Tomita 中華蕎麦 とみ田

I have been monitoring ramendb for a few years now, and in the past two years, there have been a few shops that are consistently in the top. For a good year or so, it was Menya Kissou, but in the last a year or so, a new shop in Chiba took over the crown. And since it took over, it has not looked back.


Tomita is not to be messed with. It's been on top of the ramendb charts, and with my love for ramen never wavering, I had to try it out for myself. Now Chiba isn't exactly close, but traveling to far places to try ramen was never a problem for me.


Located within minutes walk from Matsudo Station (松戸駅), I treked out from Shinjuku on a Saturday morning, and arrived around 11am. As you can see, the shop is not hard to find. Just look where the crowd is.


This shop definitely has character. From the exterior design of their window, to the interior decor of a traditional Japanese furnishing, it makes this shop a unique experience just to be here. But of course people don't travel all the way to Chiba for the decor. I must first apologize for the poor lighting of the pictures. I forgot to check the setting on my SLR, so the pictures turned out way too dark.


Tomita offers ramen and tsukemen, but it was evident that tsukemen is the prize here. From reading the reviews, it was clear tsukemen was going to be my choice. The picture isn't clear enough, but the tonkotsu gyokai (豚骨魚介) soup was absolutely superb. Some place is too light, some place too heavy, Tomita provide just the right balance of flavor and taste.


To achieve top billing in ramendb, you must do everything well. And tamago is one of the most critical piece to any ramen/tsukemen. Tomita is no exception. Soft on the outside, liquidy yolk on the inside, just perfect.


The amount of noodles you get with tsukemen, even with a normal order, never ceases to amaze me. It's a wonder how Japanese stay so skinny (but I guess not everyone eats ramen as much as me). The noodles were a prize possession here, thick, chewy, and immensely satisfying. The charshu, not charred as much as I like on the outside, but the serving was so generous and well marbled which made up for it.


The thickness of the soup can be seen through how it stays on the noodles. And when I took my first bite, it was as good as I expected. Sometimes when you set expectations too high, often times you are disappointed. Not here. Tomita is ranked #1 for a reason. It does everything well and has no weaknesses. If there are any minuses here, it's that it is all the way out in Chiba, which makes it a bit hard to get to. But if you are ever adventurous, and just want to have the best, head to Chiba. You won't be disappointed.

City: Chiba, Japan
Location: Matsudo, minutes walk from the station
Hours: 11am - 5pm (closed on Wednesday)
Website: No official website, http://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/282.html
Ordering system: Machine
Available in English: Minimal

Warito 麺屋 和利道

Rain or shine, when it comes to ramen, I will travel to the ends of the earth to eat the best ramen in the world. On a gloomy and rainy Saturday, I decided to give one of the top ranked tsukemen shops in Tokyo a try.


Warito sells on tsukemen, and I love shops that sell only one thing, because chances it's going to do it well. It's ranked as a top-5 tsukemen shop as long as I remembered, so it's consistency has been tested, tried and true.


Even on the rainy Saturday, there was a line, although all were standing inside the shop. Chances are on a nice day, the line would easily be outside.


I order the usual, with the tokusei toppings, and quickly realized why this is top 5 shop. Let's start with the charshu. Charred to perfection on the outside, a nice thick cut, and so well marbled, this should be the standard that all charshu is measured to.


Tamago here wasn't shabby either, although a bit dried out. It was not the highlight of Warito but definitely wasn't a weakness.


And on the the noodles. You typical thick version for tsukemen, it was cooked just right and at the right chewiness. Very impressed!


The tonkotsu gyokai (豚骨魚介) soup here is excellent. Perfect balance between tonkotsu and gyokai, not too heavy and not too light. It's very very balanced.


I dug in, and being hungry and cold, this was very satisfying. However, the problem with tsukemen is after a while, the soup gets cold. Days like these I always wish there is a ramen option, no matter how much I am in love with Tsukemen.


But never fear! Those of you who have been around knows what this is. So one of the coolest thing about Warito is that they have a grill going at all times keeping these rocks very hot. What's the purpose? Well, since the soup gets cold after dipping the cold noodles, this rock will heat the soup back up. Such a cool and inventive way!


