After finishing my business in Akihabara, I visited a ramen restaurant located about a 7-8 minute walk from Akihabara Station on Kiyosu Bridge Street. This restaurant has won awards as one of the top ramen shops in Japan, serving ramen with high-quality noodles made from carefully selected ingredients in a traditional Japanese atmosphere. I arrived at 5:00 pm on a weekday, one hour before opening. There were already two customers, who appeared to be of Asian descent, waiting ahead of me. One of them seemed to be struggling with the ordering system and asked for help, so I kindly showed them where to wait. At 4:40 pm, the foreign customer in front of me purchased their meal ticket, but it turned out that their group was not complete yet. As a result, they had to go to the end of the line again, allowing me to move up to the first position and purchase my ticket. It was my first time visiting the restaurant, and I debated whether to go for a classic menu item or try the limited edition one. Ultimately, I couldn't resist the allure of the Mangalitsa pork soba and gyoza, so I bought the tickets and waited. The restaurant opened at 6:00 pm, with about 30 people already in line. The first group of 10 customers entered the restaurant. Within a few minutes of being seated, my ramen arrived. The clear seafood broth with the rich sweetness of Mangalitsa pork fat melted into it, creating a flavorful and gentle aftertaste. The noodles were hand-kneaded with plenty of water, blending well with the soup. Adding the grated ginger provided at the table enhanced the depth of the flavor even more. The toppings included fragrant Mangalitsa chashu, young corn, mitsuba, and green onions. The deliciously sinful pork and the fresh, sweet young corn with a crisp texture completely overwhelmed me. Overall, this was the best ramen I've ever had, and it was definitely worth the wait in line. I look forward to coming back again. Thank you for the meal. I will be back.

Duck and Matsutake mushroom salt dipping soba for 1,900 yen. Extra duck loin (3 slices) for 300 yen. Total 2,200 yen. On a holiday around 9:30 am, there were about 5 groups waiting in line. I waited patiently. Around 10 am, they started selling meal tickets. At this point, there were already over 10 people waiting in line. The shop opened slightly before the scheduled time of 10:30 am. The noodles were delicious. The dipping sauce had a Japanese-style taste and was delicious. Lastly, adding citrus made it even more delicious with an enhanced Japanese taste. I ended up finishing all the dipping sauce. The menma was soft despite its thickness. When I left, there were almost 30 people waiting in line.

Visited Kuroki in Asakusabashi for the first time since July 2021. It was my 7th visit. I usually try their unique menu items, but this time I had the Pepper Ramen (1,300 yen) with an extra helping of "Kujyo Negi" (250 yen). The base was soy sauce with plenty of whole and coarsely ground pepper. In addition to the regular chashu, there was stir-fried meat (possibly offal) which made it quite hearty. I was surprised to find simmered daikon radish in the ramen, a first for me. The noodles were hand-kneaded flat noodles, and they paired well with the rich soup. The extra noodles were thin and slurp-worthy. However, the overall dish felt a bit chaotic and lacked cohesion, like a flavor merry-go-round. I wish it was a bit simpler and more compact. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

2023.9.17 2023-429 Purple Kurokoro (Kyo Kurokoro) ◎ [Limited Edition] Duck and Matsutake Ramen (Handmade Noodles) + Extra Duck Roast 3 Slices + Matsutake and Snow Crab Rice 3300 yen (2500 yen + 300 yen + 500 yen) purchased a meal ticket. When there is a normal line, those who are in line should purchase a meal ticket just before and then return to their original place. When Purple Kurokoro opens, line up at the end and wait. The line was tighter this time compared to the previous opening. I think the next opening will be at a new location, but I am prepared to line up. This limited edition was amazing ☺️ The soup was flavored with delicious soy sauce from Kurokoro and Matsutake. You could choose between thin noodles and hand-kneaded noodles. I always order hand-kneaded noodles, so I did the same this time. The toppings were sudachi, green onions, and finely chopped onions, along with plenty of matsutake and duck dumplings. The matsutake displayed on the counter were very large and impressive. I was worried when I saw a tweet saying they might not be able to add extra duck, but it turned out fine. And they even announced that the limited rice was sold out in the middle of the line, but they added more and I was able to get the last one. It was really delicious, so when I told the chef that it was delicious, he smiled and chatted with me. I look forward to the next opening. Thank you for the meal (人´∀`*) #Ramen #Tsukemen #Kyo Kurokoro #Purple Kurokoro #Ramen Memoirs #Noodlestagram #Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo #Experiment Noodle Lift #Chashu Lift

