit much for me.
Gesture & etiquette
This is casual friend-to-friend conversation, so use your natural voice level. Lean forward with enthusiasm — ramen conversations are animated and enjoyable in Japan. If you are approaching the restaurant, point to the menu photos to facilitate the discussion. Having a ramen preference you can articulate ('ore wa tonkotsu派' — I'm a tonkotsu person) is a fun, relatable social detail.
Discussing ramen preferences is a deeply enjoyed casual conversation in Japan — ramen culture is a national passion with intense regional and personal preferences. 'Kotteri' (thick, rich, heavy broth) vs 'assari' (light, clear broth) and noodle thickness are the fundamental axes of ramen preference. Knowing and expressing your ramen preferences makes you immediately relatable to Japanese friends.