Mita Seimen Sho/Ebisu三田製麺所/恵比寿

 

This is the third branch of Mita Seimen Sho, a fairly accurate knock-off of Rokurinsha, basically the same taste, quite good, there is frequently a line here at lunch time, whereas there rarely was one when the place was Misomaru. The pork is better here than at either of the branches in Mita (near JR Tamachi Station) or Kabukicho. As I write this they are now opening a fourth branch in Ikebukero.

Supleks page
Diddlefinger Map (English labels)
Google Map

Xi'an/ShinjukuXi'an/新宿

  

Across from the Shinjuku station Yodobashi Nishi Guchi Tokei Kan (watch store) - where I was getting my wife's watch battery replaced, is Xi'an. It has some of the hottest and most flavorful toshoumen anywhere. It's on the fourth floor in one of the these crazy Sega game buildings. When I got there it was about 1/2 full at 2 PM, and the floors were sort of dark. Many of the wait staff spoke both Chinese and Japanese. Unfortunately you don't get to see them slice the noodles up by hand into the pot (from a block of dough) from the non-smoking section. I ordered the ra-yu-su-ran-men, a form of toshoumen and suratanmen combined - very slippery and rich noodles, lots of ground beef and ra-yu in the broth - definitely good to the last drop, with sesame seeds too. The combination of the ra-yu and the added vinegar gives it the type of taste and smell that can easily overwhelm your nose and tongue - be careful. For another 500 yen you can get a plate of 8 good-sized gyoza with a dipping sauce. However these gyoza have a fairly light taste, not strong, and they was more filler in the filling than meat. However they might be good to dump into the soup, the sauce that came with them was good but not spectacular. They will bring you a special bib and there is a pitcher of water at your seat. The portion was decently-sized for the price and there was an option for omori. Take a look at the regular dinner menu also - several delicious-looking things there including a togarashi chicken and black vinegar pork spare ribs.

Tabelog page
Google Map

Ramen Jiro/Senjuohashiラーメン二郎/千住大橋

  

First Ramen Jiro east of the loop that I have been to in a while. The reason for the delay on this one is that I saw a number of scary pictures of lines 40-50 people long for a while, right after it opened (in April IIRC). Take the Keisei line to Senjuohashi station. When I got there on a Saturday at 10:30 (opens at 11), the line was only 10 people long, and a steady rain was coming down. Usually the line will go around the building corner, it's literally right there when you come out of the station. This shop is brandy new, very clean with a bathroom in the back. The noodles were lighter and thinner than most Jiro noodles. However the pork was very dry and had strips of the tough fat running through it. Standard Jiro broth, not much suspended fat. Overall decent but might not be worth the change at Ueno from JR to Keisei to get there. Note that there was also a sign for the new Moriya Jiro in Ibaraki-ken (40 mins from Akihabara on Tsukuba) on the front door, this branch opened on or around the beginning of June and hasn't gotten stellar reviews either. So now were back down to two Jiro branches I haven't been to yet.

Dragonia Ryuhei (good pics)
Google Map

Ramen Jiro/Omiyaラーメン二郎/大宮

 

Much of the area around JR Omiya Station seems a bit on the seedy side. If I never came back here again it would be too soon. A fair bit of garbage, odd-looking people walking around. On both sides of the Omiya Ramen Jiro there were love hotels. This Ramen Jiro opened last August to a bit of fanfare as it was the first one that had opened in a while. Finally got a chance to go up there on Sunday as their weekend hours are a bit weird, only open starting at 5 PM on Sundays, and noon to 4 on Sunday. The waiting time at this Jiro was about 30 mins, divided into two lines both in front of the place and directly across the street. The woman will come out to remind you to come in and buy a chip, or to see what chip you've bought, or to cajole you to move from one line to another. The soup was quite different here from other Jiro branches, there was no suspended fat at all, and the broth was not clear, with a strange slightly milky taste. The noodles were very thin, thinner than most other Jiros, similar to linguine, and over cooked. The pork was average for Jiro. One item on the toppings menu that is not usually on other Jiros is togarashi, but I didn't have it. No tissues or napkins. They do have tsukemen though, which again I did not try. Not sure this is worth the trip (from the lower 23 anyway).

Foodpia Olive page
Google Map

Tokyo Ramen Show 2009 (with pics)

 

 

 

 

Finally getting around to posting these pics - went to the Ramen Show 2009 - won't be going back. Basically just a big field with small ramen shops and long lines. One line for tickets, another line for each shop.

This coming weekend the Tokyo Ramen Show 2009 will be held at the Chuo Hiroba in Komazawa Koen in Setagaya-ku. It will be held from 10 AM to 8 PM on Friday the 29th and Saturday the 30th, and until 5 PM on Sunday the 31st. There is no entrance fee, but there will be fees if you want to sample the ramen. I do plan to go so I will post some info afterwards.

The following link (Japanese only) has the map and more information:

http://www.ramen-kyokai.jp/ramenshow/index.html

This link has the list of shops that will attend, including Keisuke, Taishoken, Rokurinsha, and others, both alone and in "collaborations".

http://www.ramen-kyokai.jp/ramenshow/tenpo.html