Recommended bowl: Choose the spice level

A premier destination for tantanmen in central Tokyo. Using Japanese techniques but hewing fairly close to the original Chinese flavors, Kisurin specializes in "Dan Dan Soup Noodles," as it's called on the menu. The soup is a creamy sesame-base, with fiery chili oil for frosting. The bowls come in five spice levels, ranging from 1 (very mild) to 5 (very spicy). Pro tip for the extra-hungry: get the 'paikou' topping, a curry-spiced grilled pork cutlet.