Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 中華料理 登喜和 at Tokiwa
マーボーラーメン / Mābō Ramen / Chūka Ryōri Tokiwa — Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo
Machi Chūka style shoyu ramen topped with mābō tofu and negi. Medium width semi-wavy noodles are special ordered. Fried gyoza on the side. Other popular items include cha-han, omelet rice and katsudon.
2nd generation master Toshimichi Kamota-san is from... More
マーボーラーメン / Mābō Ramen / Chūka Ryōri Tokiwa — Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo
Machi Chūka style shoyu ramen topped with mābō tofu and negi. Medium width semi-wavy noodles are special ordered. Fried gyoza on the side. Other popular items include cha-han, omelet rice and katsudon.
2nd generation master Toshimichi Kamota-san is from Yamagata prefecture, he runs the store together with his wife. They have known each other since they were childhood friends. Open lunch only, 11:30am to 3pm. 20 seats. Since 1947. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Tatsunoya (ラーメン 龍の家) at Tatsunoya (ラーメン 龍の家)
Recommended bowl: Pig head soup
Master Ryuta Kajiwara previously worked as a salaryman before learning the basics of ramen at Ippudo. He then went on to start a successful ramen group all of his own. Tatsunoya began with a single shop in Kurume in 1999, but the brand now has over 10 shops in Japan and one in California. Kajiwara-san also runs a second... More
Recommended bowl: Pig head soup
Master Ryuta Kajiwara previously worked as a salaryman before learning the basics of ramen at Ippudo. He then went on to start a successful ramen group all of his own. Tatsunoya began with a single shop in Kurume in 1999, but the brand now has over 10 shops in Japan and one in California. Kajiwara-san also runs a second successful ramen brand, Ibuki, which boasts at least another seven shops in Japan. The soup at Tatsunoya is made from pig heads and water only. Rich, fatty and creamy, this is a Kyushu-style tonkotsu soup. Noodles come straight from the company's central kitchen, made using a special brand of original wheat. Most customers go for the standard Kokuaji, but this Shinjuku branch is the only location that offers Motsu Tsukemen, made with bits of fatty pork intestines. A popular shop with tourists, quite often with a queue at peak hours. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at Kameido at Men Fujisaki (麺 ふじさき)
ワンタン醤油らあめん / Wonton Shoyu Ramen / Men Fujisaki — Kameido, Tokyo
Chintan style shoyu ramen contains a number of premium, carefully selected ingredients. The water is RO (reverse osmosis) with activated carbon, acidic and alkaline waters are also used during preparation. The (mostly) chicken-based soup uses a wide selection of... More
ワンタン醤油らあめん / Wonton Shoyu Ramen / Men Fujisaki — Kameido, Tokyo
Chintan style shoyu ramen contains a number of premium, carefully selected ingredients. The water is RO (reverse osmosis) with activated carbon, acidic and alkaline waters are also used during preparation. The (mostly) chicken-based soup uses a wide selection of free-range brand chickens featuring Kuro Satsuma, pure-bred Nagoya Cochin, Takahara Hinai Jidori, (regular) Hinai Jidori and Kumano Jidori (from Mie Prefecture). Three varieties of premium pork (used in both the soup and chashu) include Sansei Farm Sanemon (aged two weeks on the carcass), Hirata Farm Kinka and Sangen pork. Other soup ingredients worth mentioning are shijimi clams from Lake Shinji, Rausu kombu, Rishiri kombu, plus Kuroguchi and Shiroguchi Ma Kombu. Gagome kombu is used during preparation. Both noodles and wonton skins are housemade with a variety of the following premium brand flours: Haruyutaka, Haruyutaka First-Class, Haruyutaka stone-ground whole wheat, Yumechikara, Haruyokoi, Kinunonami, Kinoshita, Sanuki no Yume, Mochihime and Nebarigoshi, melded with kansui (alkaline water) from Inner Mongolia. 6-8 types of naturally brewed raw soy sauce go into the shoyu tare, including Sakae and Mizutani brands, along with mirin and sugar. No msg. Finished with mitsuba leaves, chashu rice bowl served on the side.
