Second visit. Arrived on a weekday at 1:30 pm. Waited outside with 4 people ahead of me. Today, I ordered the highly rated Konbu Water Tsukemen special. Despite the name, it's not actually made with konbu water, but rather a soup that enhances the flavor of the noodles with konbu. I found out there was soy sauce in it after reading the description haha. I had originally ordered salt. Following the recommendation, I first tried the noodles on their own. Delicious. Then, as suggested, I sprinkled seaweed salt on them. Amazing. Dangerously good. I could probably just eat it like that. About a quarter of the way through, I tried dipping the noodles in the dipping sauce. Honestly, the konbu water alone was better haha. The dipping sauce wasn't bad, but the impact of the konbu water with the noodles was so strong that the dipping sauce felt weak in comparison. The shrimp wonton also had a bit of a fishy smell. Maybe it was just a one-off.. I do want to try the soy sauce version next time.

It was delicious! My son wanted to eat tsukemen with kombu water, so I searched for a shop that serves it. I sent my father off and then headed to Kanda, arriving before the shop opened. There was only one person waiting. I can't provide detailed descriptions like others, but it was really delicious. I apologize to myself for not having high expectations. The refreshing taste of kombu and the smoothness of the noodles. It disappears smoothly, leaving a good aftertaste. It gives you a feeling of being able to focus on work right after. I ordered rice as well, so it might be a bit too much for me. If it's for lunch on a workday, I'll probably end up taking a nap afterwards. Next time, I'll bring my wife along. ❤️

Date of visit: September 22, 2023 (Friday) Today's lunch was the "Salt version of vinegar citrus chilled soba" as a hidden menu item at "Sanmaro Tokyo Store" in Kanda, available for only two days today and tomorrow! This morning, I saw a post from the bald head manager of this store on X (formerly Twitter) on my timeline. It mentioned that the chilled soba will be discontinued this week. However, a "Salt version" is now available, so if you wish to try it, please inform the staff when purchasing your meal ticket. Thank you. This new chilled soba, "Vinegar citrus chilled soba," was introduced on September 4th, replacing the "Seafood broth chilled salt soba" that was previously offered. I tried it on the first day, September 4th, and it was a cold soup made with a blend of dried fish broth and kombu water, similar to a soy sauce ramen! This is the trending "Dried fish broth kombu water chilled noodles" this year! Also known as "Nibokon," but the bald head manager did not copy the original "Nibokon" from "Hondana Ramen," but rather offered his own original version last year! The "Seafood broth chilled salt soba" was also delicious, but this "Kanda Nibokon" was also really tasty, so I had to go for one last chilled meal... Therefore, I changed my plans and headed to Kanda today. Exiting Kanda Station West Exit, I entered the "Kanda West Exit Shopping Street," also known as the "Kanda West Exit Ramen Street," where numerous ramen shops are crowded together. I crossed the Inner Kanda Chuo Street and continued straight ahead. Then, I turned left past the pachinko parlor... 240 meters from the station. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:47 AM, where the store with a 12:00 PM opening time was not open early today. There were five customers waiting, but luckily, I was able to sit at the counter with seven seats in a straight line. The store opened at 11:52 AM, and customers entered in order, bought meal tickets from a small ticket machine in front, and gradually filled the seats from the back. I entered at 11:55 AM, inserted 1,200 yen into the ticket machine, pushed the button for the "chilled" option, and purchased my meal ticket. I sat in the sixth seat, handed my meal ticket to the staff on the counter, and requested "salt" and "soft noodles." Today, the first and third customers ordered the regular "salt soba" and "soy sauce soba." First, two "special salt soba" were prepared, one for the first customer and one for the third customer. Then, a single "special salt soba" was served to the fourth customer. Next, the "Kombu water dipping noodles (soy sauce)" with neatly arranged noodles was served to the second customer. After a short wait, the fifth customer received the regular "vinegar citrus chilled soba (soy sauce)." Finally, at 12:13 PM, my "vinegar citrus chilled soba (salt)" was served. I had requested "soft noodles," which required a boiling time of 12 minutes. The ramen bowl featured rare slices of Nagasaki's brand pork "Hojuto," on top of which were arugula, shiso leaves, and Isokai seaweed from Ariake. The bowl was beautifully garnished with vinegar citrus surrounding the noodles. The chilled salt ramen had a cool but not icy temperature, allowing the umami of the broth to shine through. The broth was made from dried fish, saury, mackerel, and thick bonito flakes from Makurazaki, kombu from Hokkaido, black beef from Gin...

