In the first half of 2024, Tokyo’s ramen scene has already seen the opening of many hot new stores. Time Out Tokyo has carefully selected three newcomers to the scene, including a popular restaurant owner who has created an original bowl of ramen based on the experience of his former apprenticeship, and a store that has been operating on a temporary lease but is now ready to open an actual shop. Let’s look back on the first half of the year with these superb ramen.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
１，Natsuya_no_Chucasoba
Since its opening, the restaurant has been extremely popular, with a long line of customers waiting in line every morning. The menu lineup includes “Natsuya’s Chinese Soba” (950 yen, all prices include tax), “Mochimochi Unshin Chinese Soba” (1,150 yen), and “Mochi Unshin Chinese Soba” (1,250 yen).
The thin noodles, with their wheat aroma and umami, go surprisingly well with the light yet flavorful soup. The wontons made from “Mochihime,” a glutinous flour produced in Iwate Prefecture, are thick and chewy like rice cakes, giving them a unique texture.
You can enjoy two kinds of chashu pork, one with a smoky flavor and the other with a delicious fatty flavor. Be sure to add a side of tender, juicy, seasoned eggs as well.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2uGZx9TcAw57BjaD9
2,Kagaribi
The restaurant offers only “Shoyu Ramen” (starting from 1,300 yen) with a choice of toppings of Ajitama or Chashu pork, and side dishes of “Egg on rice” (400 yen) and “Meat on rice” (500 yen). The “Shoyu Ramen” is a simple but high quality “Seiyu Soy Sauce” dish with a broth made from several brands of Jidori chicken and homemade handmade noodles.
The soup is a sweet soy sauce broth with a gentle flavor that makes you want to drink it all up. The chewy homemade handmade noodles go well with the soup. The ingredients such as menma (pickled bamboo shoots) and chashu pork are firm and chewy, and carefully prepared.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ovzntifmd4DWjiTGA
3,Shiki
The concept is “mellow soup with chicken and vegetables,” featuring a bubbly soup in which more than five kinds of root vegetables are slowly simmered for a long time to extract their sweetness and umami, and then combined with luxurious chicken stock to be strongly emulsified in a blender. Root vegetables and other ingredients are changed according to the seasons.
Tsukemen (tsukemen) (starting at 990 yen) is made with thick, straight noodles of exquisite firmness and served in a chicken and Kansai-style foamy broth. Unlike its appearance, the foamy soup is low in viscosity and has a deliciously salty flavor.
If you order the “special tsukemen,” you will be served several kinds of chashu pork on a separate plate. Fried onions and onions are also served as condiments, so you can enjoy eating the different kinds of pork. Order the “Soup Wari” to finish off your bowl of soup.