Master Mizuki Fujisaki-san is from Ibaraki Prefecture, it was in high school that he experienced Tokyo ramen for the first time and was so moved he decided to someday become a ramen chef. He started out with a part-time job while he was in college at Menya Shokudo in Atsugi, Kanagawa. Later he trained at two well-known shops near his wife’s hometown of Funabashi, Chiba; Maruha and Tomonomoto. 11 seats. Open since September 16th, 2022. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Azumaya (あづま家 ) at Azumaya (あづま家 )
Recommended bowl: Old school hidden gem
This family-run shop is hidden off the street inside the gates of the Yodobashi Seika Ichiba marketplace, right next to Iseya Shokudou. The shop opened in 1980 and moved to its current location in 1990. Catering to the workers from the market, the ramen here is simple, old school Tokyo style, involving a chicken... More
Recommended bowl: Old school hidden gem
This family-run shop is hidden off the street inside the gates of the Yodobashi Seika Ichiba marketplace, right next to Iseya Shokudou. The shop opened in 1980 and moved to its current location in 1990. Catering to the workers from the market, the ramen here is simple, old school Tokyo style, involving a chicken and pork soup paired with classic shoyu tare. The noodles are specially ordered using an original recipe that calls for less kansui than normal. The noodles get softer quicker, and must be eaten fast. For this reason customers can order okawari (refill) ramen for just 130 yen. Both the wontonmen and tsukemen are recommended, as is the spicy powder and vinegar on the counter that can be mixed into the soup. Azumaya is all about authentic old school Japanese vibes, with a menu that hasn't been touched in over 30 years. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at at Menjuku Shiina (麺宿 志いな)
Recommended bowl: Whole-chicken soup
Master Shiina-san previously ran the shop Kaguraya in Suidobashi before opening his own spot in July 2018. Shiina specializes in chicken-based soup in a variety of forms. Shio, shoyu, tori paitan and tsukemen are all on the menu, with a soup made from simmering whole birds. The official shop recommendation is the... More
Recommended bowl: Whole-chicken soup
Master Shiina-san previously ran the shop Kaguraya in Suidobashi before opening his own spot in July 2018. Shiina specializes in chicken-based soup in a variety of forms. Shio, shoyu, tori paitan and tsukemen are all on the menu, with a soup made from simmering whole birds. The official shop recommendation is the shio, which uses three varieties of salt in the tare. If you want something richer, you can't go wrong with the creamy tori paitan, either. Noodles supplied by Taisei Shokuhin. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Menya Shichisai (麺や七彩八丁堀店) at Menya Shichisai (麺や 七彩)
Recommended bowl: Live noodle show
In July 2015, Menya Shichisai, the well-regarded ramen establishment co-created by restaurateurs Yoshihiko Fujii and Hiroaki Sakata, opened a second location in Hatchobori. The new Hatchobori branch prepares every batch of noodles by hand — AFTER the customer has placed their order. Handmade noodles aren't particularly... More
Recommended bowl: Live noodle show
In July 2015, Menya Shichisai, the well-regarded ramen establishment co-created by restaurateurs Yoshihiko Fujii and Hiroaki Sakata, opened a second location in Hatchobori. The new Hatchobori branch prepares every batch of noodles by hand — AFTER the customer has placed their order. Handmade noodles aren't particularly uncommon in the Tokyo ramen game, but to make them made-to-order in view of the customers is awesome — especially if you're lucky enough to score one of the seats beside the noodle prep station.
The shop interior's wood and cream tones create a clean, contemporary impression. As you enter the shop, you'll notice the master working the noodles through a glass window at the far end of the counter. Each time an order is shouted in his direction, he grabs a ball of dough, adds flour, pounds it, flattens it with a roller, adds more flour, slaps the dough on a stationary cutting board and proceeds to slice out thin ribbons of noodle. He uses a knife that is ratcheted to move a certain distance with each stroke, so that the noodles are sliced with perfect consistency. Once cut and further floured, the master brings the noodles back to the board, and proceeds to pound, kneed, and squeeze them in the 'teuchi temomimen' style. Next, directly into the pot they go.
The soup is on par with the best kitakata ramen in town — a light, crisp shoyu, with an almost acidic twang to it. Negi, menma and luscious juicy chashu top it off. The thin-cut menma also have a nice freshness to them.
