グルマンじゅん
On July 13, 2022 (Wednesday), the 2985th location in Tokyo, there is a road that splits into two when heading north from Nishi-Azabu intersection towards Aoyama. One road leads to Aoyama Sanchome via Gaien Nishi Street, while the other passes in front of the Asahi Shimbun building towards Aoyama Ichome. This road used to be a dedicated streetcar track in the past, where cars could run alongside the tracks. Across the wide road from the track, there is the Morikuchi Sekizai building which handles tombstones from Aoyama Cemetery. I once heard an interview about the streetcar stop "Bochishita" right in front of my house. The same route is still served by Tokyo buses, but the stop has been moved slightly north to in front of Kaotan Ramen. On the opposite side of the Morikuchi Sekizai building, a ramen sake bar was established at some point. It opens at 9 pm and operates until 6 am from Monday to Thursday, and until 7 am on Fridays and Saturdays (closed on Sundays). The seating consists of long benches that are somewhat uncomfortable to sit on, but before that, you need to buy a meal ticket from the vending machine, which is priced on the higher side. The menu offers a variety of dishes including noodles, fried rice, and a wide selection of alcoholic beverages, with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label priced at ¥18,000. I decided on the Niboshi Ramen priced at ¥950. The ramen shop is managed by a single male staff due to the limited seating for six people. The seating arrangement with a long bench where two people sit side by side is quite unique and challenging to sit comfortably. The Niboshi Ramen arrived with a slightly cement-colored soup that was not overly rich. The thin, low-hydration noodles were slightly curly and cooked to a moderate firmness. The toppings included one slice of chashu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, half a soft-boiled egg, kaiware daikon, and chopped green onions. The bowl had a tapered design, resulting in less soup volume. The soft-boiled egg and bamboo shoots were of good quality. The chashu was tender but slightly salty. Overall, the ramen was not outstandingly delicious but had a decent flavor that did not overpower other dishes. The main issue was the uncomfortable seating, which made the dining experience less enjoyable even for just 15 minutes. If they offer champagne, they should consider changing the chairs for a better dining experience.