Recommended bowl: Sake bar + ramen

Master Shibata-san trained at the shop Harubarutei in Kyōdō, both a ramen and sake drinking shack. Shibata-san is a connoisseur of sake himself, and his shop is a Japanese sake izakaya and ramen shop combined. Opened in 2004, the shop is not lit up much from the outside, with just a litter of sake labels pasted on the window. Walk-ins are sometimes okay only for ramen, but generally speaking, it’s reservations only, and by email at (menshuron@gmail.com). What you will get is a tasting menu with multiple courses paired with sake. Shibata-san is an interesting character, with his colorful overalls that change daily, and his knowledge is vast. The last course of your meal will be ramen, with delectibles like shoyu wontonmen in the Harubarutei style. For something unique however, try the houjun shinasoba, a shoyu ramen made with sake kasu, the lees leftover during sake production. Authentic backstreet Tokyo vibes.