Restaurants
Recommended bowl: Aomori niboshi
Nagao Chuka Soba Kanda hails from north Honshu in Aomori prefecture. The master, Nagao-san, is known as something of a niboshi master when it comes to soup. He now runs five shops in Aomori, and this is his first permanent location in Tokyo. Located near the center of the city, it’s a cramped shop, with customers... More
Recommended bowl: Aomori niboshi
Nagao Chuka Soba Kanda hails from north Honshu in Aomori prefecture. The master, Nagao-san, is known as something of a niboshi master when it comes to soup. He now runs five shops in Aomori, and this is his first permanent location in Tokyo. Located near the center of the city, it’s a cramped shop, with customers squeezing up against one another in tight quarters. Basically, there are two types of soup available, the light (assari) or the rich (koku). The light soup is made with just niboshi and water, nothing else. The thicker bowl is made from niboshi with a combination of chicken and pork. The noodles are specially ordered without kansui (lye water) from Mikawaya Seimen. Open since July 30, 2018. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Mumei (無銘) at Mumei (無銘)
Recommended bowl: Chicken & truffle
Mumei's master was an Italian chef before he ventured into the ramen game. Mumei means ‘no name’ or ‘unsigned’ in Japanese. There are a few different bowls on the menu, all somewhat original. The first option is a ‘neri-shoyu.’ Made with a shio tori-paitan soup, it comes topped with a ball of shoyu and... More
Recommended bowl: Chicken & truffle
Mumei's master was an Italian chef before he ventured into the ramen game. Mumei means ‘no name’ or ‘unsigned’ in Japanese. There are a few different bowls on the menu, all somewhat original. The first option is a ‘neri-shoyu.’ Made with a shio tori-paitan soup, it comes topped with a ball of shoyu and gyokai paste that you mix into the soup. The second most popular option is shio ramen. Also made with a tori-paitan-based soup, it comes laden with lettuce leaves and truffle oil. No MSG anywhere in this spot. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Miya Miya (味噌ぶりNoodleみやみや) at misoburi Noodle miyamiya (味噌ぶりNoodle みやみや)
Recommended bowl: 7 miso blend
Miya Miya opened in 2016. The master trained at a couple of other well known shops, including the prestigious Shichisai. The specialty here is miso ramen— and there seven different types of miso in the tare. The soup takes approximately 13 hours to prepare; it's an infusion of four types of chicken, pork and vegetables.... More
Recommended bowl: 7 miso blend
Miya Miya opened in 2016. The master trained at a couple of other well known shops, including the prestigious Shichisai. The specialty here is miso ramen— and there seven different types of miso in the tare. The soup takes approximately 13 hours to prepare; it's an infusion of four types of chicken, pork and vegetables. The noodles are supplied by Murakami Asahi Seimen. The tokusei version with extra toppings comes with parmesan cheese for an added umami burst. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Mendokoro Ishin (麺処 以心) at Mendokoro Ishin (麺処 以心)
Recommended bowl: Chicken & seabream
This Shinjuku-Kabukicho night-time slurp spot offers up a few smooth bowls made from chicken and shoyu as well as madai (Japanese seabream). The shoyu soup contains chickens, oysters, kombu and shiitake mushrooms, with noodles supplied by Daruma Seimen. Both chicken and pork chashu to boot. The madai ramen is a... More
Recommended bowl: Chicken & seabream
This Shinjuku-Kabukicho night-time slurp spot offers up a few smooth bowls made from chicken and shoyu as well as madai (Japanese seabream). The shoyu soup contains chickens, oysters, kombu and shiitake mushrooms, with noodles supplied by Daruma Seimen. Both chicken and pork chashu to boot. The madai ramen is a creamier soup, made from boiling 10kg of chicken and 10kg of Japanese red seabream. In this bowl, the noodles are supplied by different purveyor altogether — Murakami Asahi Seiemen. On top: Chicken chashu, iwanori seaweed, and pickled wasabi leaves mixed with yuzukoshō. Master Oono-san trained at Mendokoro Shinohara, whose master Shinohara-san trained at the legendary Mendokoro Honda. Legit lineage. Open since June 2018. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Men to Mirai (純手打ち 麺と未来) at Junteuchi Men to Mirai (純手打ち 麺と未来)
Recommended bowl: Thick noodles
Men to Mirai means 'noodle and future' in Japanese. Not surprisingly, the shop is a noodle specialist. Delicious bowls of shio ramen are served with extra-thick noodles prepared fresh in the 'teuchi tegiri temomi' style (hand-made, hand-cut and hand-pounded daily). The high-quality wheat used in the noodles comes from... More
Recommended bowl: Thick noodles
Men to Mirai means 'noodle and future' in Japanese. Not surprisingly, the shop is a noodle specialist. Delicious bowls of shio ramen are served with extra-thick noodles prepared fresh in the 'teuchi tegiri temomi' style (hand-made, hand-cut and hand-pounded daily). The high-quality wheat used in the noodles comes from Japan's Mie Prefecture; it's said to be known for its good chewiness. For noodles lovers this place is lights out.
