味噌つけ麺 - Miso Tsukemen ￥780
I couldn't help but think about the Choirboys' classic and scream 'Jonny!' when I first discovered this little gem by the final stop of the Arakawa Touden streetcar. It could be a bit of a throwback to the '80s and isn't much like any ramen shop I've encountered.
Chef 'Jonny' lived in New York for a little while and perhaps wanted to bring back a slice of Americana to this more traditional area of Tokyo. With a little Jack Johnson playing on a hot September afternoon it felt more Hawaii than New York.
Actually it didn't feel either... With 'Jonny' toiling over a four-burner stove all alone it felt more like we had popped over to his house for lunch - Especially since 'Jonny' doesn't go in for the ramen garb and is decked out in a straw fedora and polo shirt.
But since we weren't here for 'Jonny' we had more pressing issues to attend to...
On first inspection I wasn't convinced these handmade noodles were ramen - Jonny No Udon? If you ask for your noodles katame he will tell you they're really thick and probably need to soften up a little. The regular hardness was certainly hard enough.
The soup was great - certainly not what you'd expect from a restaurant called Jonny. It was a slightly different miso flavour to the others and had a little bite to it. The gyokai powder sprinkled over the top was also a nice touch.
Be careful, the metal bowl is as hot as you think...
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