Hibiki Kurokichi @ Asakusabashi Duck and Matsutake Soy Sauce Ramen [¥2500] Duck Roast Extra [¥300] Matsutake and Snow Crab Mixed Rice [¥500] ■ Visit Date September 17, 2023, Sunday 6:35 am ■ Nearest Station JR Sobu Line Asakusabashi Station ■ Business Hours On this day 9:00 am - (limited to 100 servings) ■ Regular Holiday Sunday This is the last day of business for Kurokichi in this area! Kurokichi, originally known for its popular menu of salt and miso, also had a soy sauce specialty shop on Fridays! That's Purple Kurokichi ✨ Currently, when you think of Kurokichi, you think of salt! But personally, I've been waiting for this Purple Kurokichi because I'm a soy sauce fan. It was announced that this would be the last Purple Kurokichi in this area, so more people are expected to gather than usual. I left home a little after 6 am, arrived at Akihabara around 6:30 am, and saw that there were already about 30 people lined up. The line quickly grew, and by the time it was over, there were over 50 people. The weather was cloudy, which was a relief as waiting in line under the scorching sun is tough. At 7:30, the line started moving, and I purchased a meal ticket inside the store and received a numbered ticket. I managed to get number 29 for 10:30. First, a sigh of relief. If there's such a long line, maybe one of my followers is here? I thought, but I didn't see anyone I knew. Maybe they were there, but I just didn't recognize them. I revisited around 10:20. I waited a bit, but was seated almost on time. You can choose between hand-kneaded noodles and thin noodles. Of course, I ordered hand-kneaded noodles. The ramen was topped with a mountain of matsutake mushrooms, which looked luxurious. The scent of matsutake lingered in my mouth even after I finished eating. As expected, Kurokichi's limited ramen never disappoints. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to eat such a special dish. * This is just my personal opinion. #Mekurokichi #PurpleKurokichi #LimitedRamen #DuckandMatsutakeSoySauceRamen #MatsutakeandSnowCrabMixedRice #ExtraDuck #AkihabaraGourmet #AsakusabashiGourmet #NaotoKuroki #HeadChef #Ramen #Ramen #RamenLover #RamenInstagram #RamenTour #WantToConnectWithRamenLovers

About an 8-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station's Showa-dori exit. Arrived 20 minutes before opening and found no other customers, but a line quickly formed. A staff member came out and asked us to purchase meal tickets first. The restaurant has only 10 counter seats. I ordered the Special Soy Sauce Ramen for ¥1750. You can choose between thin noodles or hand-kneaded noodles, and I chose thin noodles. The noodles were chewy and smooth, and paired perfectly with the flavorful and refreshing soy sauce broth. There are 5 types of char siu, including tender duck meat, chicken breast, pork shoulder, pork thigh, and chicken meatballs - all delicious. The thick-cut bamboo shoots provided a satisfying crunch, and instead of green onions, there were crunchy choy sum vegetables. The half-boiled seasoned egg was just right, and there was also seaweed, flavorful radish, and plenty of chewy cloud ear fungus. It was so delicious and satisfying. I look forward to trying the salt ramen next time. Thank you for the wonderful meal. The staff were very friendly and made the experience even better. Thank you!

Feast at Kuroki in Kanda-Izumicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Kuroki's 2023 Summer Noodle Series 7th Edition: ✔︎ Hokkai Asari Cold Shio Ramen (1,400 yen) ✔︎ Buri Shio Tataki Rice (350 yen) *All prices include tax/Seasonal limited menu. Thank you for the delicious meal! ( ^ω^ )y//@Motenashi Kuroki®️

First visit! Finally got to try the Ajitama Shio, limited Buri Don, and one Gyoza! The Gyoza was incredibly delicious! With just these items, this place could survive haha. They use Koshihikari rice. For the ramen, you can choose between thin noodles or hand-kneaded noodles. The soup is amazing from the first sip. Since Kurosu in Jinbocho has closed, this is the place to go for salt ramen nearby! It might even surpass it. I'll definitely come back.

