Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kazahana (風花) at Kazahana (風花)
Recommended bowl: Chicken & vegetables
Kazahana is a home-style ramen shop, more popular with locals than tourists. The chicken-based soup is made with seven types of vegetables, and the shoyu tare contains two varieties of soy sauce — one from Kanazawa and one from Shōdo island, Kagawa prefecture. Most customers order the chashumen or the wonton... More
Recommended bowl: Chicken & vegetables
Kazahana is a home-style ramen shop, more popular with locals than tourists. The chicken-based soup is made with seven types of vegetables, and the shoyu tare contains two varieties of soy sauce — one from Kanazawa and one from Shōdo island, Kagawa prefecture. Most customers order the chashumen or the wonton tamagomen. When the master pulls the noodles from the pot he shakes the draining baskets low to the ground, with trance-like movements. Japanese precision. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kasumi (らーめん香澄 阿波座本店) at Kasumi (らーめん香澄 阿波座本店)
Recommended bowl: Niboshi & Back Fat
Master Amasaki-san trained at the reputable Osaka-based shop Junk Story and opened Kasumi in 2012. The bowls here feature a shoyu-based niboshi soup, laden with pork back fat and optionally topped with generous amounts of pork chashu. The soup is made using niboshi from Kujūkuri, Chiba and Nagasaki, as well as... More
Recommended bowl: Niboshi & Back Fat
Master Amasaki-san trained at the reputable Osaka-based shop Junk Story and opened Kasumi in 2012. The bowls here feature a shoyu-based niboshi soup, laden with pork back fat and optionally topped with generous amounts of pork chashu. The soup is made using niboshi from Kujūkuri, Chiba and Nagasaki, as well as dried shiitake mushrooms and kelp from Hokkaido. The thick-cut noodles are from Teigaku, based in Kyoto. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kanamachi Seimen (金町製麺) at Kanamachi Seimen (金町製麺)
Recommended bowl: Ramenya & izakaya
This shop, opened in 2010, is co-produced by the team behind Shichisai and Hantsu Endo, a famous food journalist. The shop master is Yūsuke Nagao. The core menu item is shoyu ramen, but their is also a special bowl that changes daily. The basic soup stock contains pheasants from Ehime prefecture, niboshi, chicken,... More
Recommended bowl: Ramenya & izakaya
This shop, opened in 2010, is co-produced by the team behind Shichisai and Hantsu Endo, a famous food journalist. The shop master is Yūsuke Nagao. The core menu item is shoyu ramen, but their is also a special bowl that changes daily. The basic soup stock contains pheasants from Ehime prefecture, niboshi, chicken, kelp, and vegetables. The noodles are all homemade. There are various otsumami and appetizers, as well as an abundance of alcoholic beverages. The shop almost feels more like an izakaya than a ramen shop, and it’s a place where ramen geeks often have parties and get-togethers. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kamunabi (神名備) at Kamunabi (神名備)
Recommended bowl: Spice & pea sprouts
Among Tokyo's many new, flashy ramen shops, this spot is somewhat lesser known, being an old school family-run ramen house. The bowls are unique and memorable though. If you order the chashu topping, be ready for a monster-sized slab of pork. But we recommended the ‘goma no san’ ramen— which comes with a... More
Recommended bowl: Spice & pea sprouts
Among Tokyo's many new, flashy ramen shops, this spot is somewhat lesser known, being an old school family-run ramen house. The bowls are unique and memorable though. If you order the chashu topping, be ready for a monster-sized slab of pork. But we recommended the ‘goma no san’ ramen— which comes with a mountain of fresh pea sprouts covering the entire bowl, containing a tangy soup of chili oil, vinegar, and various spices. This one is visually stunning and tasty too. A bit on the pricier side compared to your average ramen shop, but something different. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kairyū (魁龍 小倉本店) at Kairyū (魁龍 小倉本店)
Recommended bowl: Stinky AF
Master Moriyama-san previously worked at a few different ramen shops and even had his own ramen shop, then ran a bar for about five years before finally opening Kairyū 1992. The extra stinky tonkotsu soup is made using pork heads and back fat only, in the 'yobimodoshi' style of adding the leftover soup to the pot of the... More
Recommended bowl: Stinky AF
Master Moriyama-san previously worked at a few different ramen shops and even had his own ramen shop, then ran a bar for about five years before finally opening Kairyū 1992. The extra stinky tonkotsu soup is made using pork heads and back fat only, in the 'yobimodoshi' style of adding the leftover soup to the pot of the next day's stock. The noodles here a just a tad thicker than standard Hakata style, so they don't serve the extra al dente styles of 'konaotoshi' or 'harigane.' A bit funky but charming, the shop is on the larger side with 33 seats. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kagura (自然派ラーメン 神楽) at Kagura (自然派ラーメン 神楽)
Recommended bowl: 15 soup ingredients
One of the highest ranked shops in the Kanazawa area. Kagura's soup is made from 15 core ingredients, including katsuo, niboshi, scallops, chicken, kombu and vegetables. The chickens are a special breed sourced from the nearby Noto Peninsula. The noodles are made from a blend of three types of flour. The bowls... More
Recommended bowl: 15 soup ingredients
One of the highest ranked shops in the Kanazawa area. Kagura's soup is made from 15 core ingredients, including katsuo, niboshi, scallops, chicken, kombu and vegetables. The chickens are a special breed sourced from the nearby Noto Peninsula. The noodles are made from a blend of three types of flour. The bowls are topped with pork shoulder and leg chashu. No MSG. The master recommends eating the bowl at a gentle pace, as the flavor of the soup comes out and changes as the soup cools. This is a shop where attention to detail is essential. Surely one of the area's finest. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at Tonchin Los Angeles at TONCHIN LA
東京濃厚つけ麺 / Tokyo Rich Tsukemen / Tonchin LA — Los Angeles, California
Rich tonkotsu gyokai soup is served with fish powder, noodles are house-made in the restaurant using a Yamato machine. Topped with roasted pork chashu, egg, scallion, togarashi chili, menma, radish sprouts, nori seaweed and fresh lime. This special offering is a... More
東京濃厚つけ麺 / Tokyo Rich Tsukemen / Tonchin LA — Los Angeles, California
Rich tonkotsu gyokai soup is served with fish powder, noodles are house-made in the restaurant using a Yamato machine. Topped with roasted pork chashu, egg, scallion, togarashi chili, menma, radish sprouts, nori seaweed and fresh lime. This special offering is a limited menu item produced in collaboration with Keizo Shimamoto and Shimamoto Noodle Inc. *Limited quantities daily.