Nevertheless, and needless to say, it's really all about the noodles here. The 'teuchi temomimen' pounding technique gives them a slightly broad, wavy shape. They're cooked until the edges are a bit soft but the center of the noodle is still al dente. The result is a truly awesome texture and mouth feel. Less
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Recommended bowl: Tokyo style miso
Nagoya is famed for its red miso, but in the bowls at this shop you will find none of it. Instead a blend of various white misos from the Tokyo area and further north are used, as well as an original blend of fruit and vegetables which go into the tare sauce. The soup contains chicken, pork, and fish, which is then... More
Recommended bowl: Tokyo style miso
Nagoya is famed for its red miso, but in the bowls at this shop you will find none of it. Instead a blend of various white misos from the Tokyo area and further north are used, as well as an original blend of fruit and vegetables which go into the tare sauce. The soup contains chicken, pork, and fish, which is then topped with pork back fat. The toppings include kuki wakame (stick type seaweed) and abura-age (fried tofu skins). The noodles are supplied by Kanejin noodles. For those who like Szchechuan peppercorns and coriander, go for the 'Shibere Pakuchi', which comes covered in fresh cilantro. Less
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熟成味噌らーめんスペシャル / Jukusei Miso Ramen Special / Asakusa Jukusei Miso Ramen Noriaki Bibi — Asakusa, Tokyo
Aged miso ramen consists of pork based soup melded together with a tare using miso from Niigata Prefecture. Medium thick noodles are by Mikawaya Seimen. Topped with pork chashu, ajitama, bean sprouts, menma, pork back... More
熟成味噌らーめんスペシャル / Jukusei Miso Ramen Special / Asakusa Jukusei Miso Ramen Noriaki Bibi — Asakusa, Tokyo
Aged miso ramen consists of pork based soup melded together with a tare using miso from Niigata Prefecture. Medium thick noodles are by Mikawaya Seimen. Topped with pork chashu, ajitama, bean sprouts, menma, pork back fat, grated ginger, negi, nori, yuzu peel, togarashi and Japanese sansho.
Master Noriaki-san worked for the Keisuke ramen group for 13+ years, during that period he spent time for the company at ramen shops overseas in places like Singapore and the Philippines. Located in the space formerly occupied by the ramen shop “Menkoma,” then the Asakusa branch of “Shio Shoga Ramen Senmonten MANNISH.” 10 seats. Open since April 18th, 2023 @asakusa_miso_ramennoriaki_bibi Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Tamagusuku (麺屋玉ぐすく) at Menya Tamagusuku (麺屋玉ぐすく)
Recommended bowl: Okinawan Style
The master here is Okinawan, and the shop is kind of themed like an Okinawan izakaya / ramen bar. Sōki soba and ramen are both on the menu. The sōki soba is the primary recommendation, served with housemade noodles that are prepared with four varieties of flours. The soup is made from a kombu and Hongare katsuobushi... More
Recommended bowl: Okinawan Style
The master here is Okinawan, and the shop is kind of themed like an Okinawan izakaya / ramen bar. Sōki soba and ramen are both on the menu. The sōki soba is the primary recommendation, served with housemade noodles that are prepared with four varieties of flours. The soup is made from a kombu and Hongare katsuobushi dashi, containing whole Nagoya Cochin chickens. Toppings include housemade satsuma-age (fish cake), pickled ginger and the 'sōki' — a savory stewed pork sparerib with soft tendon. Traditional Okinawan-style pepper sauce on the counter. Open since 2012. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Shizuku (らぁ麺や 汐そば雫) at Raa Menya Shio Soba Shizuku (らぁ麺や 汐そば雫)
Recommended bowl: Natural ingredients
A delicate soup is made from a base of Nagoya Cochin chickens, along with subtle sea-based elements. Shio, Shoyu and mazesoba all available. Thin, straight, homemade noodles. The chashu topping is made of pork shoulder. Only open for lunch. Opened in July 2012, but relocated to the current location in 2013. All... More
Recommended bowl: Natural ingredients
A delicate soup is made from a base of Nagoya Cochin chickens, along with subtle sea-based elements. Shio, Shoyu and mazesoba all available. Thin, straight, homemade noodles. The chashu topping is made of pork shoulder. Only open for lunch. Opened in July 2012, but relocated to the current location in 2013. All natural ingredients with no MSG. Less