Recommended bowl: Sichuan peppercorns

The premier spot for tantanmen in Hokkaido. The name 175 DENO is derived from the master (Deno-san) and the boiling point of ra-yu chili oil (175 degrees). Deno-san previously worked at 15 restaurants in Kyoto, but he always wanted to open a Mapo tofu or Tantanmen shop in Hokkaido. The shop is hidden from the street inside a large building, but it's usually easy to spot thanks to the line of customers waiting outside. The interior is dark, almost like a den, with numerous trinkets from around the world decorating the black-walled space. The tantanmen comes with or without soup, and there is also the option of getting it with or without mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns, imported from China. There are three levels: Shibirenai (zero peppercorns), Shibireru (regular), and Sugoku-Shibireru (devil level). The soup is a creamy sesame base, and the bowl comes out spice-laden and topped with chilli oil, minced seasoned meat, and cashew nuts. The broad noodles go great as a vessel for the spices and sauces. Customers can help themselves to the homemade chili oil on the counter. Deno-san now has a couple of branches in Sapporo and other cities in Japan. Less