And it sure did the trick. By the time I finished the noodles, the rock came. And within minutes, my soup was warmed up, and I added some clear soup and drank every last drop. It could not have been a more satisfying experience, and definitely ranked right up there with the best of the best. It's not at such a convenient place as it is a bit out of the city, but for one of the best tsukemen experiences in Tokyo, you should definitely give Warito a chance.

City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Ikejiriohashi, 7-8 minute walk from the station
Hours: 11am - 3:30pm, 6 - 10pm (closed on Wednesday
Website: No official website, http://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/22563.html
Ordering system: Machine
Available in English: Minimal

Rokurinsha 六厘舎

In Tokyo, there perhaps is no ramen shop that is more famous than Rokurinsha. Even my friends who do not like ramen have heard of this place. At the time I started using ramendb, this shop was consistently in the top 10, and it is known to be the godfather of tsukemen, where the tsukemen sensation all started. Since then, tsukemen shops have popped up EVERYWHERE, and like the greats, the new shops have slowly but surely surpassed Rokurinsha as being the best.

I was fortunate enough to have gone to the original shop in Ōsaki. This place is of course no longer opened, due to the neighbors complaining about the number of people waiting in line during business hours. And the amount of people waiting in line is pretty ridiculous. On the day I went, my friend and I arrived at the shop at 11:10am, and by the time we sat down, it was 1pm. No sane person would wait nearly two hours for ramen, but I guess those of us who were waiting were all crazy.

One of the possible reasons for a usual two-hour wait is due to the size of the shop. I think they only seated 12 people, so turnover definitely going to be slow. Now, one of my BIGGEST regrets that day was forgetting to charge the battery for my SLR, and thus, after taking pictures outside, my camera was dead when I got indoors. The following pictures was taken with my pathetic Nokia E71 at the time, and the pictures are blurred... (TEARS)

Even with the blurred pictures, the ramen looks amazing, and just by looking it brings back memory. This was one of my first experiences to have gourmet ramen. What is gourmet ramen? Well, Rokurinsha defined it for me. At no point in my life did I ever wait two hours for food. And Rokurinsha was well worth the wait. From the limited menu, seating, to the quality of the food, this was gourmet ramen.

The charshu here isn't just done well, it's nearly perfect. I consider good charshu being well marbled, charred from the outside, soft inside, and Rokurinsha's effort was absolutely superb.

The tamago was just as good, with the yolk half boiled and still liquidy. Just the way I like it!

The noodles, amazing. Just the right thickness, just the right amount of chewiness. Absolutely amazing!

My friend went the tsukemen route, which also looked amazing. Now most tuskemen shops only offer cold noodles due to the cooking and cooling process, but Rokurinsha will add another step and warm the noodles again. This was for those who don't want their tsukemen soup to be cold after half way through the meal.

This had to be one of the best ramen experiences I had at the time, and even with my many other adventures, to date. The shame is that the original shop is close. But never fear, Tokyo Ramen Street is here.

On my subsequent trips to Tokyo, after learning the Ōsaki location had closed, I was so happy to hear that it opened in Tokyo Ramen Street. By this time, I had started my tsukemen tour, so Rokurinsha had to be experienced.

The consistency of the soup is seen here. From my first trip to Rokurinsha, to this experience at Tokyo Station, the soup looks pretty much the same. I didn't get to try the Tsukemen at Ōsaki, so I can't compare the two. But ramendb has the Ōsaki branch rated much higher, but I found the Tokyo Station shop pretty amazing.

If anything, the charshu didn't look as good compared to Ōsaki, this could be because for Tsukemen they provide different charshu. Who knows? But it is evident that this serving is a bit thinner.

The noodles however, absolutely amazing.

As with most tonkotsu gyokai (豚骨魚介), the soup is thick, rich, and topped off with bonito powder for extra flavoring.

The tamago remains of the features for Rokurinsha, and done just as well as the Ōsaki.

This picture is simply painful to look at not being able to take a bite. It is every bit good as I expected it to be, and it was easily one of the most memorable tsukemen experiences I had.

Rokurinsha has lost some of its mystique over the years, but it continues to have the longest line at Tokyo Ramen Street for a reason. Whether it is just because of the name, or the quality of the food, Rokurinsha continues as a strong presence in Tokyo. It's like a veteran ball player who knows all the tricks. The newer shops may all the flare and fame, when it's all said and done, if you need a closer at the end of the game, you don't need to look much further than Tokyo station.

