That is why, even among things called ramen, recently there are all kinds, such as ones made with the tomato sauce of Italian cooking, ones you can eat like a salad, and ones with no soup.
I waited two hours, but it was worth it: both the soup and the toppings showed creativity unique to that shop, and the flavor was new, like nothing I'd had before.
「〜にほかならない」means "it is nothing other than 〜". It is used when you want to stress that the main reason, the most important thing, or the thing at issue is precisely 〜.
Connection N ＋ にほかならない （理由を表す「から・ため」にもついて、原因・理由・根拠を強調する言い方になる）
Examples
今回のプロジェクトの成功は、チームワークの勝利にほかなりません。
The success of this project is nothing other than a victory for teamwork.
政治の目的は国民の幸福にほかならない。
The purpose of politics is nothing other than the happiness of the people.
事故を起こしたのは労働条件が厳しかったからにほかならないと、彼は裁判で主張した。
In the trial, he argued that the accident happened precisely because the working conditions were harsh.
この国の人々が貧しくても笑顔で暮らしているのは、心の豊かさを大切にしているからにほかならない。
The people of this country live smiling even though they are poor, precisely because they value inner richness.
What people say in everyday speech
〜だ／まさに〜だと思う
「にほかならない」is written language used in commentary, editorials and explanatory prose to emphasize an assertion, and it carries a tone of formally delivering a conclusion. In everyday speech, no one would say 「日本料理にほかならないのです」; you would simply say 「日本料理だと思う」, and if you want a bit more emphasis, add 「まさに」 or 「本当に」, as in 「これはまさに日本料理だよね」, which sounds much more natural.
As in 「合格率は8%にすぎない」(The pass rate is a mere 8%), 「〜にすぎない」is used when you want to say "it is just ...", and it often also conveys a feeling that you regard the thing as not very valuable.
Connection Vる／Vた／N ＋ にすぎない
Examples
この高校は2年前に男女共学になったが、男子学生はまだ10人にすぎない。
This high school became co-educational two years ago, and even now there are only 10 boys.
警察の仕事は人々の安全を守ることで、地域のパトロールはその1つにすぎません。
The police's job is to keep people safe, and neighborhood patrols are just one part of it.
世界人口の2割を占めるにすぎない先進国の人々が、CO2の6割を排出していると言われている。
It is said that people in developed countries, who make up only 20 percent of the world's population, emit 60 percent of the CO2.
When communicating with people from other countries, language is only one means. Even if you don't understand each other's language, you should be able to convey your feelings.
What people say in everyday speech
〜だけ／ただの〜
「〜にすぎない」is used in commentary articles and has a written tone of making an objective, rather cool or even slightly dismissive judgment. In speech, it is more common to say 「〜だけ」 or 「ただの〜」 directly, as in 「昔はただの腹ごしらえだったんだよ」, which comes out easily in conversation; people would not use a somewhat stiff expression like 「〜にすぎなかった」.
As in 「このアルバイトは交通費が全額出る上に食事もついている」(This part-time job not only pays all your transportation costs, but also includes meals), it is used to express that there is more than one situation or reason, two or more in total.
Connection PI ＋ 上（に） ［なAだな Nだの］ ＊「なA／Nである＋上」の形もある。＊名詞は状態や様子を表す言葉が使われる。
Examples
先週は熱が40度も出た上に、下痢が止まらず、本当に大変でした。
Last week I ran a fever of 40 degrees, and on top of that I had diarrhea that wouldn't stop, so it was really hard.
この道は下り坂でスピードが出やすい上に、夜間も交通量が多いので、十分注意してください。
This road is a downhill slope where it's easy to pick up speed, and there is also a lot of traffic at night, so please be very careful.
この大学の食堂は値段が安くておいしい上に、メニューも豊富なので、地域の人にも愛されている。
The cafeteria at this university is not only cheap and tasty but also has a wide-ranging menu, so it is loved by local residents too.
Work at construction sites is heavy labor that involves danger, and the pay is also low, so every site is reportedly short-staffed.
What people say in everyday speech
〜し、それに／おまけに
「〜上に」is a written, explanatory way of adding one point to another; it feels logical and rather formal. In casual conversation, it is more natural to join two points with 「〜し」 and add a remark with 「それに」 or 「おまけに」, as in 「工夫もできるし、それに具のバリエーションも豊富だし」. This is much more relaxed than 「工夫ができる上に」, and sounds more like a real person saying things as they come to mind.
As in 「会社といっても妻と2人でやっている小さい会社です」(It's called a company, but it's actually a small business that my wife and I run together), it is used with respect to what the other person is likely imagining (that there are employees) to express "actually, that is not the case".
Connection PI ＋ ［といっても／といいましても］ ＊「なA／N＋といっても」の形もある。
Examples
1世帯といっても、一人暮らしの人から10人以上の大家族までいろいろある。
Even if we say "one household," there are all kinds, from people living alone to large families of ten or more.
A: Are there still seats on next month's one-day bus tour to Mt. Fuji? B: Yes, there are, but only a few remain, so please book early.
A：あの店、CDが安いんだって？ B：まあね。安いといっても10%だけどね。
A: I heard that shop has cheap CDs? B: Kind of. They're cheap, but only by about 10%.
