I received a thought-provoking newsletter regularly, but I hadn't been there for a while, so it was a long-awaited visit. I was craving cold noodles in the sweltering heat, so I ordered the Cold Tantanmen for 880 yen with the newsletter special for a large serving of noodles. I also added the Kashiwa rice for an additional 300 yen. I regretted forgetting to ask for extra spiciness because the Tantanmen here is not very spicy, but using the electric flower pepper mill on the table provided a nice numbing sensation. The regular Tantanmen here is too thick and heavy for my liking, but I feel the balance is just right with the cold version. It also feels like a good deal in terms of cost performance, and the hand-made chewy noodles go well with the cold dish. I really like these noodles. However, the disappointing part is that it wasn't as cold as I had hoped. I was looking for something much colder, but it felt like it was just rinsed with tap water at room temperature. The Kashiwa rice may seem a bit pricey at 300 yen as an addition to lunch, but I quite like the charcoal-grilled taste. If only the Cold Tantanmen was ice-cold. They were still offering stamps, so I might go back again. The place has strong ideological influences, with lots of informational materials on display, but there is no strange solicitation, and you can have a normal meal. The newsletter and stamp card offer great deals. After the Bon Festival, they are participating in the PayPay Sumida Ward campaign, where you can get a 10% cashback at this store.

The nearest station is Ryogoku Station on the Toei Oedo Line, a 7-minute walk along the Keiyo Highway. I had been curious about this place for a while, and finally had the chance to visit for the first time. I purchased a ticket for the Kumasan Tantanmen (970 yen) at the ticket machine and specified the level of spiciness to the staff. I chose level 2 spiciness. The Kumasan Tantanmen had a creamy sesame-flavored soup with a slight thickness. Even at level 2 spiciness, it wasn't very spicy. The noodles were thick and had a chewy texture that paired well with the soup. The toppings included seasoned egg and watercress. It wasn't exactly to my taste as a Tantanmen dish. I couldn't understand what made it exceptional, so I rated it low. Thank you for the meal.

Visited on a weekday at 12:50, with 2 customers already there. This was my third visit, having previously tried the tantanmen and shoyu ramen. This time, only tantanmen was available. You can choose the spiciness level from 0 to 3, I chose 1 but felt it was a bit too mild, so I think 3 would have been better. The thick homemade noodles had a nice firmness to them, which I enjoyed. The minced meat and poppy seeds paired well with the rice after finishing the noodles. I should have ordered a spicier level, so I'll go for level 3 next time. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a soy sauce ramen shop that charges ¥780 without any chemical seasonings! Google said they are open all year round, but I'll keep it a secret that I've been turned away twice before... haha It was funny to see George's book rolling around. Next time, I want to try the tantanmen noodles♪ By the way, I didn't order the usual dish this time!

While riding my bicycle home on the Keiyo Highway, I was searching for dinner options. I remembered seeing a sign for tantanmen, so I decided to check it out. I came across "Edomen Kumahachi" which was still open. The bright red sign for their "premium tantanmen" caught my eye. The menu also featured soy sauce ramen and tantanmen, but I decided to go with their most popular dish, the "Kuma-san tantanmen (970 yen)". The interior of the restaurant had sumo wrestler illustrations, fitting for Ryogoku. After a 6-minute wait, my bowl arrived. The tantanmen had a red soup base with green onions, mizuna, shredded chili peppers, and a boiled egg with paw prints. The topping that looked like angular sesame seeds turned out to be poppy seeds. The thick noodles were coated in sauce. The first bite revealed a surprising flavor - was that pork bone in my tantanmen? Ground meat, chili oil, and sesame paste were used, giving it a tantanmen taste with a strong pork bone flavor. The menu only mentioned chicken bones at 500%, but was it actually pork bone? I should have asked the owner. It was a unique and enjoyable tantanmen experience. It was a bit surprising, but overall a fun menu item. Thank you for the meal. Rating on Tabelog: 3.09 (2020/08/28)