City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Ōsaki (closed)
Website: http://rokurinsha.com/

六厘舎TOKYO
City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Tokyo Station
Hours: 7:30am - 10am (breakfast), 11am - 10:30pm
Website: http://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp/shop/shopinfo.php?shopcode=S0161&kubun=1
Ordering system: Machine
Available in English: Minimal

Hayashi らーめん はやし

Simplicty is the word of the day. I love things being simple. Simple is always better. With all kinds of noodles you can get in Japan, from ramen, tsukemen, soba, udon, it rare to see a shop that sells just ramen, and nothing else. And here at Hayashi, things could not be more simpler.


Even on a rainy Saturday, off the beaten path from Shibuya station, I found myself waiting in line with the rest of the eager ramen lovers.


The say Hayashi is simple is an understatement. They sell three versions of their ramen, and they must do it well to be ranked as one of the better ramen shops in Tokyo.


It was unfortunate that I arrived late to the party, as by the time I got there, the charshu was already sold out. So I had to "settle" for the tamago ramen.


When my bowl of ramen arrived, you can immediately tell this was first class. I once told my Japanese colleagues that I compared ramen making to art, and this was ramen art at its finest.



The noodles was truly something special. It was slightly thinner than most ramen shops, but still slightly thicker than the thin hakata ramen noodles.


While some ramen shop has soup that is a bit too oily, and others not oily enough, Hayashi had the perfect balance.


Without getting the prized charshu, they still include a piece of pork with the tamago version. It was much leaner, but I was more than happy with it.


And what really made this shop that much more special was the tiny piece of orange peal that they used to decorate the ramen. But it was so much more than just decoration. As you get close to finishing the bowl, you can start to taste the citrus flavor. I don't know if this was intended, but it scored kudo points in my book.


If you haven't gotten the message, I loved Hayashi. At the time I was there, to the many shops that I have visited since then, this one was one of the most memorable experiences. I haven't gotten back there again only because there are so many places to try, but if I ever want a bowl of high quality ramen, this is very high on my list.

City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Shibuya, about a 5-minute walk from west exit
Hours: 11:30am - 3:30pm, closed on Sunday
Website: No official website, http://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/177.html
Ordering system: Menu
Available in English: None

Koukaibou こうかいぼう

Ramendb continues to be my main source to find the absolute best ramen in Japan. So during one of my business trips, when I found that one of the top rated ramen shops was just walking distance from the office, it was a no-brainer to give this place a shot.


With just a short 10-minute walk from the IBM office near Hakozaki, I convinced my colleagues to take a nice walk to Koukaibou. They had faith in me in my ramen adventures, and I had faith this ramen shop was going to deliver. By the time we arrived, the shop was already full and there were even a few people waiting outside. This came as a surprise as this shop isn't exactly in a heavy foot-traffic area.



Tonkotsu Gyokai (豚骨魚介) ramen has simply just dominated the charts as far as top ramen is concerned in Tokyo. There's something about the way pork bone has blended with bonito fish flakes that has gotten people in Tokyo all nutty about this soup based. And to be honest, I don't blame them. Because it has won me over.


The presentation is simply amazing. The ingredients provided by the Koukaibou is first class. Charshu is well prepared, the menma looked great, and I couldn't wait to dig in.


As you can see the charshu is well marbled. Although it was cold, this is typical. Charshu is prepared ahead of time, then sliced before it is placed in the ramen bowl. Once you soak it in the soup and it warms up, the taste is really good.


The soup did not disappoint. It was as good as I have tasted in Tokyo, could easily be one of the better soups I've ever tasted. What is amazing about the Tonkotsu Gyokai (豚骨魚介) soup base is that if done right, it provides the right balance of flavor and thickness, meaning if you have a taste for something a bit more savory, this soup really provide the right touch. As you can, Koukaibou does it well, and it's not oily at all.


The noodles and egg is also of very high quality. Great chewiness in the noodles, the egg also done very well. There is no surprise that this shop is ranked as one of the top shops in Tokyo.


