六厘舎TOKYO - Rokurinsha, Tokyo Ramen Street

特製つけめん - Special Tsukemen

    Having finally wandered past the jewel in the crown of the recently renewed Tokyo Ramen Street, Rokurinsha, without seeing a line of more than an hour it was time to see what all the fuss is about. Having said that, the line was still a good 45 minutes long...

   Which some might say is too long for a toddler, but not our intrepid couple above (looking down) who seemed content to have their crying daughter scream herself hoarse. Of course they knew she was making a scene, so they tried the "old let's-leave-you-up-the-other-end-of-the-line" trick and let her scream into our ears for a bit. Considering how much I hate lining up, this is not what I needed, nor what anyone else should have to put up with.

   I went with the slightly pricier tokusei tsukemen since it could be a while before I'm back, put on my paper bib and got stuck in. It has taken a long time to get to Rokurinsha, which is the originator of the popular tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen at its honten near Osaki station.

   

   It could have been the build up and the anticipation but I was left wondering what all the fuss is about. Sure, I finished the bowl and enjoyed it - the thick, chewy noodles and the shredded pork in the pricier bowl were both highlights - but I feel I've had better bowls of tsukemen (albeit from other very highly-rated shops). 

   If the knowledge that you've tried the original tonkotsu gyokai tsukemen is of concern to you, then it's worth a trip, but Tokyo residents are definitely spoilt for choice in this regard...

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らーめん工房 みそ玄 - Misogen, Shiraoka

特みそらーめん - Toku Miso Ramen

   Every now and then on a trip out to Saitama I get a recommendation to check out and this time it was Misogen, just across from Shiraoka station. This is quite a nice change since often the shops out this way can often only be accessed by car - which we used anyway.

   The stores around here often have a little more of a family-friendly atmosphere the ramen-nerd stores of Tokyo and there was even a high chair pulled up to the counter for the little ones. Meanwhile, the master of the place was busy cooking, clearing tables and working the register all on his own.

   They have a few different types on offer here - tokumiso, Hokkaido style miso and an interesting sounding tan-tan miso, all of which have a few different options themselves. This standard one was quite interesting itself and had a rather buttery flavour to it. Unfortunately they had run out of chashu for the day so we weren't able to have the full experience but I was pretty content with it. 

Obviously...

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一品香 - Ippinkou, Shimoda

エビワンタン塩ラーメン - Shio Ramen with Shrimp Wonton

   Another way to cool off in the summer is to head to the beach - although this method can be largely ineffective once the sunburn kicks in. So it was back for another trip to Izu, though a little further south this time to enjoy the much more beautiful (and possibly crowded) beaches of the popular holiday spot. 

   The local tour brochure was advertising a few of the different ramen shops scattered throughout the town and we decided that Ippinkou looked to be the pick of the bunch. There was, however, a very photogenic ramen served with an entire crab topping but I was a little wary of such intimidating-looking food.

   Ippinkou definitely has a more of a restaurant than ramen shop feel to it, but I think that the limitations on space in Tokyo are the main factor here rather than any preconceived notion of a how a shop should feel. We were seated on a table with a chain smoker who may have upped his intake because of the football world cup qualifier being broadcast.

  I was pleasantly surprised with this bowl. Ramen can be hit or miss at the best of times and in regional towns that aren't particularly well-known for ramen it is usually the latter, but Ippinkou could easily sit among the thousands in Tokyo. A great chashu and though I'm not usually a fan, the shrimp wontons were a great complement to the shio soup.

   I'd happily go back here anytime I'm in the area...

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けやき - Keyaki, Sapporo

味噌ラーメン - Miso Ramen

     One would think that a good idea to escape the summer in Tokyo would be to head to the cooler climes of Hokkaido, however there are a few things that could turn this seemingly brilliant plan on its head. Firstly, Sapporo can be pretty hot itself in summer - we were rather lucky in that respect though. Secondly, Sapporo is famous for its miso ramen which seems to be pretty much everywhere throughout the city and is much more suited to wintertime eating.
    Keyaki seems to be one of the more famous shops so that was where we headed (after a slight detour which led us to a massive car park and a ramen shop which was closed for the duration of our 4 days in Sapporo). A bit of a queue, but nothing to worry about. Inside the store led to another flaw in our plan - It was like a sauna inside. But once you're in, there's no turning back. Not even if you try - with your elbows locked into your waist and shoulder-to-shoulder with your neighbour you're stuck.

   My friend went for the chashu-men.

    Not ideal for a hot day but still a great bowl. There is nothing lacking and it doesn't feel  as if there is anything unnecessary either. A nice spice that only kicked with a few mouthfuls of soup and among the rest of the usual suspects in a bowl of miso ramen including some pieces of ground pork floating around. The chashu was also full of meaty goodness.

    It was definitely a sweaty experience but well worth it. There are definitely a few more I'd like to try up this way in the future.

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Keyaki Homepage

らーめん 元山亭 - Motoyama Tei, Hiyoshi

冷やし塩らーめん - Cold Shio Ramen, ￥750

    So what do you do when you have a quench for some ramen at the peak of summer? For a lot of people (Not me!) the idea of soup is unthinkable, so you either go without, brave the hot soup, or have it a little chilled. Since Motoyama Tei was offering the later, we went with that one.
   There were a few people around for the awkward Sunday 4pm lunch(?), despite their being an abundance of ramen shops in Hiyoshi - which I'm certain is related to there being a Keio University campus on the other side of the station - and an interior that resembled a burger joint more than a ramen shop. The shop itself is an offshoot of the more famous shio ramen shop, Honmaru Tei, in Yokohama.

   It definitely provides the relief from the heat that you are looking for which, if it's your main purpose, can be a great thing but the ramen itself may not be for everyone. The noodles were quite firm and suited the citrus-tinged soup well - the soup, however, was a bit same-y and lacked some punch, so I added some yuzu paste to get it going.

    Not the greatest, but far from the worst and points for trying to adapt to the climate.

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油そば専門店 万人力 - Banninriki, Iriya

油そば 並盛 - Regular Abura Soba, ￥600

   Every now and then you come across a ramen shop that is really into creating a instantly recognisable brand, and with T-shirts for sale for ￥3500 and a simple yet deceptively difficult to read name - is that Banjinriki? - written on everything, Banninriki is one of these places. There's also an interesting counter here with a walkway for the staff through the middle that kind of resembles a kaiten zushi  restaurant.

   The regular size is 140g of noodles which is usually good for ramen, but seemed a like a pretty small amount here. I should have gone for the next size up...

   Commonly with abura soba you are expected to mix in a little vinegar and raayu, chili oil to keep the noodles moist. The recommended amount at Banjiriki is to squeeze while making 1.5 revolutions. That seemed to be an optimal amount as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

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油そば専門店 浜そば - Hamasoba, Yushima

浜そばスペシャル - Hamasoba Special, ￥730

   Hamasoba may have the smallest shopfront I have ever seen. However, with the ubiquity of smartphones and applications, or アプリ these days, you don't have to worry about missing it. Just switch on your GPS and you will be directed to the nearest ramen shop from your current location. Being technically challenged though, I remembered walking past this one on my way to another ramen shop. Interestingly you face the wall when eating with your back to the kitchen. Well, not particularly interesting...

    No soup to be had here - Just some very firm noodles and a bunch of other stuff. It was quite a good, no-frills bowl. Definitely the type that would go down well after a bit of a drinking session.

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