▼Overall impression Completely refreshing with no chemical seasonings after eating. The super rich soup with minced chicken and sesame flavor is a unique taste that cannot be found elsewhere. ▼Possibility of revisiting Highly addictive. I might suddenly crave it. ▼Reason for choosing this restaurant For a weekday lunch. ▼Location About a 20-minute walk from the south exit of Kinshicho Station on the Sobu Line. ▼What I ate Kuma-san Tantanmen (980 yen) with extra noodles (100 yen). ▼Date and time of visit Around 12:30 on a weekday. The restaurant was not crowded, probably due to the scorching heat. ▼Service 【Ordering】 - The restaurant operates on a ticket system. They do not accept high-denomination bills, so you need to ask the staff for change. - For extra noodles or regular size, you can put 100 yen or 50 yen, respectively, in the donation box next to the ticket machine. You can put in more if you wish. 【Seating】 - Counter seats: 13 - Table seats: 3 【Cleanliness】 - The restaurant is very clean. 【Water and chopsticks】 - Water is self-service. There are ceramic cups near the entrance, and you can pour water from the pitcher at your table. - Chopsticks are available in both disposable and reusable options in the chopstick holder at your seat. 【Staff】 - The staff provides service with an appropriate level of distance. 【Table condiments】 - Not available ▼Taste 【Soup】 - The chicken white broth soup with a generous amount of sesame paste is very mild and creamy. It has a subtle spiciness and numbness compared to the popular Tantanmen, but the deliciousness of the soup is satisfying. 【Noodles】 - The homemade thick noodles are delicious and hold up well against the rich soup. They give off a vibe of being high-quality. 【Ingredients】 - The watercress and leeks have a crunchy texture that refreshes the palate after the rich soup. - The seasoned egg is perfectly boiled and salted. It could also be a great side dish for beer, with a cute bear paw print branded on the surface.

I was writing a lot but it disappeared~ so I'll keep it brief. I've been waiting for a ramen shop like this!! With the trend of GMO and organic finally starting in Japan, this place is free of chemical seasonings and additives, making it great for both kids and adults. The newsletter shows the owner's love for ramen and I enjoy reading it every day. The ramen here comes with an egg, which is delicious. I remember getting a little tired of the tantanmen halfway through. I had the tomato ramen with soy milk once and found it too mild for my taste (I was expecting more garlic and tomato acidity). The chicken tsukemen and soy sauce ramen were a hit for me! The rich chicken broth is amazing. The soy sauce ramen is not too salty and has a sweet taste from the oil. The charred pork chashu and chicken skin on the rice are delicious. The chicken skin on the rice has a scent similar to grilled mackerel. Tantanmen is a ramen that I feel like revisiting after some time. I will continue to visit in the future. Extra large size is a must! I finished it all in no time.

The ramen shop that moved from Morishita is now bigger than the previous one. The tantanmen is the specialty of this shop, and it is rich but sweet! You can choose the level of spiciness from 1 to 3. Last time, I ordered the Kumasan tantanmen level 2 spicy, but it wasn't spicy enough, and it was still sweet. This time, I ordered level 3, but the staff didn't ask about the spiciness level, so I had to confirm if it could be changed. Luckily, they were able to change it to level 3. The ramen arrived quickly, and the sesame flavor was rich. Level 3 spiciness was definitely the right choice. I still wanted more spiciness, but level 3 is the max at this shop. The soup was so rich that I couldn't finish it. It seems like they also offer seasonal ramen.

The Uni Tori restaurant usually only offers their special dish once a year, but this time they decided to serve a dish with sea urchin, chicken, salmon roe, and Korean shrimp due to the chef's whim. The combination of chicken broth with sea urchin is nice, but isn't the soy sauce-marinated salmon roe too strong? The spicy Korean shrimp may overpower the flavors too much. It might be better to have the salted salmon roe as it is. It's a challenge to have a ramen dish with sea urchin and chicken broth as a regular menu item, but it might not be well-received by everyone. Also, why does Kumahachi always end up in Ikebukuro?

These days when the cold is getting stronger, I visited Kumahachi, which has been renovated and reopened, because I was craving for a nice warm ramen. Although I was interested in the 3rd most popular dish, the "Yagoro Shoyu Ramen with the umami of natural dashi," I decided to go with the number 1 ranked dish, the "Kuma-san Tantanmen." I have never had such a rich Tantanmen before! The thick noodles and the rich soup that clings to them were amazing. The owner told me that they use a soup made from 500% concentrated chicken broth and a special sesame sauce. The boiled egg with a bear stamp on it was a nice touch, and I ended up finishing every last drop of the soup. Next time, I will try the Yagoro Shoyu Ramen with the umami of natural dashi!

I entered the restaurant at 8:00 pm on a regular day and the place was empty and quite clean. The service was polite and made the experience very comfortable. The Kumatan Tan Tan Men has a very thick soup that surpasses Tenkaippin in level! The flavor is mainly sesame, with added spiciness of Tan Tan Men, creating a strong and delicious taste. This is so tasty!!

This is a ramen shop in Ryogoku with a rating of 3.06 on Tabelog. It seems like a new shop that may have been a Chinese restaurant before. The interior is small with a counter and tables, and the kitchen and dining area are separated by wooden walls. I ordered the Kumahachi ramen, which I believe is a soy sauce ramen with all the toppings. The soup had a sharp soy sauce flavor but lacked depth from duck or chicken. The homemade noodles were slippery like spaghetti, but I felt they could have been better if they absorbed more of the soup. Overall, there is room for improvement in this soy sauce ramen.

