This is a ramen cycling lunch. Today, I arrived at "Mendokoro Tenho" in Nakano-Sakaue. When I arrived, there was one customer already there. This "Tenho" shop seems to have several locations around Nakano-Sakaue and is quite popular. I chose the "Tantanmen 950 yen + Rice 150 yen" from the ticket machine. Although there was also a "Soupless Tantanmen" option on the top left of the ticket machine, I was in the mood for soup that day. I was also interested in the "Chinese soba with porcini aroma", but the shop's recommendation seemed to be the Tantanmen. When I sat at the counter, they gave me a small mortar and pestle with sesame seeds. I grated the sesame seeds while waiting for my Tantanmen to be ready. A bowl with an enticing look arrived. When I added the grated sesame seeds, the thin noodles were beautifully flavored with the aroma of sesame, the numbing sensation of Sichuan pepper, and the spiciness of chili oil. The right amount of numbness and spiciness lingered. The radish sprouts and cashew nuts added a nice touch. As the meat miso melted, the soup became richer, and I started looking forward to adding the rice. After finishing the noodles, I added the rice to the soup to make Tantan Ojiya. I enjoyed it with some pickled vegetables. I savored every last drop of the soup. It was a delicious meal. Now, I will leisurely ride my cross bike back home.

Around Nakano-Sakaue Station on 23/09/01, there are several Tenho-affiliated restaurants. This is one of them. I visited a little after 1 PM. There were about 3 customers already there. The menu on the ticket machine includes: - Meat soba for 1,000 yen - Soupless tantanmen for 950 yen - Tantanmen for 950 yen I tried the soupless tantanmen. It had a rich sesame and nut flavor, creating a deep and deliciously spicy taste. The noodles were thick, almost like udon, but they paired well with the rich sauce, providing a satisfying chewiness. Overall, it was delicious! The Chinese broccoli served in between bites was a nice touch. And to finish off, they offered jasmine tea for a refreshing end to the meal. Being a Tenho-affiliated restaurant, the service was friendly and the atmosphere was pleasant. Thank you for the meal!

On Saturday, it was 27 degrees Celsius and raining. I entered the restaurant at 11:27 with no other customers. The cheerful older lady staff greeted me with "Welcome, despite the rain." I chose the Wonton Meat Soba for ¥1,200 from the ticket machine on the bottom left. The thick noodles were boiled and served in a bowl after 6 minutes. First, the soup was delicious, reminiscent of Niigata ginger soy sauce ramen. It came with thin slices of char siu pork (10 pieces), spinach, one large bamboo shoot, a little bit of green onions, narutomaki, and three large wontons. It seems they put a lot of effort into the noodles, which were hand-kneaded with extra water. I wasn't expecting much, but it turned out to be delicious. They didn't have the kelp-infused dipping noodles available today, but I'm looking forward to trying them in the future.

I entered the restaurant around 2:00 PM, which was a bit late for lunch. I was a bit indecisive when ordering, but ended up choosing the tantanmen, which seemed to be a popular menu item. I also decided to add on the option of "wae-dama," which allows you to have the noodles either as a replacement or mixed with the soup. The staff was very friendly, and the tantanmen arrived promptly. It was delicious with a nice sesame flavor. The wae-dama that came later was also tasty with a good seasoning, but the noodles were a bit hard to mix, so I ended up adding them to the soup as an extra serving. You can also specify the level of spiciness, but as someone who isn't too good with spicy food, the default level was just right for me.

I ordered wonton noodles. It is a simple Chinese noodle soup with wontons as toppings, along with komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), white negi (Welsh onion), thin slices of pork chashu and chicken chashu, and porcini mushrooms! The porcini mushrooms have a rich, sweet aroma that has infused into the soup. The chashu has a hint of smoky flavor. The thin straight noodles hold up well to the hot soup, which is rich and flavorful. While the strong aromas may be a bit overwhelming towards the end, the unique flavors make for a satisfying and enjoyable meal.

Special Chinese Ramen for 1200 yen This time, I visited the shop because they not only serve tantanmen but also Chinese ramen. The location of the shop is on the approach to Hosenji, a little off Ome Kaido. It used to be a Chinese restaurant called Chinpo. I purchased a meal ticket and sat at the counter. The operation was very visible, similar to when Menya Tenho on Ome Kaido was renovated into a central kitchen. They were preparing the soup in pouches for lunch. With this kind of operation, there is little change in taste, and it mainly depends on the cooking staff's plating skills. When the ramen was served, the special toppings included 2 slices of chicken chashu, 2 slices of pork chashu, and a seasoned egg served in a separate dish. I personally prefer it all to be plated together from the start. The two types of chashu were quite ordinary, as was the seasoned egg. The soup itself didn't have a strong or unique flavor. There was porcini on top of the chicken chashu for flavor variation, which you can dissolve and enjoy from the middle of the meal. It was nice that the ramen was served piping hot. The noodles were thin and straight, with a smooth texture that changed as they absorbed the soup quickly. I look forward to what they have in store next. Thank you for the meal.

