[Attractive with photos] RAMEN Revealed vol.7

Tokyo’s Best Ramen Shops vol.2

The Tokyo ramen scene is fiercely competitive. With more than 3,000 shops vying for customers, it’s not easy to select the “best of” in the genre. There are dozens of variations on the traditional broth and noodle combination, and every shop boasts a selection of mouthwatering choices. Here, ramen connoisseur Hayato Ishiyama shares his top 10 picks for Tokyo’s tastiest ramen. The list includes both centrally located shops and others somewhat off the beaten path that are nevertheless worth a visit for the memorable taste experience they offer.

Tokyo

◆ Try this for a sumptuous niboshi soup ◆

6.Sugoi Niboshi Ramen

Nagi Shinjuku

Golden-gai Annex

For unforgettable niboshi ramen, go to Nagi, famed in Japan and abroad for its intensely flavorful soup. The stock is made from more than 20 varieties of niboshi selected from all over Japan, and is seasoned with soy sauce and dozens of spices. The resulting broth is rich, piquant, and on the salty side, a perfect foil for the curly house-made noodles. This distinctive ramen has a way of hooking everyone who tries it.

SSankei Bldg. 1F, 1-9-6 Kabuki-cho,

Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-3203-9177

Operates 24 hours a day

Open daily

Niboshi Ramen ¥820

◆ A mainstay of Japan’s ramen culture ◆

7.Ramen

Jiro

Cabang Meguro

Ramen Jiro, based in Minato-ku’s Mita, is famous for its shoyu-infused broth and super-thick noodles. Each bowl is topped with a mound of vegetables and a generous chunk of pork. Jiro fans are legion and dedicated; initiates are clued in to the arcane practices of the Jiro universe, such as how to order extra free toppings. The regular serving size is enormous, but at the shop’s Meguro branch, smaller portions are available, making it relatively easy for beginners to give Ramen Jiro’s legendary noodles a try.

3-7-2 Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-3793-2785

Noon to 4 PM, 6 PM to midnight

Closed Wednesdays

Small Ramen with Extra Vegetables, Garlic, and Fat ¥500

◆ The go-to place for authentic tsukemen ◆

8.Gyukotsu Ramen

Seitoku

Though it’s far from any train station, Seitoku draws hordes of ramen lovers. Its signature dish is tsukemen with fragrant, house-made wheat noodles. The regular-size serving may seem daunting at first, but most folks manage to polish it off. Whole chickens, pork knuckles, katsuobushi, and thick flakes of dried mackerel are simmered for 12 hours to make the stock. Soy sauce and other seasonings are added to create the dipping sauce. With one taste, you’ll see why people love tsukemen so much.

3-24-4 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya-ku,Tokyo

11 AM to 2:30 PM

(may close earlier if ingredients run out)

Closed Mondays and irregularly

Tokusei Tsukemen ¥1,090

◆ A new approach to vegetable ramen ◆

9.Soranoiro

The typical tanmen vegetable ramen features a lightly seasoned broth made from sauteed meat and vegetables. Soranoiro’s vegetable ramen occupies another dimension: Noodles containing sweet peppers are paired with soup of vegetable broth and pureed carrots. The toppings, too, show a creative approach, with options like steamed cabbage and carrots or mashed potatoes.

Blue Bldg. Honkan 1B, 1-3-10 Hirakawacho,

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-3263-5460

11 AM to 10 PM (last order)

Closed Saturdays and Sundays

Vegi Soba ¥900

◆ The soup’s the thing in this shio ramen ◆

10.Menya

Sou

This shop’s shio ramen is all about the broth—a hearty chicken stock combined with fish-based broth made from frigate tuna and niboshi. Seasoned with sea salt from the Tsushima Strait and pink rock salt from the Himalayas, the resulting soup has superb depth without being overly heavy. The tableware, which was created by famed industrial designer Sori Yanagi—a relative of the chef—adds an elegant touch.

Sun Park Mansion Takadanobaba B102,

1-4-21 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku,Tokyo

Tel. 03-5876-7640

11:30 AM to 10:30 PM

(may close earlier if ingredients run out);

open daily