This is a blog post from a food blogger reviewing a ramen restaurant called "Ramen Chaya Kumahachi" in Tokyo. The blogger ordered the "Kuma-san Tantanmen" and "Ramen Lover's Cola" and shared their impressions of the dishes. The Tantanmen was described as heavy and rich in sesame flavor, with a thick broth and thick noodles. The Ramen Lover's Cola was described as a unique cola recipe specially made to complement the ramen. The blogger enjoyed the meal and mentioned the cute bear paw-shaped branding on the seasoned egg. Overall, the blogger had a positive experience at Ramen Chaya Kumahachi and recommended trying their dishes.

Visited around 11:30 on a Sunday. Got in smoothly. It started getting crowded around noon. It's a popular place. The Kuma Tan Tan Men with sesame sauce was rich and flavorful, with a spicy kick from the chili oil. The noodles were well matched to the flavor. The Shoyu Ramen was not your typical soy sauce ramen, it had depth and great flavor. The slightly charred chashu added to the umami. The Angel Shrimp Miso Ramen made clever use of bruised apples from the typhoon, creating a heartwarming dish. The miso was rich, but the grated apple added sweetness. It's a dish that could be popular with women, with its unique and refreshing taste. The Kashiwa Meshi had an 89% repeat rate for a reason. The charred special soy sauce gave it a delicious smoky flavor that made the rice disappear quickly. A rare find, but definitely tasty. The "Cola Known by Only Two People in the World" was different from what you might expect, with a mild sweetness that paired well with the rich ramen. It was refreshing and had a zero-calorie feel. The Pistachio Ice Cream was rich and delicious, a refreshing recommendation. Overall, the ramen, crafted with care using the aftermath of the typhoon, warmed both the body and soul. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a place where they served chicken broth with sea urchin, which was described as the ultimate combination. The restaurant recently relocated from Morishita to somewhere between Ryogoku and Kinshicho along the Keiyo Expressway. If you become a member, you get free black oolong tea, and on the day I went, they were offering free pistachio ice cream (with a large serving) and free refills for the next visit. The dish I ordered was called Uni Dori, which was essentially a sea urchin chicken broth served with noodles. The soup was rich and flavorful, but the presentation was lacking, making it look like overcooked instant noodles. It would have been better if they added truffles and presented the sea urchin more elegantly. Overall, the food was delicious, but presentation matters too.

The writer revisited a restaurant to try a limited-time Uni Dori ramen priced at 1370 yen. The ramen featured sea urchin, chicken paitan, and truffle, giving off a rich and delicious image. While understanding the high cost due to the premium ingredients, the writer found the price a bit steep for a lunch ramen. The dish resembled more of a pasta dish than traditional ramen in terms of presentation. Although the truffle aroma was noticeable, the sea urchin and chicken broth seemed lacking in presence. The homemade curly noodles didn't seem to complement the soup well. The writer suggested that for the same price range, one might be more satisfied having a lunch of uni cream pasta at an Italian restaurant. The writer felt that if a ramen shop offers a menu at this price point, they should meet the customer's expectations and innovate on how to prepare the dish. Overall, the writer's satisfaction with the dish in relation to its price was below average.

I heard about this place from an acquaintance, located somewhere between Ryogoku and Kinshicho. It recently moved from Morishita, so it's not very crowded on weekday nights, but apparently there can be quite a wait on weekends. The interior is decorated with sumo wrestler paintings and old maps, which is interesting. The most popular dish, tantanmen with seasoned egg, is extremely rich and flavorful, not very spicy or numbing, making it easy to eat. The sesame flavor is strong, but the chicken-based soup is incredibly rich and full of umami, making it hard to stop eating. The combination of this soup with chewy thick noodles is a unique style of tantanmen that I've never had before, but it's absolutely delicious even within the ramen category. The homemade noodles without artificial seasoning seem to be a specialty, with plenty of umami and richness. This place is great. I definitely want to come back.