Mendokoro Tenho at Nakano Sakagami is a part of the Tenho group, which has about 5 other branches. This particular branch opened last month near Hosenji Temple. Their signature dish is the Porcini-scented special wonton ramen, made with Italian mushrooms for a unique and rich flavor. They also offer two types of chashu: chicken and pork.

Mendokoro Tenho at Nakano-sakaue - Soupless Dan Dan Noodles with Chicken Chashu... There are already two "Tenho" restaurants in Nakano-sakaue, and amazingly a third one will be opening in October! However, it seems like the menu is different, with Dan Dan noodles and soy sauce ramen as the two main dishes. I chose the soupless Dan Dan noodles from the menu on the top left. Before eating, a small dish of sesame seeds is provided for self-service. The soupless Dan Dan noodles had a standard flavor with a strong taste of sesame, nuts, and spiciness. The thick noodles were very good. It was a good choice to get the two pieces of chicken chashu as a service for following them on Instagram. After the meal, they also gave out homemade oolong tea, creating a fun atmosphere. It may not become a popular restaurant, but I'm thinking of coming back to try the Porcini Soy Sauce Ramen.

Tenho is a famous shop known for its tantanmen noodles. I heard a rumor that a new Tenho shop opened in the place where a Chinese restaurant used to be. I visited the shop, which had been open for just one month, and found the interior to be clean and nice. I ordered the Chinese soba noodles with wonton and flavored egg. The noodles were not too thick or too thin, just right. The soup had a chicken flavor with a hint of sweetness, which was good. There was also truffle paste that could be added for extra flavor. I enjoyed the ramen here, as it suited my taste preferences. I would like to come back again.

I visited "Mendokoro Tenho" on October 3, 2022, which opened in Nakano-Sakaue. Tenho is a new restaurant from the Tenho Group, which also has "Chuka Dining Tenho," "TENHO Gyoza Sakaba," and "Menya Tenho Nakano-Sakaue Main Store" in the same area. The restaurant is located about a 3-minute walk west from Nakano-Sakaue Station on Ome Kaido, just past the "Sukiya" restaurant where you turn right, with Hozenji Temple nearby. The interior of the restaurant is different from previous Tenho locations, with a focus on ramen. The name "Mendokoro" may remind you of "Mendokoro Kinari" in Higashi-Nakano, which creates some expectations. The restaurant has around 20 seats with a counter and table seating. I arrived around 1 pm, and there were about 10 customers already seated. The menu includes items like "Soupless Dan Dan Men" for ¥950, "Dan Dan Men" for ¥950, "Porcini-flavored Chinese Soba" for ¥850, and "Porcini-flavored Wonton Chinese Soba" for ¥1050, with options for extra toppings. I initially planned to try the Dan Dan Men but ended up choosing the "Porcini-flavored Special Chinese Soba" out of curiosity. The staff was friendly, and the service was efficient. The dish was beautifully presented in a bowl with a clear soy sauce broth, topped with chashu, menma, kaiware, greens, negi, and a separate dish of special toppings. The soup was rich in chicken flavor, with layers of umami, although it became a bit too heavy towards the end. Mixing the truffle duxelles into the soup added a nice touch. The noodles were smooth and had a good chewy texture, absorbing the flavors well. The chashu, made from pork shoulder and chicken breast cooked sous-vide, was tender and flavorful. The ajitama (flavored egg) was delicious, made from Nasu Goyou eggs. Overall, the dish was satisfying, with high-quality ingredients and well-balanced flavors.