A popular ramen shop in Kanda. The interior has only a counter with partitions. I ordered the kombu water tsukemen with soy sauce and egg over rice. First, I tried dipping the noodles in seaweed salt, which allowed me to directly taste the flavor of the noodles and it was delicious. When I tried dipping the noodles in the soup, I found the soup a bit weak and not well balanced. As I continued eating, the soup became watery and there was only a little extra sauce on the table which was a bit disappointing. It would have been better if there was soup refills available. The egg over rice was very rich and satisfying, and it was delicious.

I visited Sanbajo Tokyo for a solo dinner on a regular day. The location is about a 4-minute walk from Kanda Station, just off the West Exit shopping street. Sanbajo is a ramen restaurant with roots in Hakata. I arrived around 7:20 PM and there was no line, so I went straight into the restaurant. They have a ticket machine at the entrance where you buy your meal ticket before entering. The main menu includes salt ramen, soy sauce ramen, salt dipping noodles with kelp water, soy sauce dipping noodles with kelp water, and a limited-time dish of chilled vinegar citrus soba. This time, I ordered the Special Kelp Dipping Noodles with salt (extra meat, 2 shrimp wontons) for 1,400 yen, a seasoned egg for 150 yen, and pork rice for 380 yen, totaling 1,930 yen. The restaurant is small with only 7 counter seats. On the table, they have soy sauce, salt, yuzu pepper, pepper, seaweed salt, chopsticks, toothpicks, paper napkins, glasses, and a water pitcher. After being seated, they also brought out sansho pepper. The food arrived in about 8 minutes. The presentation of the noodles dipped in kelp water was beautiful! The dipping sauce included chashu, shrimp wontons, and a seasoned egg as toppings. Following the instructions on the table, I first enjoyed the flavor of the noodles and salt kelp water as is, then tried sprinkling seaweed salt on the noodles for a salt-only taste, dipped the noodles in the sauce, and finally added lime and leftover kelp water to the sauce for a soup mix. Personally, I loved the kelp water with seaweed salt! It might be the best kelp dipping noodles I've had so far. Next was the pork rice, which had thinly sliced rare chashu from Minamishimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, with a slightly thick sauce on top. This was a great deal for 380 yen. Sanbajo is a delicious and unique ramen restaurant that is likely to become even more popular in the competitive ramen area of Kanda. With limited seating, now is the best time to visit before it gets crowded. Be sure to check it out!

Sanmaro Tokyo Store @ Kanda Special Salt Ramen Arrived at the restaurant at 12:50, there were 4 people in line. Although I was curious about the chilled ramen, I decided to go with the salt ramen since it looked delicious, and I was right! The soup had a gentle flavor of clam and kelp dashi, with a hint of dried sardine. The broth was so tasty! The noodles were just right, with a perfect firmness and chewiness. The pork shoulder chashu was packed with flavor and the chicken char siu was tender and moist. The seasoned egg was deliciously creamy and flavorful. The shrimp wonton was plump and juicy. I also enjoyed being able to customize the flavor with mushroom paste and yuzu paste. Overall, it was a perfectly crafted bowl of ramen. I would love to try their soy sauce or seaweed dipping noodles next time. Thank you for the meal! #noodlelover #noodlelover #noodlestagram #ramen #tokyo #Sanmaro #SanmaroTokyoStore #specialsaltramen #Kanda

