In March, I had a bad experience at "Ramen Kitano Daichi" on the same street. I walked further up the street and found "Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen Bankara" at the former location of Coffee Rumble. It seems like a newly opened store. Although the restaurant is listed as "GOKU BANKARA TOKYO" on Tabelog with a photo of that name, when I visited, the sign read "Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen Bankara". I saw a picture of ramen with pork belly on the storefront, which looked delicious. As I tried to enter, a friendly foreign staff member (possibly from Southeast Asia or Nepal, not China or Korea) greeted me with a smile. They spoke clear Japanese. I purchased a ticket from the vending machine first. The pork belly ramen was priced at 1080 yen, but I only had a few 1000 yen bills and 7 yen, so I opted for the regular ramen at 800 yen. I didn't want to receive a bunch of coins as change. It would have been better with just 2 100 yen coins. By the way, they have a multi-functional vending machine that accepts credit cards and electronic money, so I could have used that. It was scorching hot, so I drank a lot of water at the table. There were topping options listed on the table, showing their effort to increase sales. Most of the customers coming in were foreigners. The vending machine offers English and Chinese language options, so there were no communication issues. The pork belly ramen arrived. It had a tonkotsu (pork bone) base but seemed more like a rich and fatty style. The soup was very hot, probably due to the fat content, but it was delicious. The noodles had a good chewy texture and balanced well with the soup. The chashu (pork slices) were also tasty, so I should have probably ordered the pork belly ramen after all. The service from the foreign staff and the taste of the ramen were both excellent. I found a great restaurant past Kitano Daichi after walking from Shinjuku Station.

On my usual way home, I was thinking about where to have dinner. I went to a restaurant I was interested in, but it was crowded. As I walked around a bit, I saw this restaurant and decided to go in. I bought ramen at the ticket vending machine at the entrance. The ramen that came out for 800 yen was as shown in the picture. It had a layer of fat floating on top, slightly thick soup, and made me want rice or extra noodles. The noodles had a good texture and were easy to eat. Overall, the ramen was just average, but what stood out was the friendly and genuine service from the foreign staff, which didn't feel scripted or insincere. It was a nice place to eat.

Every time I come to Bankara, I think about trying a different soup menu, but in the end, the normal Bankara ramen is the most delicious. This time, I tried adding chashu and spicy leeks as toppings. In other stores, the way they cook white rice is often not great, but this store's rice dishes were delicious. Truly exceptional.

I visited the restaurant with a junior colleague. We had quite a bit of alcohol before visiting, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I enjoyed the thick chashu and rich soup. Adding fresh garlic was a nice touch. I would like to visit again if I have the chance.

It's been a while since I visited Bankara. I'm curious about the braised pork ramen, but I'm captivated by the Fukuoka tonkotsu with plenty of green onions. I ordered the one with green onions, not the normal one. The crunchy texture is amazing! The flavor of the green onions spreading in my mouth is irresistible. Now, I crush the garlic provided for free and enjoy a change in taste. It becomes significantly more delicious! This is amazing! There may be some lingering smell, but I highly recommend trying it. The straight noodles are a bit on the softer side. It could use a bit more firmness. The chashu is tender and melts in your mouth. Looking forward to the future of Extreme BANKARA! ♬

Today's lunch was a visit to Bankara in Shinjuku Sanchome. This time, I ordered the Ajitama Chuka Soba (900 yen) and a side of white rice (150 yen). I was surprised that they didn't have Char Siu Ramen, but you can order and pay in cash at your seat. The soup had a delicious umami flavor with a nice hint of sweetness, and a modern soy sauce taste that was really good. The occasional accent of yuzu peel floating on top added a nice touch. The texture of the noodles was also good. The flavorful Char Siu paired well with the rice. The seasoned egg was okay, but I could do without it next time. The thick menma had a great texture and was tasty. There was more noodles than I expected, so next time I'll go for half rice. Personally, I think I prefer the Chuka Soba. It was delicious.

I went to a ramen shop located about a 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Sanchome Station for the first time. The interior of the shop was bright and clean, with about 7 seats at the counter and additional table seating. I ordered the Chuka Soba Gyoza Set for around 1100 yen. The ramen was refreshing and the pan-fried dumplings were soft.

This ramen is dangerous! I ordered the impactful Ban Kara Chashu Ramen from the ticket machine and it arrived! A huge piece of chashu pork sits on top, with plenty of pork fat. The bowl is filled with giant chashu, oversized sinachiku, and even more chashu. It's high in calories and protein! The pork bone soy soup and sweet chashu create a harmonious flavor, and I ate it all in a trance-like state! My mind was completely blank. ☆Tabelog rating: 3.09 Opening hours: 11:00-08:00 the next day Closed: None Payment: Cards, electronic money, QR code accepted #Shinjuku lunch #Shinjuku gourmet #Shinjuku ramen #Shinjuku Sanchome lunch #Noodlestagram #Ramen Ban Kara #Ramen club #Tokyo tonkotsu ramen #Tokyo tonkotsu ramen Ban Kara

