Recommended bowl: Tsuruga style

Open since 1984, this local alleyway shop serves up a style of ramen quite rare in Tokyo-- Tsuruga style. Tsuruga is a seaside area of Fukui prefecture, bordering the sea of Japan. The soup is made from pork and chicken only, and is called 'golden soup' for its distinctive color. The noodles are special ordered, although from where, is a secret. Aside from the regular chūka soba, a popular item is the ninniku soba, which comes with a nice amount of sliced garlic cloves in the soup. It’s kind of old-school style looking bowls and old-school looking shop, but the food is good. Gyoza and beers on the side pair perfectly with the ramen. The master originally learned to make ramen from his brother, who trained at a known shop in Tsuruga, Ichiriki. Rumor has it they even opened a branch in Buffalo, NY.