I left here very impressed, and ended up coming here a few more times after the first trip. A minor gripe was that the serving size was a bit small by my standards, but definitely more than enough to be a filling meal. I ended up have a huge affinity to this place, because this place didn't have a ticket machine, but the owners were so gracious and friendly, it made the experience that much more memorable. If you are in the area, I would highly recommend this place. Easily one of my favorite shops in Tokyo.

City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Monzennakacho Station, 7-8 minute walk from the station
Hours: 11am - 3pm, 5:30pm - 6:30pm (Only lunch on Saturday and holidays)
Website: No official website (http://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/1298.html)
Ordering system: Menu
Available in English: Minimal

Kudan Ikaruga 九段 斑鳩

Back in Tokyo again, I began my hunt for new ramen to try. Not that there is a shortage of ramen shops in Tokyo, but after having experienced ramen shops such as Ichiran, Jangara, and Menya Kissou, these taste buds can only accept high quality ramen. What can I say, I am a ramen snob.

So back on the internet I went, and found a few website in Japanese that had ramen reviews, and they looked very official. Lots of visitors, lots of reviews. But I stumbled upon this website called walkerplus. Well, this site had "Ikaruga" as the #1 rated ramen of 2008. Ikaruga was only four stations away from the office, and on my way back to the hotel, so off I went to Kudanshita.

The pictures of the ramen from the walkerplus site reminded me of Menya Kissou and Musashi's offerings. From the color of the soup, to the charshu, and tamago, it looked like each other's siblings. My colleagues and I arrived there for lunch time, and the line was already like this...

Fearing that this was going to be another wait like Menya Kissou, we quickly did some math and evaluated the situation. The line actually moved quite fast, mainly because there was about 18-20 seats, so we were able to get seated in 30 minutes even with the number of people waiting.

The menu is a bit more complex, but not as complex as you think. They basically have three ramen, they standard 'ramen', their 'special ramen' (which they only prepare 45 servings of), and they 'garlic ramen'. They have two specials at the time, a Japanese style tonkotsu ramen, and dan-dan men. They have the standard toppings, menma, two types of hanjyuku tamgao, and charshu, and some side orders if ramen is not enough to satisfy you.

There is a 5-man operation inside. One guy who takes care of the guests from getting their orders in, seating, to bringing the food. Four guys worked in the kitchen, and one guy was just cracking eggs the whole time. Their tamago was special, and required special care. That guy certainly knew what he was doing.

The ramen arrived about 10 minutes after we were seated. It looked almost identical to Menya Kissou, rather unfortunate for Itsukaga, because unconsciously I started to compare it to Kissou. It's almost like Kissou took their idea, because from the soup, to the charshu, to the noodles, and even the tamago, it was very similar.

Without making non-stop comparisons to Kissou in this paragraph, I will do my best to give a unbiased review of Ikaruga. The charshu was absolutely brilliant. It's like most ramen shops, where the charshu is not hot, but it's warmed up by the soup. It's very tender, with the melt in your mouth effect. The hanjyuku tamago was a nice touch in that it's already cut in half. The egg white was done just right just as the yolk was. The soup was rich, flavorful, but not overpowering. The noodles were at best above average, but nothing special to write home about. All in all, other than the noodles, I would say this is truly deserving of a #1 spot and is a very special bowl of ramen.

Now, it's impossible not to compare this with Kissou, just because the similarities between the two shops. While I think the charshu and soup is close to being a tie, Kissou still wins out on the tamago and noodles. There is very little weakness to Kissou's offering, and it is going to take a near perfect bowl of ramen to beat it out.

However, you can't really go wrong with Ikaruga. The wait outside speaks for itself, and so does the ramen. Where Ikaruga has the edge is there is more variety, and it's opened during lunch and dinner time. Sometimes accessibility scores you brownie points too. It's popularity is no joke as well, as there was a group of people from Hong Kong who had a Tokyo guide book, which obviously featured this place. If you are looking for a very special bowl of ramen, you really can't go wrong with Ikaruga.

City: Tokyo, Japan
Location: Kudanshita, 3-minute walk from the station
Hours: Monday - Friday 11:00-15:00 and 17:00-23:00, Saturday and Sunday 11:00-16:30 and 18:00-22:00

Website: http://www.kudan-ikaruga.tokyo.walkerplus.com/
Order system: Machine

Available in English? No