One of the famous ramen shops in Shinjuku. It is located right outside Shinjuku Sanchome Station, so it is easily accessible. When I went in at night, there were only about 6 or 7 customers already seated and there were still plenty of empty seats. The ticket machine is fully automated, making it easy to order without any hesitation. I ordered the eye-catching Hikaru collaboration miso ramen. The waiting time was incredibly long. I must have waited for about 20 minutes. The ramen looked pretty ordinary. The taste of the ramen had a hint of garlic chip flavor, but overall it was just a regular miso ramen. I didn't feel any strong commitment to the taste. There were various toppings, but they lacked impact. I wonder if this is really supervised by Hikaru. It felt more like just an advertisement. The price was about 300-400 yen higher than other ramen shops, but I didn't feel that the price difference was justified. To be honest, I felt like I made a wrong choice.

I went to eat the collaboration dish of Hikaru-kun x Ban Karasumiso (with rice) for 1,200 yen and Tsukemisoru for 1,300 yen!!! It was a miso ramen with dried shrimp and garlic, which had a strong flavor. The rice went well with it and it was very delicious! Everyone around me was also eating miso ramen and seemed happy!

Shinjuku lunch break on a day off. Every place was super crowded with long lines, so I was feeling discouraged as I walked around, but then a foreigner caught my attention and with a big smile said, "We can seat you right away," so I decided to give it a try. It seems to be a franchise chain like Ramen Kagetsu, serving Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen. The menu had regular ramen and ban Kara ramen (Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen) to choose from. The person who called me in recommended the ban Kara ramen, so I went with the flavored egg ban Kara ramen for 900 yen. I think this is quite cheap for the location in Shinjuku Sanchome. The taste was not as strong as it looked, so I decided not to finish it, but the slightly sweet soup was quite delicious and might become addictive. Just like Kagetsu, they offer freshly crushed garlic as a service. The flavored bamboo shoots had a nice spicy kick, but the chashu disappeared before I knew it. It's a good place for a quick ramen fix. The restroom was clean, the restaurant wasn't too crowded, and I think it's easy for women and children to enter. Thank you for the meal m(_ _)m

This is my first visit. Located about a 2-minute walk from Shinjuku-sanchome Station, it was around 2:00 PM on a Sunday, and the place was about 80% full. There were some foreign staff members, giving it a somewhat chain-like feel. There were many franchise recruitment flyers on the tables. The interior had counter seats and table seats. I purchased a ticket at the entrance ticket machine and went inside. Today, I ordered the "Kakuni Ban" for 1,080 yen. It was brought to me in about 7-8 minutes. The soup was a rich brown color with plenty of back fat, large pieces of kakuni, slices of pork chashu, green onions, nori, and thick menma. The noodles were medium thickness and twisted. They had a chewy texture and were quite delicious. The soup was a soy sauce tonkotsu base, with a surprising sweetness. It seemed like there was sugar added. I felt this sweetness in the menma as well. Personally, I didn't care for this sweetness. The menma had a thick and crunchy texture. The kakuni was tender and long, providing a good amount of volume. There were about 2 pieces of it. The pork chashu was also plentiful. They offered extra noodles, but with this volume, it wasn't necessary. I initially thought it was a tonkotsu ramen shop based on the appearance, but Ban Kara was different in terms of both taste and noodles. Based on other reviews, it seems like the menu has changed. I'm curious about the "Tantanmen without Mala Soup," so maybe I'll try that next time. Thank you for the meal.

It seems like a new form of tonkotsu ramen at Bankara. I was drawn in by the signboard while passing by and decided to visit on a weekday afternoon. Surprisingly, they were serving sukiyaki instead of ramen. For 2,000 yen, you get a set with seared sirloin, egg, rice, and ramen on the side. The ramen almost feels like a bonus! First, the sukiyaki arrived, with a large piece of raw meat seared right in front of you with a gas burner. It was served with green onions, garlic chips, and spicy oil mixed with egg yolk, which was then enjoyed with white rice. It was truly a blissful moment. I couldn't help but think it would be great if they offered a lunch set with just a bowl of rice for around 1,100 yen. After enjoying the sukiyaki, I also had a full bowl of Bankara ramen. #TokyoGourmet #TokyoRamen #TokyoYakiniku #ShinjukuGourmet #ShinjukuRamen #ShinjukuYakiniku #GokuBankara #BankaraRamen #ConnectingWithFoodies #RamenLovers #TokyoWagyu #RamenLovers

I was wandering around Shinjuku San-Chome, trying to decide what to have for dinner. I asked my partner what they wanted to eat, and they said ramen. We had ramen for lunch but decided to go for it again. My partner requested salt ramen this time. We found a place nearby called Bankara Gokoku, which had energetic staff members calling out to customers. I wondered what was different about the "Gokoku" version. Despite not usually ordering Bankara ramen, I decided to try the Gokoku version based on the staff's recommendation. My partner ordered tsukemen. The food was served in just 5 minutes. The soup was sweet, which I assume is part of the Bankara style. The noodles were standard, and the chashu was braised pork, which complemented the ramen well. I couldn't quite grasp what made it "Gokoku," but overall, it was a decent meal. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this place a few months ago when it first opened, and this was my first visit in a while. The interior has completely changed and now looks more like a ramen shop. I ordered the spicy negi ramen using PayPay at the ticket machine on the right side of the entrance. Compared to the thick ramen from before, I really liked the simple and good soup this time. The crunchy white negi with a spicy kick was very stimulating and I enjoyed it a lot. I want to continue supporting Bangara-san, who is always trying out different flavors. I will definitely visit again. Thank you for the meal.