Tonchin was founded by brothers Katsuhiro and Motohiro Sugeno in Ikebukuro, Tokyo in 1992. Katsuhiro's son Anan Sugeno established the first overseas branch in New York in 2017, with a second concept opened in Brooklyn in July 2022. Newest store located at 5665 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles. 120 seats. Open since January 2023. @tonchinlosangeles @goramen @shimamotonoodle Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kabo-chan (カボちゃん) at Kabo-chan (カボちゃん)
Recommended bowl: Fan turned master
Kabo-chan is named after the nickname of its master, Kubokawa-san. Before opening Kabo-chan, Kubokawa-san was just another ramen junkie reading the mags and eating at all the best shops around Tokyo. Eventually, he felt he had what it takes to move behind the counter.
Kabo-chan's specialty is a shoyu niboshi... More
Recommended bowl: Fan turned master
Kabo-chan is named after the nickname of its master, Kubokawa-san. Before opening Kabo-chan, Kubokawa-san was just another ramen junkie reading the mags and eating at all the best shops around Tokyo. Eventually, he felt he had what it takes to move behind the counter.
Kabo-chan's specialty is a shoyu niboshi ramen, topped with choice pork chashu and chicken. Wontons can be added as an extra topping (we always go for it). The miso ramen is also solid. Tsukemen is available too. Everything on the menu is legit.
The shop is located on a cool little shotengai about seven minutes by foot from Komagome station on the Yamanote line. There are just six seats and Kabo-chan mans everything himself – no support staff. In the summer months, the shop serves shaved ice (kaki-gori). A nice touch. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kabe Taishoken (河辺大勝軒) at Kabe Taishoken (河辺大勝軒)
Recommended bowl: Nostalgic & historical
Kabe Taishoken is a super old school-style spot connected to a family tree of shops with deep ramen roots. The master trained at the legendary Eifukucho Taishoken and this shop basically follows the same recipe. Pork and niboshi-based soup, with noodles supplied by Kusamura Shouten, same as all Eifukucho Taishoken-style... More
Recommended bowl: Nostalgic & historical
Kabe Taishoken is a super old school-style spot connected to a family tree of shops with deep ramen roots. The master trained at the legendary Eifukucho Taishoken and this shop basically follows the same recipe. Pork and niboshi-based soup, with noodles supplied by Kusamura Shouten, same as all Eifukucho Taishoken-style shops. The noodles are served in 300 gram portions. What makes this place unique is they offer tsukemen in the summertime, which is rare for old school Eifukucho-style shops. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Juu Hachiban (手もみラーメン 十八番) at Juu Hachiban (手もみラーメン 十八番)
Recommended bowl: Oil & garlic goodness
Juu Hachiban shop hasn't been featured heavily in Japanese food magazines and TV shows like other elite ramen outposts, but the shop has a strong cult following — many West Tokyoites will rank it among their favorites. Garlic, pork and oil lovers, this is the bowl for you.
The soup is a clear shoyu and the... More
Recommended bowl: Oil & garlic goodness
Juu Hachiban shop hasn't been featured heavily in Japanese food magazines and TV shows like other elite ramen outposts, but the shop has a strong cult following — many West Tokyoites will rank it among their favorites. Garlic, pork and oil lovers, this is the bowl for you.
The soup is a clear shoyu and the noodles are slightly curly, eggy and yellow, similar to the Sapporo style (the noodles are supplied by Yamamasa Shokuhin, a well known noodle maker in Fuchu). Instead of the usual chashu and egg toppings delicately placed atop the bowl, Juu Hachiban's chef stir-fries sliced pork, negi, chives, and garlic over a hot flame and dumps them directly into the noodle soup, topping it off with some menma and black sesame seeds. The garlic punch hits hard and the piping hot oiliness of the dish brings to mind ramen's Chinese origins, but the soup also remains remarkably smooth, with a nice crisp shoyu flavor. The result is a bowl both unique and deeply comforting. The handmade gyoza are excellent.
Open until 1:30am, Juu Hachiban is one of the best late-night bowls on the Chuo Line. Less