Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Goden (柳麺 呉田) at Goden (柳麺 呉田)
Recommended bowl: Elevated technique
Opened in 2015 and voted one of the top rookie shops in Saitama that year. Shoyu, shio, tsukemen, mazemen and limited seasonal offerings pack out the menu — and all are recommended. Noodles are housemade; select toppings include ume boshi and tori chashu. Egg rice bowls and Spam musubi on the side. The master... More
Recommended bowl: Elevated technique
Opened in 2015 and voted one of the top rookie shops in Saitama that year. Shoyu, shio, tsukemen, mazemen and limited seasonal offerings pack out the menu — and all are recommended. Noodles are housemade; select toppings include ume boshi and tori chashu. Egg rice bowls and Spam musubi on the side. The master is from Kobe and the shop is named after a shrine in his hometown. Known to close early when the soup runs out. Less
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特製中華そば 醤油 / Tokusei Chūka Soba Shoyu / Mugidokoro Hachitochō — Ichinoe, Tokyo
Shoyu soup uses chicken and niboshi, paired with medium-thick straight noodles. Pork chashu, nori, komatsuna, menma, negi and wontons. Hotate Shio Butter Aedama noodles on the side.
The master is from Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. He runs the... More
特製中華そば 醤油 / Tokusei Chūka Soba Shoyu / Mugidokoro Hachitochō — Ichinoe, Tokyo
Shoyu soup uses chicken and niboshi, paired with medium-thick straight noodles. Pork chashu, nori, komatsuna, menma, negi and wontons. Hotate Shio Butter Aedama noodles on the side.
The master is from Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture. He runs the restaurant with his wife. Located in the former space of the ramen shop Chūka Soba Sairen. Eight seats. Open since October 16th, 2021. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ginzasa (銀笹) at Ginzasa (銀笹)
Recommended bowl: Classy
Ginzasa is located in a back alleyway in Higashi-Ginza. The shop has a dark interior, multiple tables and an open window to the kitchen, where the chefs work away, always wearing tacky trucker hats. The menu has a few options — all respectable bowls — but the recommended dish is the shio ramen. It comes with a light, fish-based... More
Recommended bowl: Classy
Ginzasa is located in a back alleyway in Higashi-Ginza. The shop has a dark interior, multiple tables and an open window to the kitchen, where the chefs work away, always wearing tacky trucker hats. The menu has a few options — all respectable bowls — but the recommended dish is the shio ramen. It comes with a light, fish-based salty soup; housemade shrimp dumplings, pork chashu, and thick-cut menma top off the bowl. Pro tip: Ginzasa's bowls feature a spout on the side, which you should use to pour some soup into your chashu rice side dish (ordered separately) Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Genraiken (源来軒) at Genraiken (源来軒)
Recommended bowl: The OG Kitakata Ramen
This is THE original. Open since 1926, Genraiken is the first shop to serve what is now known as Kitakata-style ramen. Clear, pork and chicken-based soup, shoyu tare, medium-width wavy noodles, all topped with thin-sliced pork-belly chashu, menma, naruto and diced negi. To be honest, many of the late-comers may... More
Recommended bowl: The OG Kitakata Ramen
This is THE original. Open since 1926, Genraiken is the first shop to serve what is now known as Kitakata-style ramen. Clear, pork and chicken-based soup, shoyu tare, medium-width wavy noodles, all topped with thin-sliced pork-belly chashu, menma, naruto and diced negi. To be honest, many of the late-comers may have surpassed it, but it's still definitely worth going for the historic experience. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 好来道場 at Souhonke Kourai Dojo
快老麺 / Kairō-men / Souhonke Kourai Dojo — Nagoya, Aichi
The original Kourai style ramen. 'Medicinal' shoyu soup contains chicken carcasses, pork bones, onions, carrots and garlic. Medium-thick straight noodles are special ordered. Kairō-men comes topped with tororo kombu and nori. Ginseng vinegar and chili oil recommended free condiments.... More
快老麺 / Kairō-men / Souhonke Kourai Dojo — Nagoya, Aichi
The original Kourai style ramen. 'Medicinal' shoyu soup contains chicken carcasses, pork bones, onions, carrots and garlic. Medium-thick straight noodles are special ordered. Kairō-men comes topped with tororo kombu and nori. Ginseng vinegar and chili oil recommended free condiments.