TKM was on my mind so I decided to visit for the first time. It was already past 2:30, so I was a bit anxious about whether I would make it in time. Luckily, I managed to get in. There were 3 people waiting outside. After being guided by the staff, I purchased my meal ticket. To my disappointment, the TKM option was marked with an "X" on the ticket machine. I quickly changed my feelings and decided to try the limited-time cold noodles that I had heard about in reviews. I also ordered a side of egg over rice. My ticket was collected while I waited outside, and I was eventually seated inside. I ordered the Cold Noodles with Vinegar for ¥1,200 and the Egg Over Rice for ¥330 (with a maximum amount of eggs). The soup was ice cold. The noodles were flat and curly, cooked perfectly. The broth had a strong flavor of dried fish and bonito, with a hint of bitterness from the vinegar. I regretted not trying the dipping noodles instead. The saltiness was not too strong, but the broth was very flavorful. I watched the person next to me add yuzu pepper for flavor, which made it easier to eat. I also used the egg over rice to balance out the bitterness. Although I'm not a fan of bitterness, the broth was well-made. I would love to try TKM next time it's available.

In the midst of the lingering heat of early September on a weekday, I visited Sanmachi in Kanda once again in search of cold noodles. The restaurant opens at 12 o'clock, so when I arrived about 15 minutes early, there were already 8 customers ahead of me. With only 7 seats available, I thought I would have to wait quite a while, so I wandered around looking for other options. However, everywhere I looked in Kanda during lunchtime, there were long lines at ramen shops, so I gave up and returned to Sanmachi. By then, the waiting line had grown to 13 people, but I braced myself and lined up just as the restaurant opened. Since you have to buy meal tickets in advance, I purchased tickets for the limited edition dish, the Sudachi cold noodles, extra noodles, and 2 shrimp wontons. While waiting, there was no shade from the sun, and it was quite hot, but I managed to endure by borrowing a parasol from the storefront. After about 30 minutes, I was finally seated inside the restaurant. Although I couldn't see the cooking process as the counter was high, the staff were meticulously preparing each bowl, one by one. After a short wait, my order arrived. The Sudachi cold noodles with extra noodles and shrimp wontons. The soy sauce-based soup with Sudachi on top looked refreshing. When I tasted the soup, I could detect the umami of dried bonito and the slight thickness from the kelp-infused water, making it incredibly delicious. Since it was a cold dish, the flavor was quite strong, and for me, it was slightly salty, but I felt that this level of saltiness was necessary to prevent the flavors from becoming dull. The noodles were medium-thick, flat noodles from Kanou Seimen, cooked to a slightly soft texture as recommended by the staff, giving them a smooth and chewy texture. Despite being soft, the noodles still had a firmness due to being served cold. The toppings included chashu pork, seaweed, shiso leaves, chopped red bell peppers, and Sudachi. The chashu pork was moist, tender, and flavorful, without any strange oily taste. The generous amount of toppings, along with the aroma of shiso leaves and the hint of seaweed, created a dish that continuously evolved in flavor, keeping me engaged throughout the meal. The shrimp wontons, despite being served in cold soup, had a smooth skin and a well-filled interior, making them excellent wontons. Towards the end, the dish became a bit salty, but with only kaeshi (seasoning) and yuzu pepper on the table, there was no escape. Nevertheless, the dish was so delicious that I finished every last drop and bite. Overall, it was a delightful meal! It seemed that both the ramen and tsukemen were popular among other customers. The restaurant was also clean and attracted many solo female diners. In terms of soup, noodles, and toppings, there were no flaws, and I believe that one would not have any unpleasant experiences dining here. Personally, I love Sudachi, so I was a bit disappointed that the strong seasoning overpowered the Sudachi flavor, and the dish became a bit salty towards the end, leaving my mouth a little tired. However, this is just my personal preference, and I highly recommend this restaurant as it is truly outstanding. Thank you for the meal!

A perfectly balanced light salt soup with several types of dried fish. This post serves as a memo with my personal rating and a brief comment to remember the deliciousness of the restaurant I visited. Please note that the rating is based on my own feelings and may vary depending on my condition and emotions.

