Foodle

Recommended bowl: Nagoya Cochin chickens

Shoyu based chintan soup contains Nagoya Cochin brand chickens. Noodles are supplied by Koko no Aji Shokuhin, based in Matsudo and run by Tomita-san. The standard options here are shoyu and shio, but every Friday the shop serves a limited menu of Jiro style. Run by master Suzuki-san, who trained at Menya Ittō in Shin-Koiwa. Open since September 2020. Less

Recommended bowl: Highly emulsified soup

Jiro style at Ramen Jiro in Matsudo. Tonkotsu-shoyu soup, noodles house-made on the standard Ebisu noodle machine. Extra garlic, veggies, pork fat and tare drizzle. The tonkotsu soup here is extra emulsified, much richer and creamier than most Jiro branches. The fat (abura) topping comes with shredded pork (hogushi buta) and is ordered by most customers. No spoons, tissues, napkins or toothpicks. No children allowed. At many other Jiro branches the typical way of ordering extra toppings is saying 'mashi,’ but that’s not allowed here because the master confuses it with the word 'nashi' (meaning without), so instead customers must say 'ōme' (a lot). This branch has had three masters since it first opened in 2002. The original master trained at the Jiro Honten in Mita before opening this branch, and eventually left to open Ramen Jiro in Akabane (since closed). The second master trained at Ramen Jiro Ikebukuro Higashiguchi, and after running this shop, left to open Ramen Jiro in Niigata. The third (and current master) trained at Ramen Jiro Yaenkaido in Hachioji. Less

Recommended bowl: Tanmen and gyoza

Tanmen is served with a light shio soup made with chicken carcasses, noodles by Asakusa Kaikarō. House-recommended fried gyoza on the side, skins also supplied by Asakusa Kaikarō. The story of this shop dates back to 1959, when a restaurant with the same name and similar menu opened nearby. After several decades that restaurant closed, but a regular customer approached the master and said he wanted to preserve the taste. The master eventually taught him the recipes and that customer went on to open this establishment in 2009. Less

For many sushi chefs, their first three or four nigiri are a showcase of their skills and aesthetic, and I got that impression here. Kawahagi with its liver from Awaji island. 6-day aged shimaaji from Ehime. Ika that had only been handled with a stainless steel knife to better preserve the flavor. And fourth, bincho-torched akamutsu from Tokushima, served with piping hot shari. Takahira san mentioned that these akamutsu feed mainly on sweet shrimp, giving them a meatier texture and more intense flavor. Less