Master Kenji Ohashi is the third-generation owner of Kourai Dojo. He is the son-in-law of founder Akira Kaede, who opened a ramen street cart in the late 1950's named 'Kourai.' Many of Kaede-san's apprentices have gone on to open their own stores independently, today there are an estimated 20 or so shops around Nagoya that serve Kourai style ramen. Master Ohashi-san is now in his mid seventies, he starts preparing for service each day at 7:00 in the morning. The store is only open for lunch, 11am-2pm or until sold out (80 bowls per day). After the store closes, Ohashi-san continues to prepare for service the next day, finishing work each night around 7pm. 10 seats. Since 1959. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Gen Ei (麺劇場 玄瑛) at Gen Ei (麺劇場 玄瑛)
Recommended bowl: Stadium seating
Master Irie-san is something of an avant-garde ramen chef, famous for a shop in Tokyo's swank Hiroo neighborhood that can only be dined at via reservation. For his Fukuoka-based outpost, which opened in 2003, the shack-like exterior constructed of what appears to be thin sheet metal gives way through an entrance into... More
Recommended bowl: Stadium seating
Master Irie-san is something of an avant-garde ramen chef, famous for a shop in Tokyo's swank Hiroo neighborhood that can only be dined at via reservation. For his Fukuoka-based outpost, which opened in 2003, the shack-like exterior constructed of what appears to be thin sheet metal gives way through an entrance into a tiered, almost stadium-like seating arraignment directing all eyes on the chef. The menu, of course, offers tonkotsu; but there are also lighter soups such as shio, a shrimp-based bowl and a chili oil-topped tantanmen. The noodles are handmade, as is customary at Irie-san’s shops. All of the bowls are on equal footing — go with what you are feeling. More so than the ramen, the real vibe here is the seating, and the clear view every customer gets of the chef as he prepares the bowls. A ramen performance, of sorts. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Gen (麺屋 玄) at Gen (麺屋 玄)
Recommended bowl: Sapporo Disciple
Master Nakagawa-san was traveling in Sapporo, Hokkaido when he happened to eat at the legendary miso ramen shop Saimi. He was so moved by the experience that he quit his job and began working at Saimi, where he trained for two years. The name 'Gen,' in fact, was given to him by the wife of Saimi's master. The noodles... More
Recommended bowl: Sapporo Disciple
Master Nakagawa-san was traveling in Sapporo, Hokkaido when he happened to eat at the legendary miso ramen shop Saimi. He was so moved by the experience that he quit his job and began working at Saimi, where he trained for two years. The name 'Gen,' in fact, was given to him by the wife of Saimi's master. The noodles at Gen are supplied by Morizumi Seimen, same as Saimai. The soup is made using pork, chicken and vegetables. In an area packed with tonkotsu shops, this here is a gem, serving top level Sapporo-style miso. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 麺屋 そにどり at Menya Sonidori (麺屋 そにどり)
つけ麺 全部入り / Tsukemen Zenbu-iri / Menya Sonidori — Yokkaichi, Mie
Shoyu based soup stock uses Kinso-dori brand chickens from Mie Prefecture and gyokai. House-made noodles contain a blend of Hokkaido and Mie flour. Pork chashu, ajitama, menma, nori, negi and wontons. All ingredients sourced domestically, no msg or chemical additives.... More
つけ麺 全部入り / Tsukemen Zenbu-iri / Menya Sonidori — Yokkaichi, Mie
Shoyu based soup stock uses Kinso-dori brand chickens from Mie Prefecture and gyokai. House-made noodles contain a blend of Hokkaido and Mie flour. Pork chashu, ajitama, menma, nori, negi and wontons. All ingredients sourced domestically, no msg or chemical additives.
Master Kitahara-san trained at the ramen shops Setagaya (in Tokyo) followed by Menya Eguchi (in Osaka). After 10 years, he opened his own shop. 18 seats. Since November 20th, 2017. @sonidori14 Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Gantare (がんたれ) at Gantare (がんたれ)
Recommended bowl: Muteppou Style
Master Itaya-san didn’t even like ramen during his youth. But then he ate at the legendary Tokyo shop ‘Ganko’ and he was forever changed. He went on to become a real ramen beast, and for a period he was crushing over 500 bowls a year. Then he got married and moved to Osaka, where he started working at the famous... More
Recommended bowl: Muteppou Style
Master Itaya-san didn’t even like ramen during his youth. But then he ate at the legendary Tokyo shop ‘Ganko’ and he was forever changed. He went on to become a real ramen beast, and for a period he was crushing over 500 bowls a year. Then he got married and moved to Osaka, where he started working at the famous tonkotsu shop Muteppou. He trained there for seven years before opening Gantare in Wakayama in 2005 after traveling there. The name Gantare was chosen by Akasako-san, president of Muteppou. The soup here is straight-up Muteppou style— thick, rich tonkotsu, with the taste of liquified bone. Watch for Itaya-san to stir the pot with a large metal rod every few minutes. The noodles come custom made from Muteppou Seimenjo. Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Ganja (頑者) at Ganja (頑者)
Recommended bowl: Top tsukemen in Saitama
Ganja is located way out in Kawagoe, Saitaima. If Tokyo were New York, this shop would be in deep Queens. But it’s worth the pilgrimage. Ganja ranks among the very best tsukemen shops in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The shop master, Oohashi-san was born into a ramen family. His parents own and operate Hikari... More
Recommended bowl: Top tsukemen in Saitama
Ganja is located way out in Kawagoe, Saitaima. If Tokyo were New York, this shop would be in deep Queens. But it’s worth the pilgrimage. Ganja ranks among the very best tsukemen shops in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The shop master, Oohashi-san was born into a ramen family. His parents own and operate Hikari Shokuhin, an established noodle company in the city. Oohashi-san plies the family craft daily, making his noodles from scratch each morning before opening.
Ganja serves tonkotsu-gyokai tsukemen (double soup of pork-bone and seafood), a style that became wildly popular in the early 2000s and remains a favorite of young Tokyo salarymen. The soup is rich and fatty, with morsels of dried fish and seafood that cling enticingly to the fresh, chewy dipping noodles. The bowl comes with a generous dollop of fish powder floating on the surface. Ganga was one of the first tsukemen shops in Japan to make liberal use of fish powder in this way – today it’s a popular technique across Tokyo. A spicy version is also offered – equally excellent.
The shop name hints at the state of mind that this food is certain to satisfy. Less