Vol.28 FALLING INTO THE PERFECT BOWL OF RAMEN

Welcome to TOKYO BEAT - a special series by your trusty Tokyo Tourism Representative (New York Office) that aims to provide you with story ideas and inspiration. New Yorkers are no strangers to the hunt for that perfect bowl of ramen, but one can easily imagine how different the ramen culture must be in Tokyo, where there are countless worthy ramen restaurants around every corner. As the weather cools down in the city to the optimal noodle slurping temperature, and in honor of the upcoming Tokyo Ramen Show (Oct. 24 th – Nov. 4), here are some standout noodle joints that are a little bit extra.

Flexing Those Michelin Muscles In the 2019 edition of the Michelin Guide Tokyo, Chef Atsushi Yamamoto’s Sobahouse Konjiki Hototogisu in Hatagaya became the third Michelin starred ramen shop in the world thanks to its umami-leaning approach and precise cookery. His soup base, a combination of pork broth, bonito dashi, and hamaguri clam dashi, is packed with unique flavor and transcends all expectations. Perfectly cooked char siu pork and marinated eggs are essential add-ons; six different flours are used to make the perfectly textured and chewy noodles, and elements like truffle oil from Italy further enhance the richness and uniqueness of their bowls.

Tsuta in Sugamo made a big splash around the world for not only being the first Michelin starred ramen (2015), but also the trendsetter for all- natural ingredients and a modern approach. Chef Yuki Onishi uses four different types of flour to achieve the right texture, as well as three different types of stocks – chicken, clam, and fish – to get the right balance out of his soup. Salt from Okinawa, miso from Tokushima, shoyu from Wakayama – such elements showcase the unmatched attention he pays to sourcing.

What helped Nakiryu earn its Michelin star in 2017 is the Tantanmen that Chef Kazumasa Saito been serving in Minamiotsuka since 2012. Spicy lovers will instantly fall for this Chinese Dandan noodle inspired bowl (and its spicier big brother Mala Tantanmen) with ground pork and red Sichuan peppercorn that gives it its numbingly good heat. For those who like a bit of sour along with their spicy, the Sanramen is an even more surprisingly delectable choice. The restaurant is also notable for the quality of its ingredients, all of which are made in house.

Bowls Thinking Outside the Box Since its debut in 2016, Madai Ramen Mengyo in Sumida has garnered raves for its unique broth, which is steeped in glorious Madai – also known as Japanese Sea Bream. While the idea of a ‘fish soup’ might raise some eyebrows, Chef Tomonori Hashimoto has dispelled all preconceived notions with perfect balance. This broth, made from combining simmered shavings of sea bream collars and heads with a rich chicken broth, results in a truly unique flavor that surpasses the heavier soups that are currently popular in the West. The addition of strikingly pink chashu pork, which is smoked with Madai for its unique flavor, noodles made from stone ground Hokkaido wheat, and even ramen eggs injected with Madai oil, this is a truly inventive bowl that delivers on technique and flavor.

With multi-course kaiseki dining becoming more familiar in the states, it may not be long before places like Chef Hideki Irie’s Genei.Wagan in Shibuya start influencing ramen trends in the Big Apple. This reservation-only restaurant treats diners to a ramen experience like no other, with small, seasonally influenced dishes that slowly culminate to a ramen climax over the course of a couple of hours. Interestingly, the restaurant also keeps track of your visits so that they don’t serve a customer the same ramen back to back – and with an ever-changing seasonal menu, one can be sure to be treated to a special bowl here. At 5,000 yen per meal, it’s certainly a pricey, but one-of-a-kind ramen experience.The Big Show Finally, the Tokyo Ramen Show returns for its tenth year at the Komazawa Olympic Park as the premier ramen festival in Japan, if not the world. 18 ramen stalls, switching mid-way through the 12-day run, will be representing regional styles from all over the country, and this is a fantastic way to sample how "gotochi ramen" (literally ‘regional ramen’) can vary from town to town, prefecture to prefecture. The full lineup will be announced closer to the event date, so keep your eyes peeled!

For more information on trendy ramen joints in Tokyo, contact press@tokyo-nyc.com or call 917-200-4887. For general information on traveling in Tokyo, head to TokyoTokyo.jp and Gotokyo.org/en/

To visit the archives, visit: www.japansolutionusa.com/tokyobeat