There was a ramen shop where Morishita's rakugo (traditional Japanese comic storytelling) was playing, and it has relocated. The new location is near Jonathan along the Keiyo Highway. They are using the space where a ramen shop used to be. It is a bit far from Ryogoku Station, but the new shop is brighter and has more spacious seating, making it easier to enter. In addition to rakugo, there are also cute elements added, such as anime character posters on the walls, female staff with anime-like voices, and good reception for foreigners. The "Kuma-san Tantanmen" is priced at 950 yen. The pricing is still on the higher side, and there are no special lunch deals. However, there are special offers for regular customers, such as getting a free extra serving or black oolong tea by signing up for their newsletter, and a stamp card where after 3 visits you can get a 750 yen soy sauce ramen for free, creating an incentive to keep coming back. The taste of the "Kuma-san Tantanmen" remains the same as before - strong sesame flavor, thick and not too soupy, with chewy thick noodles in a mixed noodle style. It's not my preference, but I think it's pretty good. It's a bit heavy though. I wonder how things will turn out in the new location. For now, I might go try their soy sauce ramen next time. I don't mind the newsletter, but it has a unique quirk to it. Old location: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1312/A131201/13199966/

I happened to come across a ramen shop called "Ramen Chaya Kumahachi," which recently relocated from Morishita to a spot along the Keiyo Highway, in the middle of Kinshicho and Ryogoku. It's about a 15-minute walk from my current workplace in Kinshicho. The shop is easy to spot with a striking red signboard that reads "Premium Ramen." The owner seems to have personally handled the interior design of the shop, giving it a DIY feel. Uniquely, the shop plays rakugo (traditional Japanese comedic storytelling) by Shingo as background music. As advertised on the signboard, the shop specializes in ramen made with homemade noodles and completely additive-free broth. Although I was tempted by the tsukemen, tantanmen, hiyashi chuka, and unique side dishes on the menu, being a first-time visitor, I opted for the basic shoyu ramen (750 yen). The finished ramen had a clear amber-colored broth with homemade thin straight noodles swimming in it. There was a slightly generous layer of oil on the surface of the soup, giving it a shiny appearance. The toppings included chicken chashu, seared pork belly chashu, bamboo shoots, nori seaweed, mizuna greens, and green onions, making it quite a hearty bowl. The soup seemed to be a blend of chicken and niboshi (dried sardines) with soy sauce as the base. Each element harmonized beautifully without overpowering, resulting in a rich and mellow flavor. There was no hint of any unpleasant chicken or fishy taste, just pure umami extracted without any additives, setting a great example. However, I felt that the flavor could be enhanced a bit more by increasing the soy sauce seasoning. One thing that caught my attention in the soup was the amount of aromatic oil. While the quality and aroma of the oil were excellent, the quantity seemed a bit excessive, causing the oil to separate from the soup when scooped with a spoon. It might have been a one-off occurrence, but I personally found the amount of aromatic oil slightly too much this time. The homemade noodles, another highlight of the shop, were supple low-hydration thin straight noodles that had a chewy texture and absorbed the soup well. It seemed like they were meticulously calculated and made to complement the soup perfectly. If the amount of aromatic oil is reduced slightly, it would truly become a ramen that satisfies both the palate and the soul, perfect for daily enjoyment. Since the shop recently relocated and the operation may not be fully stable yet, I plan to revisit when things have settled down.

At night, I went to Ramen Chaya Kumahachi Ryogoku Nishikicho Morishita Kikugawa (2-15-1 Ryogoku, Sumida-ku). The location is about halfway between Ryogoku Station and Kinshicho Station, closer to Ryogoku Station, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there. Originally opened as Edo Men Kumahachi in Morishita on September 8, 2016, it was later renovated to a stylish Nagaya Ramen Kumahachi and then closed due to relocation on June 30, 2019. After a few days of pre-opening, the grand opening was on September 8, 2019, but they had to temporarily close due to a typhoon. Therefore, today is essentially the grand opening, congratulations on the opening. Inside the shop, there is a ticket machine that has been inherited from all the previous stores on the left. The menu includes Tantanmen for 850 yen, Kumasan Tantanmen for 950 yen, Gyu-niku Miso Tantanmen for 1,250 yen, Shoyu Ramen for 750 yen, Hachiro Shoyu Ramen for 950 yen, Tsukemen for 850 yen, and Kumasan Tsukemen for 1,050 yen. There are rice dishes available, but no drinks. After purchasing the food ticket, you will be guided to your preferred seat by the staff. The interior of the shop has a counter on both walls, the kitchen on the right, with 9 seats facing the wall, and 7 seats facing outside on the left, totaling 16 seats, but some chairs have been thinned out and placed in the corner of the room. Since the kitchen is on the other side of a plywood wall, you cannot see the cooking process, and it's difficult to communicate with the owner. After a short wait, I ordered the Kumasan Tantanmen for 950 yen. The chicken white broth soup, made without chemical seasonings, has a rich flavor with the addition of sesame paste, which seems like a common combination but is actually very delicious. The sprinkled white sesame seeds and the spicy chili oil seasoning enhance the overall flavor. The homemade thick noodles are particularly delicious. Although the taste can become monotonous, the refreshing kick of cilantro in the middle is very pleasant. The half-boiled seasoned egg was also delicious. I enjoyed eating it smoothly. Thank you for the meal.