The story behind Ramen Tokyo goes like this, several years ago an IT guy from New Jersey moved to Tokyo for work and discovered a love of ramen.  He says that he always liked noodles as a kid but that “the taste, the smell, the variety, and the funky ambiance” of the ramen shops in Tokyo hooked him when he got to Japan.  In fact he became a little bit obsessed with finding the best bowl of ramen in the city and decided that he would check out as many ramen shops as he could.

The result is Ramen Tokyo, a blog that he started in July 2006, which provides reviews of over 160 ramen shops.  He updates the site every three weeks or so and says that he has only scratched the surface of what he estimates are over 5,000 ramen shops in the Tokyo Area.

Ramen styles are primarily defined by the type of broth and Ramen Tokyo offers detailed information and a glossary of ramen terms to help readers navigate the various styles.  Anyone who loves ramen will tell you that personal tastes differ significantly but the man behind Ramen Tokyo describes his favorite as follows:

“My favorite broth style is tonkotsu gyokai (豚骨魚介), this is a mixture of tonkotsu (pork-bone) and gyokai (fish, sometimes seaweed). It has a thicker texture and sometimes a richer flavor than most broths, but it’s a different taste and some people may not take to it immediately. Currently popular examples of this would be Rokurinsha or Tetsu. I prefer my noodles to be very thick and chewy (“mochi-mochi”) and sometimes a bit firm (“katame”). Good quality pork and lots of it, cooked well, is also a must.”

Sounds good to me!  He also shares how a combination of factors come into play when he rates a bowl of ramen.  The soup needs to have a rich taste, without being watery, the amount and quality of noodles provided needs to match the broth and lastly, the quality of the pork served must be good.  “Deal breakers are mushy noodles, too salty broth, or pork that looks like Oscar Mayer bologna.”

Ramen Tokyo has a simple rating system.  Almost every shop mentioned on the site is at least “decent”, but shops labeled “recommended” are significantly better than the rest and are worth a special trip to dine there. On average, a “recommended” rating is earned by one in three shops reviewed.  The following shops represent a cross-section of shop types, styles, and flavors and have all received a “recommended” rating: 

• Ikebukero Ramen Jiro
• Ikaruga in Kudankita (near Yasukuni Shrine)
• Tetsu in Nishi Nippori
• Ippudo (various locations).

What’s next?  Ramen Tokyo will soon feature a simple English-language guide to using “Supleks“, one of the largest Japanese-language online ramen databases, and the man behind the site says will continue to explore the ramen shops of Tokyo and share the results with the world for some time to come.

Ramen Tokyo readers want to learn more about this part of Japanese cuisine and experience it in Japan.  Are you one of them?

Image used with permission from Ramen Tokyo

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Noodles are a significant part of the diet in Japan and there are three different kinds of noodles.  The most commonly known noodle in the west is Ramen, then there is Soba, a thin noodle made from buckwheat and wheat flour, and finally, my favorite, Udon, which is a thick and substantial noodle made from wheat flour that can be traced back more than a thousand years in Japan.

Udon can be served either in a hot soup or cold, dipped into a sauce called mentsuyu.  Eating udon is a healthy alternative to traditional western fast food as the noodles contain no fat – the only ingredients are wheat, salt and water.   The soup base and dips are usually a mix of soy sauce (shoyu), rice wine vinegar (mirin) and other low fat ingredients.  In addition to udon, Hanamaru offers a self serve tempura bar, curry & rice and a beef bowl. 

You can get lunch or dinner for two for between Y1,000 and Y1,500 and the service is quick.  Don’t be discouraged if you encounter a line – it will move fast and you will have more time to decide which tempura you want with your udon!

The Hanamaru in my neighborhood offers an English menu but even if the one you run across doesn’t you can decide by looking at the picture menu in Japanese.  If you aren’t too adventurous stick to kake (plain) or bukake (with lemon).  I had never tasted bukake before and it’s become one of my new favorites! 

So, the next time you are hungry for something healthy and inexpensive, yet tasty, look for the Hanamaru/Manmaru sign (upper right) and I don’t think that you will be disappointed.

Photo Credit:  Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler