Recommended bowl: Old school wontonmen

Tantantei has been serving ramen for over 35 years, and it is known for one thing: wontonmen. The shop is an institution, having trained numerous masters who went on to establish prestigious wonton-men shops around Tokyo. The masters of Yakumo, Hayashimaru, and Ishihara – all highly respected shops – got their start working here.

Just one shoyu-based variety of soup is served, but it's made with a vast array of ingredients, such as saba, shiitake, konbu, niboshi, dried shrimp, pork parts, chicken parts, ox tail, and others. Various dishes are available, including ramen, wonton soup, wontonmen, chashumen, etc. Two types of wontons are served, one with meat filling and the other with shrimp. Order the "mix wontonmen" so you get to try both. Tantantei's chashu is prepared Chinese style, so it has a bit of that dim sum sweetness. The handmade wontons are immaculately prepared. A classic Tokyo shop.