Tuesday, arrived at 1:30 pm. 14 people waiting ahead. Waited for 35 minutes to enter. It took 40 minutes until the food was served. There was a comment that the place gets less crowded in the afternoon, so I decided not to aim for before noon, but still ended up disappointed. There was a customer who bought a meal ticket before lining up, but the staff informed that it's better to line up first and then buy the ticket. I ordered the special salt and chicken oil rice, and the Negi-wae noodles for 2150 yen. You can choose between hand-kneaded and thin noodles for the ramen, but for the extra noodles, only thin noodles are available. I initially ordered hand-kneaded noodles. The owner mentioned that using earphones is prohibited since there will be an explanation about the food, but in the end, there was no explanation. The restaurant operates by letting in groups of 5 people at a time, which can be quite shocking when you have to wait for the next turn after the first 5 people. Also, there is a considerable pressure to leave silently as the next group is not allowed to enter until the current group of 5 finishes their meal. The seating arrangement is only at the counter with a capacity of 10 people. Moving on to the ramen itself, here are my thoughts: - The salt flavor was lacking. It seemed to be aiming for a refreshing taste, but it was dominated by the taste of oil since there was a lot of oil in the dish. The chicken oil rice was also very oily as the name suggests. Is this restaurant all about promoting oil? - The toppings were impressive. The noodles were average. - The extra noodles were also average. - The portion of noodles was quite small, and for men, it would only take 5 or 6 bites to finish. There was a significant amount of leftover special toppings. Perhaps it's meant to be eaten with the extra noodles. Overall, I will not revisit this place. It's hard to believe that this restaurant, which is ranked in the top 20 in the national ramen rankings and has served 100 customers, is worth the hype.

I had salt ramen at Kyouriki near Asakusabashi Station. I arrived on a weekday at 10:50 am and there were 14 people in line. The line continued to grow. I waited for 30 minutes and was seated for the second round. The ramen was served in about 3 minutes, and they prepare the ramen in batches of 5 bowls. The soup was clear with a noticeable presence of dried tomatoes and chashu. The chicken-based broth had a rich umami flavor with a hint of saltiness, creating an elegant and substantial fusion of Japanese and Western flavors. The noodles were thin and hand-kneaded, with a unique chewy texture that paired well with the soup. The toppings included three types of chashu, tsukune, dried tomatoes, menma, green onions, ginger, and black pepper. The chashu, made from pork belly, chicken breast, and duck breast, was flavorful and tender. The duck beneath the dried tomatoes added a rich depth of flavor. Both the chicken and pork were moist and highlighted the natural flavors of the ingredients. I enjoyed my meal today as well.

I arrived around 1:40 pm on a holiday, waited for about 70 minutes in a line of 30 people to enter the restaurant. This place is always ranked high in Tokyo's ramen rankings, and I finally had the chance to try their Ajitama Shio Ramen for 1250 yen. The soup had a blend of various salts, creating a complex and delicious flavor with a soft sweetness. The broth alternated between salty and sweet, making it irresistible to keep sipping. I chose thin noodles, which paired perfectly with the soup. The toppings were all high-quality, especially the chashu which highlighted the different cuts of meat. The thick menma provided a satisfying crunch, and even though I'm not a fan of roasted tomatoes, they added a luxurious touch when mixed with the noodles. The green onions were of premium quality, with a strong flavor that complemented the soup well. The ginger and garlic paste on top added a spicy kick, and biting into it felt like a burst of pepper in my mouth. It's no wonder why this place always has a long line - the delicious soup and toppings are truly outstanding.

I arrived at the restaurant in the early afternoon and naturally there was a line. While waiting in line, a menu was passed around and I bought a meal ticket as instructed. I waited for about 30 minutes before a Taiwanese person who seemed to be a regular customer arrived and looked like they were enjoying waiting in line. I listened closely and entered the restaurant. I was asked if I was a group of three, which made me consider saying yes just to see their reaction. Inside, the atmosphere was lively and the clear soup and elegant char siu reflected a sense of professionalism. It was delicious, but I felt like it might not be a place to stay for more than an hour. The staff were all friendly, so I'll probably come back again.

I had some business in Akihabara, so I visited this restaurant. When I arrived a little after 12 o'clock, there were four people lined up in front of the store. I followed the instructions on the sign and lined up, and before I knew it, a line had formed behind me. The staff guided us to buy meal tickets, so I purchased the special salt ramen for 1,600 yen. The next four people were then called in ahead of me. After a short wait, the next six people were called in. Instead of seating people as the seats became available, they seemed to call people in groups. It was hotter inside the store than outside, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the hardworking staff. While waiting, the special salt ramen arrived. It was delicious. I requested the noodles to be extra soft, and they were chewy and smooth. The soup was elegant and incredibly tasty. There were about five different types of meat toppings, which was a refined touch. Personally, I'm not a big fan of this type of ramen, but the addition of black pepper in the middle was a nice accent that made it delicious. Overall, it was tasty, but if I were to go again, I might opt for a non-special version. I'll leave the details of the store's operation in the first half of September here.

