ランチ向上委員会
This is a ramen shop specializing in abura soba located in Nishi-Shinjuku. The shop is situated in a commercial area with Yodobashi Camera and various restaurants. Despite being on the basement floor of a building, it stands out with a large red sign at the entrance. Inside, there are a few counter seats and mostly table seats, which is uncommon for a ramen or abura soba shop. Customers can purchase their meal tickets from a touch panel ticket machine located at the bottom of a steep staircase, and then take a seat with their ticket. The basic abura soba is priced at 740 yen, with options for regular (150g), large (225g), and special (300g) all at the same price. Additionally, there are unique variations like salt, spicy salt, and spicy soy sauce. I tried the "Zenbu Mori Abura Soba - Tokumori" priced at 1,150 yen, which is the special size at 300g. It looked luxurious being the "Zenbu Mori" (with all toppings). When mixed well, the soy sauce-based sauce gives a decent flavor. The generous amount of noodles allows for additional sauce from the table, which is convenient. However, the plastic chopsticks provided are slippery and make it difficult to eat. The toppings such as corn are not easy to pick up with chopsticks once mixed, and do not adhere well to the noodles. The naruto (fish cake) also seems to be included. On the other hand, the finely chopped green onions and seaweed mix well and add to the dish. While the flavor can become monotonous with just the noodles and sauce, the minced onions and garlic provided on the table help enhance the taste. The instruction advises to use a small amount of garlic, but adding plenty actually enhances the flavor. The garlic, marinated in oil, releases a fragrant aroma when added to the dish. Additionally, adding fish powder changes the taste from soy sauce-based to a more complex flavor. By adjusting the flavor with the various table condiments, the 300g portion can be easily finished. Despite being abura soba, there is a soup base available for those who prefer it. The rich soy sauce-based sauce pairs well with the dashi soup base. The pot of soup base provided at each table is perfect for finishing the meal. The service is self-service for water and paper aprons, which is standard for ramen shops. The variety of table condiments allows customers to customize their dish to their liking, making it a delicious abura soba for those who enjoy onions, garlic, and fish powder.