Matching the tasty noodles is a stellar dashi soup made from chicken wings, asari clams, raosu kombu (high quality kelp), katakuchi iwashi (dried sardines), katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and no msg. The shio tare contains Kuranomoto cooking sake, ayu (sweetfish) fish sauce, and other secret ingredients. The master trained for over a decade at various other ramen shops before opening Men to Mirai in Spring 2018. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Marunaka (中華そば マルナカ) at Marunaka (中華そば マルナカ)
Recommended bowl: Kombu mountain
Open for over 32 years, this old school mom n' pop shop attracts a steady stream of salesmen and regulars with its classic, simple menu. The soup is a nostalgic, clear fish-based Tokyo shoyu, paired with Mimatsuya Seimen noodles, made in Tokyo near Minowa station. The OG master shuffles back and forth, dumping noodles... More
Recommended bowl: Kombu mountain
Open for over 32 years, this old school mom n' pop shop attracts a steady stream of salesmen and regulars with its classic, simple menu. The soup is a nostalgic, clear fish-based Tokyo shoyu, paired with Mimatsuya Seimen noodles, made in Tokyo near Minowa station. The OG master shuffles back and forth, dumping noodles and soup into the bowls lined up on the counter as the orders come in. The most popular menu item might be the kombu ramen, which comes piled with generous amounts of fresh kelp. Tasty gyoza available on the side. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
塩つけそば / Shio Tsukesoba / Motenashi Kuroki — Asakusabashi, Tokyo
Tanrei soup uses two types of chicken (Koshu and Tamba Black), Iwate duck, pork back bones, kombu, shiitake, daikon, tomatoes and vegetables. Each ingredient is simmered for the appropriate amount of time to maximize its flavor. The soup is combined with a super concentrated... More
塩つけそば / Shio Tsukesoba / Motenashi Kuroki — Asakusabashi, Tokyo
Tanrei soup uses two types of chicken (Koshu and Tamba Black), Iwate duck, pork back bones, kombu, shiitake, daikon, tomatoes and vegetables. Each ingredient is simmered for the appropriate amount of time to maximize its flavor. The soup is combined with a super concentrated dashi extracted from niboshi, asari clams, chicken-bushi, kombu, shiro shoyu, gyokai and honey. The shio tare blends five varieties of salt, including sun-dried salt, Japanese sea salt (made by hand), seaweed salt, rock salt and lake salt. Noodles are house-made, no msg or chemical additives. Toppings utilize premium ingredients such as oven-roasted Spanish Galician chestnut pork belly, straw-grilled and smoked Japanese pork thigh and domestic chicken breast. Chicken meatballs are made from a mix of young and old chickens, menma is rehydrated for one week with dashi before being used. Finished with kujo negi and garlic chives.
Master Naoto Kuroki-san was born in Tokyo, the son of a fishmonger. Determined to pursue a career in cooking, he graduated from the Hattori Nutrition College and worked at a Japanese restaurant for five years. Following that he worked briefly at an Italian restaurant, before joining a major Japanese restaurant company. It was then that he discovered his love for ramen, quitting his job suddenly to train himself so he could open his own shop. Motenashi Kuroki opened in Akihabara in 2011, operating for 12 years before eventually moving to a larger, more modern space in Asakusabashi. 13 seats. New location open since October 29th, 2023 @motenashi.kuroki Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Machida Shouten (横濱家系ラーメン 町田商店 本店) at Machida Shouten (横濱家系ラーメン 町田商店 本店)
Recommended bowl: IEKEI powerhouse
The first Machida Shouten opened in 2008, and the brand has since expanded to 49 shops and counting (including outposts in New York and Los Angeles), making it one of the fastest-growing ramen franchises. This here is the original branch. The soup is based on Yokohama IEKEI style, i.e. an extra-thick tonkotsu base.... More
Recommended bowl: IEKEI powerhouse
The first Machida Shouten opened in 2008, and the brand has since expanded to 49 shops and counting (including outposts in New York and Los Angeles), making it one of the fastest-growing ramen franchises. This here is the original branch. The soup is based on Yokohama IEKEI style, i.e. an extra-thick tonkotsu base. The noodles are made at the company's own noodle factory in Machida, which was established in 2015. The staff here are especially 'genki', greeting the customers with boisterous welcomes and shouting orders and thank you's nonstop. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kioritei (季織亭) at Kioritei (季織亭)
Recommended bowl: A master's house
A well-liked ramen shop in Kyōdō, Kioritei served beautiful handmade noodles and creative ramen dishes for 23 years before closing down in 2014. Master Kawana-san eventually started up again via crowdfunding, this time in his own house. Located in a quiet residential area of Yoyogi, the new Kiyoritei offers the... More
Recommended bowl: A master's house
A well-liked ramen shop in Kyōdō, Kioritei served beautiful handmade noodles and creative ramen dishes for 23 years before closing down in 2014. Master Kawana-san eventually started up again via crowdfunding, this time in his own house. Located in a quiet residential area of Yoyogi, the new Kiyoritei offers the superlative homey Japanese ramen experience. Wooden floors, sake bottles on the shelves, with a large dining room table and small counter facing the open kitchen. The menu is ever-changing, and tends to include handcrafted dishes made from exotic, locally sourced ingredients such as Japanese pheasant and Okinawan sea salt. And the handmade noodles are still on point. Less
Copy the code to embed the post
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kinari (メンドコロ キナリ) at Mendokoro Kinari (メンドコロ キナリ)
Recommended bowl: Gourmet bowls
Kinari debuted on June 16, 2015 in a small space in Komagome, and quickly emerged as one of the top rookie shops on the scene. It later closed, moved and reopened in May of 2018 in a larger space in Higashi-Nakano. Kinari's recommended bowl is the 'shiro shoyu ramen.' Made with a golden shio soup, it delivers soothing... More
Recommended bowl: Gourmet bowls
Kinari debuted on June 16, 2015 in a small space in Komagome, and quickly emerged as one of the top rookie shops on the scene. It later closed, moved and reopened in May of 2018 in a larger space in Higashi-Nakano. Kinari's recommended bowl is the 'shiro shoyu ramen.' Made with a golden shio soup, it delivers soothing chicken flavors and a nice umami pop. The tare contains white shoyu and the noodles are supplied by Mikawaya Seimen. Toppings include low-temperature, slow-cooked buta and tori chashu, bamboo shoots and fresh mitsuba leaves. Don't shy away from the other menu options — everything is good here. Less