This is just my subjective opinion, but I want this restaurant review on Tabelog! I won't be going back for a second time. The special salt ramen with toppings for 1600 yen is luxurious and delicious. The punch and umami of the salt soup are subtle. Is the acidity of the dried tomatoes what adds to the umami? I chose hand-kneaded noodles, expecting them to look like Sano ramen ➡️ not slippery, but soft. I think the 1600 yen is for the toppings. The toppings are luxurious and require effort. The inside of the restaurant is steamy, while the outside is cooler. When the dish was served, the chef pointed out two black dots at the tip and explained, "There is fresh black pepper on top," but if it had been pink pepper or something, it would have been more impressive in terms of taste and aroma differences. It was a lunchtime that left me feeling a bit bloated.

It had been a while since I had work in Akihabara, so I decided to visit Kuroki, a place I had been curious about for a while. I arrived around 2:00 PM and only had to wait a short time before being seated, as there were only two of us. This time, I tried the special salt ramen with hand-kneaded noodles, the famous shumai, and the mixed cold noodles. Each ingredient was carefully prepared and the dishes were very delicious. I would love to visit again. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I ordered the special salt ramen for 1600 yen and a limited edition rice dish. The chashu was amazing, I wanted more of it. The tomatoes were soft and had a nice acidic taste, surprisingly it went well with the dish. I really liked the taste of the soup as well. The pepper on top added a nice touch. Lastly, I poured a little bit of the soup over the rice at the end.

I have doubts about the rating of this ramen. It's been a while since I couldn't finish it all. The salt is strong and has a sharp edge, the noodles are too soft, and the soup lacks depth and flavor. Regardless of whether it's free of additives, it clearly feels like something is missing. I saw the owner repeatedly picking out ingredients and throwing them away, so maybe they forgot to add something. The layer of chicken oil is thick, so if you drink the soup first, you'll feel the greasiness directly. It seems like the details are gradually getting off track rather than being inherently bad. The toppings are of high quality, but the meaning of the tomato is unclear. The sweetness of the tomato is emphasized, but in this ramen, acidity and umami from the tomato are more important. It might have been good in the trial stage, but it's not good now. The business expansion was mentioned in a blog, but maybe they are sleep-deprived. The ordered item was salt ramen with hand-kneaded noodles. I can't say it's always bad, but I won't revisit.

I visited Tsukemen Tetsu after paying a visit to Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, which was recommended by Shinji from the band Sid about 5 years ago. Despite the light rain and the fact that it was close to closing time on a weekday, there were already 2-3 groups waiting in line when we arrived. There were even more groups behind us waiting. The popularity of this place is amazing. I ordered the Ajitama Shoyu Ramen with hand-kneaded noodles. In addition to the chashu, there were also tsukune and duck meat topping generously. I usually prefer thin noodles, but the hand-kneaded noodles here were chewy and mixed well with the soup, making it extremely delicious. The person I went with ordered the salt ramen with thin noodles, so I tried a bit and personally preferred the hand-kneaded noodles as they matched the soup better. I would love to try different combinations next time.

Arrived on Saturday at 11:30, with a line of about 20 people. Managed to enter around 12:30. I ordered the special salt ramen, 2 special grilled dumplings, and chicken rice. You can choose between thin noodles and hand-kneaded noodles, and I chose the hand-kneaded noodles. The grilled dumplings were delicious with a sweet meat filling. The noodles were chewy, the soup had a rich flavor, and the chashu was also deliciously prepared. It's a bit of a wait to get in, but I would definitely like to go again.

About a 7-minute walk from Asakusabashi Station, this restaurant has been selected as a Michelin Bib Gourmand! Their special salt ramen soup is made by extracting flavors from Tamba black chicken, Koshu local chicken, Kyoto duck, pork, true kelp, and vegetables through three levels of temperature control and cooking methods. The salt sauce uses 5 types of salt from the sea, mountains, and lakes, each highlighting the characteristics of saltiness, umami, and bitterness. You can choose between thin noodles or hand-kneaded noodles, and the toppings like chashu and tsukune are delicious, but what stands out are unique toppings like dried tomatoes and fresh black pepper. It may sound strange, but they surprisingly go well together! This ramen offers a variety of flavors in one bowl, like a course meal in a bowl! If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend giving it a try!

I couldn't decide on the menu, so I asked the staff for their recommendation and chose the "Special Salt Ramen," which is the most popular. It costs 1600 yen. The dish that was brought to me was colorful with plenty of ingredients and a beautiful tomato color. It included three types of chashu (pork, chicken breast, duck), tsukune (chicken meatballs), wontons, egg, and shinchiku (Chinese bamboo shoots). You can choose between thin noodles or hand-kneaded noodles when ordering. There were 10 seats, and the orders were taken in an orderly manner, with half of them filled at a time. At the time I visited, one-third of the customers were travelers from overseas. Is this place featured somewhere? Is it popular on social media?