Visit date: September 4, 2023 (Monday) Today's lunch is at "Sanbaro Tokyo", where a new cold dish "Sudachi Cold Soba" is being offered as a limited-time special starting today! The restaurant is located in a small alley slightly off the bustling ramen district known as "Kanda West Exit Ramen Street". This area is home to many ramen shops, and is often referred to as the "Kanda West Exit Ramen Street". Due to the intense competition in this area, many shops have closed down recently, such as "Shio Ginger Ramen Specialty Shop MANNISH Kanda West Exit Store" and "Setouchi Iriko Ramen Kotajima". On my way to "Sanbaro Tokyo" from JR Kanda Station West Exit, I noticed a surprising change - a long line outside "Honda Menkyo", a ramen shop that opened as a branch of the popular Akihabara shop "Mendoro Honda" on January 15th of this year. This was unusual as I had never seen a line outside this shop before. The sudden increase in popularity may be due to a recent TV show that featured the shop's homemade hand-kneaded noodles, which received high praise. As I continued past "Nidaime Ramen Taniseke" and "Kanda Ramen Wize", I arrived at "Menya Shugyo Kanda Store", only to find that it was closed for the day. Undeterred, I continued on and made my way to "Sanbaro Tokyo", where I found a small line of six customers waiting outside the shop. The time was 11:56 AM, just before the shop's opening at 12 PM. Luckily, I was able to enter the shop and purchase my meal ticket just in time for the first seating. The shop, with its seven counter seats, is run by a bald-headed chef who handles everything from ramen to tsukemen and cold dishes. The shop has a reputation for only making two servings at a time, so there is often a wait. However, today, I was able to get in without much of a line. I ordered the "Cold Soba" and also tried to order the "Duck Confit", but unfortunately, the button for the duck confit was no longer available, likely due to the rising cost of duck. I hope they bring it back someday as it was delicious. In the open kitchen, the bald-headed chef checked the meal tickets and started preparing the ramen and tsukemen for the customers ahead of me. The process was efficient, with each dish being carefully prepared and served to the customers. Overall, the experience at "Sanbaro Tokyo" was enjoyable, and I look forward to visiting again in the future.

This time, the kombu broth was particularly amazing! ■ Store Information - Location: 3 minutes walk from Kanda Station West Exit - Hours: 12:00-15:00, 18:00-21:00 (Saturday and holidays 11:00-15:00) - Closed on Sundays - Counter seating for 7 people - Menu: Special kombu broth dipping noodles (salt), extra-large portion, with 1 pork and 1 shrimp wonton, pork rice Today, I was in the mood for cold salt ramen, but they didn't have it, so I decided to have the dipping noodles with salt after a long time. Even before tasting it, Fujisan raised the bar, but when I slurped the kombu broth, I was surprised! The aroma and umami of the kombu broth were amazing, I could keep drinking the kombu broth all day. It was so good that I could just keep slurping it. The broth not only had kombu but also dried fish and bonito, but today's broth had a strong presence of kombu, truly the strongest kombu broth! The salt dipping sauce with asari clams, chicken, and bonito had a gentle saltiness that complemented the dish well. The kombu broth and dipping sauce blended together more and more, and before I knew it, it was gone. I drank every last drop of that broth, and it was a finish with a KK (KaeShi) slurp. I also really liked the pork belly, it was so delicious! (*´д`*)ﾊｧﾊｧ

I had to make a sudden business trip to Tokyo and had a late lunch around 2:00 PM. Despite the time, there were already 5 customers ahead of me... I waited in the sun and finally got in. The waitress was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience enjoyable. The dipping sauce (salt flavor) was delicious, and I even added kombu water and sudachi to it and finished it all (laughs). The pork rice bowl (small) was just the right amount for us. I'm curious about the soy sauce flavor, so I'll definitely come back for more!

Arrived around 12:25 on a regular day. There were about 14 people waiting outside the shop. Waited for about 45 minutes before being seated. We were told to buy meal tickets before that. It looked delicious from the start. The soup, noodles, chashu, and seasoned egg were all amazing. It was worth the wait, even though it was hot outside. The salt ramen blew me away. I returned to work in the afternoon, still savoring the happiness in my mouth. Thank you for the meal.