Hello, this is SapiO. The 5th branch of Tenho is a new brand that focuses on tantanmen and Chinese soba! When it comes to the Tenho group, they have their main store in Nakano-Sakaue and branches in Shinkoenji, Higashi-Nakano, Hounancho, and along the Koshu Kaido and Hounan-dori around the Ring 6 to Ring 7 area. I have visited the Hounancho branch multiple times, but personally, it didn't quite hit the spot for me. Therefore, I have not visited the main store, Higashi-Nakano, or Shinkoenji. It seems that the menu varies slightly depending on the store, but the basic concept is to combine curly noodles with animal white broth and melted lard soup. I only know the Hounancho branch, but a few years ago, the menu clearly underwent a major change, so I wonder if there was a change in management. I feel like it has become more corporate-like... In the midst of this, the 5th branch opened. The shop name is "Mendokoro," and the flagship menu seems to be soupless tantanmen. This seems different from other Tenho branches, so I visited right away. It is located near Nakano-Sakaue, along the street in front of Hosenji temple. The exterior has a stylish and bright café-like atmosphere that sets it apart from other Tenho group stores. Could there be a connection between the shop name "Mendokoro" and the famous shop "Mendokoro Kinari" in Higashi-Nakano? The appearance of the Chinese soba noodles also seems similar... I think Mendokoro in Higashi-Nakano was run by a different company than the original Aoki Kinari. If I'm wrong, please correct me. There were 3 customers ahead of me around lunchtime, and 2 customers came in later. The interior has a large counter with table seats as well, making it a medium-sized store. Looking at the ticket machine, the lineup includes "Soupless Tantanmen," "Tantanmen," and "Chinese Soba." The default soupless tantanmen is priced at 950 yen, which is quite bold. Tenho group stores tend to have high prices overall. In the Hounancho branch, if you pay for rice, you can have unlimited refills, so this store is probably considered a high-end brand within the group. Inside the store, there were 3 staff members, I think. Prior to the visit, a small mortar and sesame seeds were provided for the soupless tantanmen. They seem to have added an element of entertainment for the customers. When you shake the tebo, the food is served. For the actual meal, a bowl with condiments like vegetables and nuts was served. The noodles are likely made by a noodle factory. They are thick flat noodles with a chewy texture that I have never seen at Tenho before. The store in Hounancho has a few tantanmen dishes, but this one looks more authentic. This really raised my expectations. I mixed in the sesame seeds. The noodles have a chewy texture as expected. The length of the noodles is long, and you can see that they are coated with the sauce and ground meat. The ground meat is also well-prepared and delicious. And the authentic spiciness with a strong numbing sensation hits you. After finishing the meal, my tongue was numb for almost an hour. It's not very spicy, but the numbing sensation is quite strong. The occasional accent of nuts adds to the flavor. I tried adding a little bit of zasai (pickled mustard greens) to the rice as an experiment. Lastly, the fun part - mixing the rice into the remaining sauce! I ordered rice, so I had it, but it seems there are no default options for extra rice or mixing like in Taiwan. I finished the meal and was quite satisfied with the well-prepared noodles and rich toppings. The high quality of the noodles really surprised me. The staff also provided a small cup of black oolong tea as a palate cleanser, reminiscent of Yum Cha. With the self-service sesame grinding and the entertaining meal service, it seems like they are quite conscious of adding an element of entertainment to the dining experience. If I have the chance, I will try the Chinese soba next time. Thank you for the meal.

- Ramen registration number: 5382nd ramen shop, 805th bowl in 2022 - Mendokoro Tenho (Nakano-ku, Tokyo) - Wantan Chinese soba for 1050 yen - Instagram: tsukasan777 - Twitter: tsukasan2010

Located along the Nakano-Sakaue and Hosenji Temple approach, right next to a yakiniku restaurant, Mendokoro Tenho opened today in the space formerly occupied by the Chinese restaurant Chinpo. Tenho is a popular ramen restaurant that has been in business for 45 years in the Nakano-Sakaue area. Following the opening of a second branch last April, this is the fourth location in the Nakano-Sakaue area, emphasizing local community ties. The sign advertises "Chinese soba tantanmen," so I ordered the "Soup Tantanmen" for ¥1,300 from the ticket machine. While I have tried the white and black sesame tantanmen at the Higashi-Nakano branch, this was my first time trying the regular tantanmen. The soup base was a white sesame tantanmen, without the black sesame tantanmen offered at the sister store. Upon sitting at the counter, a small mortar with roasted sesame was served. After about 7 minutes, the dish arrived with a seasoned egg, chicken chashu, and pork chashu on the side. The soup was unexpectedly light, lacking the expected richness and spiciness of sesame paste and Sichuan peppercorns. While the toppings were tasty, the seasoned egg was disappointingly bland. The biggest letdown was the lack of firmness in the noodles, reminiscent of old-school Chinese restaurants, rather than the chewy noodles one would expect from a ramen specialty shop. Overall, the mild tantanmen provided a different interpretation from the usual Sichuan-style tantanmen, but it fell short of expectations.

I had the soup-less tantanmen. The spiciness of the chili oil and the numbing sensation of the Sichuan pepper were strong and very delicious. The noodles were chewy and the ingredients were of high quality. The interior of the restaurant was clean and comfortable. Thank you for the meal.

The restaurant has a clean interior and the sweet soup with wontons is delicious. The noodles were a bit soft. The staff were very friendly, overall a good impression of the restaurant.

Oh no, what a disappointment!