Shinjuku Sanchome, GOKU BANKARA TOKYO. A ramen chain operated by Hanaken Co., Ltd. Tokyo Tonkotsu Bankara has 21 stores. Asahikawa Miso Bankara has 7 stores. In addition, there are 8 stores in other brands and overseas locations such as Thailand and Malaysia. Among them, it is the only store with the name "GOKU". They specialize in tonkotsu shoyu, tonkotsu, and shoyu ramen. Bankara offers shoyu tonkotsu ramen. Today, I ordered the Bankara ramen for 800 yen for the first time. The soup is dark and has a large chunk of back fat floating in it. The sweetness of the back fat is strong, and the richness of the shoyu is strong and sweet, making the soup highly addictive. The noodles are medium-thin straight noodles with a normal water content. They are slightly soft. The chashu and thick menma have a slightly unique taste. I wish there were additional green onions to help balance out the richness of the tonkotsu soup, even though they are not on the menu. After drinking this soup a few times, there is a high chance of becoming addicted to it. It has a unique deliciousness similar to Ichiran. Thank you for the meal.

The other day, I visited a newly opened high-end ramen shop, but they were already renovating the interior while still operating. They removed some partitions and reopened with a new look. It seems like the high-end concept didn't work out, so they also introduced regular ramen. To celebrate the reopening, they offered ramen for just one coin for three days only! I tried their ramen for 500 yen. It had a rich soup with plenty of pork fat, topped with chashu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, and green onions. It was decent, but I felt like it was worth around 500-600 yen in terms of quality. Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 800 yen for it. The entrance door of the shop was left open, so it was quite cold inside, but the hot ramen warmed me up. It was a satisfying meal.

【GOKU BANKARA TOKYO】・Handmade extreme flavor egg ramen ¥1,070・Large size ¥200 When I used to work in Ikebukuro or when I used the highway bus, I often went to the Ban-ya main store or Higashi-guchi store in Ikebukuro. There used to be one in Shibuya too. My workplace changed and I had fewer chances to go, but I tried it out since it opened along my commuting route. This "GOKU BANKARA TOKYO" seems a bit more upscale than other Ban-ya shops, with dishes like seared sirloin rice. The noodles are handmade, so I was looking forward to trying them. The noodles were chewy and delicious, but the soup felt a bit different. I wish they served it hotter. If you think of it as something different, it's decent, but if you go expecting the Ban-ya in Ikebukuro, you might feel a bit off... #ShinjukuSanchomeGourmet #GOKUBANKARATOKYO #Ban-ya #Ban-yaRamen #TokyoTonkotsu #PersonalGourmetMemo #FoodDiary ===========

While heading from Shinjuku Station to Sanchome, I happened to come across a shop that has been featured on TV before! I ordered the hand-made thick Chinese noodles (980 yen) and a bowl of rice (250 yen). My companion went for the strong tonkotsu ramen, while I chose the thick Chinese noodles with extra thickness. The tonkotsu ramen was quite rich in flavor, but the thick Chinese noodles had an even stronger taste. The addition of fish powder and the thick, chewy noodles were great. I had read reviews mentioning the intense flavor beforehand, so I decided to order rice to go with it, and it was a good choice! The combination with rice was perfect! However, the default price was a bit high, and I was surprised that the rice cost 250 yen... Overall, it was a delicious meal! ★

It seems that the chef at Anoban has mastered something special. So, I rode my bike for 30 minutes and arrived in Shinjuku after a long time. I ordered the special set menu. The first dish brought to the counter was the flame-seared sirloin steak on rice, known as TKG! I had just watched a TV special about TKG yesterday, so I was worried the nearby poshette might catch on fire, but the surf steak was delicious. Now, onto the ramen, the broth was so rich that I almost mistook it for mazesoba. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I was indecisive about where to have lunch, but I was drawn to the sign for soup-less tantanmen in front of the restaurant and decided to give it a try. The interior didn't feel like a typical ramen shop, with mostly table seating. I ordered the soup-less tantanmen, which had various toppings and textures that made it enjoyable. The price of 1100 yen was just right. Looking at the other menu items, there were some slightly more expensive options that seemed to be catered towards foreign tourists (in my personal opinion). Overall, there were some unique aspects that made it a bit different from a typical ramen shop.