What people say in everyday speech
〜って言っても
「といっても」is itself fairly common in both writing and speech, but in more casual speech 「という」 is contracted to 「って」, giving 「ラーメンって言っても」. This is a very typical contraction in spoken Japanese (という to って). So strictly speaking, it is not replaced by a different expression; it is the spoken, sound-changed version of the same grammar point, and in chat people almost always say it this way.
「〜に限る」expresses your own opinion that "nothing beats ... as the best choice".
Connection Vる／Vない／N ＋ に限る
Examples
運動の後は、はちみつとレモンのジュースに限る。
After exercise, nothing beats honey and lemon juice.
雨の日は家で音楽でも聞きながら、のんびりするに限る。
On a rainy day, it's best to stay at home, listen to some music and relax.
危険なところへは近づかないに限る。
It's best not to go near dangerous places.
嫌なことは忘れるに限りますよ。
When it comes to unpleasant things, it's best to forget them.
What people say in everyday speech
〜が一番／〜に決まってる
Although 「〜に限る」 already has a somewhat colloquial feel (it is not very stiff), a more casual way to say it is 「〜が一番」. Friends would say 「ラーメンはやっぱりしょうゆが一番でしょ」, or put it more strongly with 「しょうゆに決まってるよ」, both of which sound down-to-earth. 「に限る」 is more like a deliberately chosen, slightly connoisseur-like phrase used by magazine and column writers when making a pronouncement.
This city, as you would expect from one designated as a cultural heritage site, has residents with a high level of environmental awareness.
このタオル、高いだけあって肌ざわりがすごくいいんだ。
This towel is expensive, and it shows: it feels really nice to the touch.
さすが国が誇る美術館だけに世界的に有名な画家の作品も数多い。
As you'd expect from the museum this country takes pride in, it holds many works by world-famous painters.
ドイツの高級車だけに高速道路を走ったときの安定感はすばらしい。
As you'd expect of a German luxury car, the sense of stability when driving on the highway is wonderful.
What people say in everyday speech
さすが〜だけあって →さすが〜だよね
「だけあって」 itself is also used in speech, but the full logical pattern 「Aだけあって、Bだ」 found in magazine articles is on the written side. In everyday speech, people more often shorten or drop the explanation that follows 「だけあって」 and say things like 「さすが人気店だよね」 or 「さすが人気店だけあるね」, conveying "because it is ..., so ..." through tone and 「さすが」 without spelling out the cause and effect so completely.
Plus〜だけに（さらに…と感じる）★★
「〜だけに」は感覚的に「〜だから、さらに…と感じる」と言うときにも使われる。
「〜だけに」is also used when you want to say, based on feeling, "precisely because ..., you feel it all the more".
今年は猛暑なだけに、ビールがいっそうおいしく感じられる。
The weather has been scorching hot this year, so beer tastes especially good.
新しいクラスに入って緊張していただけに、隣の人の親切がうれしかった。
I was nervous about starting in a new class, so the kindness of the person sitting next to me made me especially happy.
入社以来、会社に貢献できていなかっただけに、今回開発した商品がヒットしたのはうれしかった。
Since joining the company I hadn't been able to contribute anything, so it made me especially happy when the product we developed this time sold so well.
By giving examples from a range, 「〜にしろ」expresses "not only ..., but whichever it is, ...". It is also often combined with words of opposite meaning such as 「いい・悪い」, 「好き・嫌い」, 「する・しない」 and 「出席する・欠席する」, to express "whichever the case may be, ...".
Connection PI ＋ ［にしろ／にしても／にせよ］ ＋ PI ＋ ［にしろ／にしても／にせよ］ ［なAだ Nだ］ ＊「なA／Nである＋にしろ」の形もある。
Examples
東京にしろ大阪にしろ大都市には働く場所が多いので人が集まってくる。
Whether it's Tokyo or Osaka, big cities have plenty of places to work, so people gather there.
大学院で研究しようと思ったら、理系にしても文系にしても、英語力は絶対必要だよ。
If you intend to do research in graduate school, English ability is absolutely necessary, whether you are in the sciences or the humanities.
招待状をもらったら、出席するにせよ、欠席するにせよ、必ず期日までに返事を出すのが礼儀だ。
When you receive an invitation, it is polite to reply by the deadline without fail, whether you will attend or not.
好きにしろ、嫌いにしろ、健康のために野菜は毎日とらなきゃだめだよ。
Whether you like them or not, you have to eat vegetables every day for your health.
What people say in everyday speech
〜でも〜でも
「〜にしろ〜にしろ」is a written or speech-style way of making parallel concessions, with a hint of rhetorical balance, and it is common in magazine articles. A more natural way to say it in speech is 「スープでも具でも」; simply joining the items with 「でも」 is enough. Friends chatting would say 「スープでも具でも、なんかこだわりがあるよね」, which is much plainer and more relaxed than 「にしろ」.
Plus疑問詞と一緒に、1つだけで使う★★
「〜にしろ」が、疑問詞と一緒に、1つだけで使われることもある。
「〜にしろ」can also be used with a question word, just once.
海外旅行中はどこに行くにしろ、パスポートを持って歩かなければならない。
When traveling abroad, you must carry your passport with you wherever you go.
試験の結果がどうなるにせよ、今は精一杯の努力をするだけです。
Whatever the exam results turn out to be, all I can do now is give it my all.
Either Kyushu or Hokkaido is fine, but plane tickets at the end of the year are hard to get, so either way, we need to decide on a destination soon or it'll be too late.