It was freezing cold the day I arrived to the corner where Muginae sits, facing quiet apartments in a quiet neighborhood between Shinagawa and Kawasaki. A man pedaled, his dog as copilot sitting in the front basket of the bicycle. With fifteen people lined up outside the shop and the spring wind blowing brisk and strong, I was worried it’d be a frigid long wait. Luckily, the turnover was better than I expected and I entered Homemade Ramen Aomugi relatively quickly.

The interior has only 9 counter seats, all looking into the kitchen where multiple staff prepare the ramen. You can choose either a lighter soup using dried fish and chicken, or a heavier blend that looks and feels more cloudy and pork forward. Both use a soy sauce base. I went for the lighter option, and the depth and richness was perfect for a cold day.

Choose Aomugi for a fancy feeling ramen; one that’s made with minimal artificial ingredients but uncompromisingly rich in taste. It’s a great gateway to more refined ramen without being overly pretentious. And I hope you see then guy on the bike with his dog.

#ramen #tokyo #japan #japanesefood Less