Restaurants
- Abram Plaut added a new meal Ramen at Kamunabi (神名備) at Kamu Nabi (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 Shizenha Ramen 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
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at Piedmont Avenue at MENSHO
特製燻鶏白湯らぁ麺 / Signature Smoked Toripaitan Ramen / MENSHO — Oakland, California
Rich 100% chicken soup is combined with a kombu-mushroom dashi containing porcini, shiitake and vegetables. Noodles are house-made daily on two noodle machines, using a blend of wheat flours from California and Japan. The tare contains shio koji and... More
特製燻鶏白湯らぁ麺 / Signature Smoked Toripaitan Ramen / MENSHO — Oakland, California
Rich 100% chicken soup is combined with a kombu-mushroom dashi containing porcini, shiitake and vegetables. Noodles are house-made daily on two noodle machines, using a blend of wheat flours from California and Japan. The tare contains shio koji and smoked shoyu cha-tare. Toppings include smoked ajitama, smoked kurobuta pork chashu, smoked A5 wagyu chashu, smoked duck chashu, king oyster mushroom menma, og truffle sauce, enoki chips, green onion and charcoal negi. Aside from a chicken based soup menu, five different vegan bowls are available, utilizing premium Japanese ingredients like kioke (wooden barrel) soy sauce and nori seaweed sourced from the Yoshino River, Shikoku.
MENSHO founder and ramen creator Tomoharu Shono taught himself how to make ramen as a teenager when he was still in high school. He opened his first ramen shop Menya Shono in Ichigaya, Tokyo, in 2005. Overseas expansion began with Mensho Tokyo SF in San Francisco, open since 2016. Now there are 15+ stores worldwide in six different countries, with each location offering an original concept and menu. New U.S. flagship in Oakland at 4258 Piedmont Ave. 50 seats. Since August 15th, 2023. @menya_shono @team_mensho Less
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- Abram Plaut added a new meal Dinner at 中野坂上駅 at Yamauchi Nojo
上特選ラーメン / Jō-Tokusen Ramen / Menya Taisei — Nakano-Sakaue, Tokyo
Yokohama Iekei style ramen. Emulsified soup uses three types of chicken carcasses, including Tokushima Awaodori chickens. Noodles are medium width, supplied by Sakai Seimen. Special toppings feature three slices of pork chashu, cubed pork chashu, ajitama, spinach and... More
上特選ラーメン / Jō-Tokusen Ramen / Menya Taisei — Nakano-Sakaue, Tokyo
Yokohama Iekei style ramen. Emulsified soup uses three types of chicken carcasses, including Tokushima Awaodori chickens. Noodles are medium width, supplied by Sakai Seimen. Special toppings feature three slices of pork chashu, cubed pork chashu, ajitama, spinach and five pieces of nori. Free white rice on the side. Other free condiments include cucumber pickles, vinegar, black pepper, minced garlic and spicy miso paste.
Master Taisei Hikage-san worked as the shop manager of Budouka Ryo in Seijiogakuen-mae, before going independent. Located in a space previously occupied by a hair salon. 14 seats. Since March 1st, 2023. @men.yataisei Less
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特製昆布水つけ醤油 / Tokusei Kombusui Tsuke Shoyu / Hachan Ramen — Hamamatsucho, Tokyo
Soup contains Hakata and Kochi Jidori chickens, domestically sourced pork arm meat, sake, two types of niboshi, saba-bushi, katsuobushi and special flavored vegetables. Shoyu tare sauce uses four types of Honjozo shoyu, along with sake, honey, mirin... More
特製昆布水つけ醤油 / Tokusei Kombusui Tsuke Shoyu / Hachan Ramen — Hamamatsucho, Tokyo
Soup contains Hakata and Kochi Jidori chickens, domestically sourced pork arm meat, sake, two types of niboshi, saba-bushi, katsuobushi and special flavored vegetables. Shoyu tare sauce uses four types of Honjozo shoyu, along with sake, honey, mirin and several coarse grains. Shoyu tare is paired with chicken oil, while shio ramen uses sea bream oil. No msg. Medium-thin, high hydration Kokoro no Aji Shokuhin noodles are made with a blend of whole wheat and Haruyutaka brand flour. Noodles are served in kombu water containing Rausu and Gagome kelp, katsuobushi and salt. Consulting on the noodles is occasionally received by Tomita-san (of Chūka Soba Tomita). Other menu items like Mazesoba feature hand-rolled noodles. Tokusei comes with pork arm meat chashu (from the pork arms used in the soup), pork loin and low-temperature duck chashu. Ajitama are marinated in a special sauce with whiskey.
Master Ha-san is from Vietnam. Before going independent, he trained for nine years at both the old Mendokoro Honda in Higashi-Jūjō and the new Mendokoro Honda in Akihabara. 10 seats. Open since April 22nd, 2023. @hachanramen Less