ミックスワンタンメン / Mix Wontonmen / Shinasoba Tantantei — Hamadayama, Tokyo

The original Tokyo style wontonmen. Old school shoyu soup uses a variety of ingredients including pork, chicken, mackerel, niboshi, shiitake, kombu, dried shrimp and oxtail. The soup is made one day in advance and chilled to develop flavor before being used. Medium thin low-hydration noodles are provided by Daiei Shokuhin. Two types of handmade wontons feature pork and shrimp, also topped with tsurushi style hook-hung pork chashu, bamboo shoots and nori seaweed. Fried gyoza on the side.

Founded by master Satoshi Ishihara-san, Shinasoba Tantantei is considered the godfather of Tokyo wontonmen. Most of the popular shops serving wontonmen in Tokyo these days are run by masters who either trained at Tantatei or another shop in the lineage. Master Ishihara-san has since left to open ‘Shinasoba Ishihara’ in Ogikubo, but the recipes and cooking methods here have stayed unchanged. Open every day from 11am-8:30pm. Nine seats. Since 1977.