Today, I went to a restaurant recommended by a senior colleague at work. I arrived around 2 pm, but there was a line outside. It seemed to be a shop specializing in salt ramen, as indicated by the lanterns. I wanted to try the tsukemen, so that was my only choice. I decided on the kombu water tsukemen with extra noodles. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I entered the restaurant. I realized I needed to buy a meal ticket before lining up. Without hesitation, I chose the kombu water tsukemen with extra noodles (1100 yen + 150 yen = 1250 yen). The table had a variety of condiments, showing their attention to detail. The dish arrived in about 10 minutes and looked delicious, with the noodles soaking in the kombu water. The first bite was indeed tasty! The noodles were thin and had a soft texture. The dipping sauce had a good saltiness to it. The variety of condiments like seaweed salt, salted kelp, and yuzu pepper allowed me to adjust the flavor as needed. However, the soup at the end, made by diluting the kombu water the noodles soaked in, turned lukewarm and slightly cold, which was a bit disappointing. I wondered if all kombu water tsukemen are served this way. Lastly, I realized they still had a limited edition chilled dish available, which I missed out on. I should have tried that first and then had the tsukemen. Next time, I want to try the soy sauce version of the kombu water tsukemen. Thank you for the meal!

I had Kombu water dipping noodles. The "Rich Tonkotsu and Seafood Dipping Noodles" used to be called "here you are again" by some ramen enthusiasts, but now it seems like Kombu water dipping noodles have become the new trend. Everywhere you go, the noodles are soaked in Kombu water to prevent them from drying out, but the actual flavor is often just adding some salt. However, I personally couldn't really taste the light flavor of Kombu water, maybe because of my unsophisticated taste buds. But once you dip the noodles in the soy sauce-based dipping broth, you won't be able to tell anymore. One thing that stood out to me at Sanba-ji was that the Kombu water had a distinct flavor. It almost felt like I had ordered not just Kombu water dipping noodles, but also a "soupless with wonton and salt soup" set. The noodles were perfectly slippery without being too difficult to pick up with chopsticks, which is a common issue with this type of noodles. The salt soup was the usual base for their ramen, but the simplicity of the dipping broth customization made the overall dish stand out. Despite the oversaturation of Kombu water dipping noodles in the market, it's nice to see some variations popping up with subtle tweaks, making it an exciting experience for ramen lovers. While it may look similar to others, I felt like this one had a unique touch that set it apart.

Thursday afternoon at 1:30, I decided to go out and visit Sanba-ji for the third time. I was hoping it wouldn't be too crowded. When I arrived, there were only two people in line, so I thought I would be seated quickly. However, I ended up waiting for about 20 minutes. I ordered the Konbu Mizutsukemen with soy sauce, as well as the usual Buta Meshi. The Konbu Mizutsukemen was as delicious as always, with the noodles being firm and chewy. This was my first time trying it with soy sauce, and I think I might even prefer it over the salt version. It had a mild and tasty flavor. The rare chashu was also excellent. It's rare to find a place where everything is so good. I finished my meal by diluting the dipping sauce with Konbu Mizu. It was delicious once again. I wonder when I'll visit next.

Visited on a Tuesday in August 2023 at 18:50. Waited outside and was the second in line at 19:00. Ordered the special soy sauce ramen and a 500cc bottle of beer. It was tasty but felt like something was missing.

I waited in line for about 30 minutes in the scorching sun, but luckily I didn't die because I was in the shade. The kombu water was so delicious that I felt like I didn't even need the dipping sauce. The noodles were chewy and delicious.

[Waiting Time & Order] - Visited before 7:30 PM on a weekday. Joined the line as the 5th person. Took about 30 minutes until the dish was served. - Ordered the Special Konbu Water Tsukemen Shoyu (1400 yen). - The restaurant operates on a food ticket system. Purchase the ticket upon entering the shop. [Impressions] This shop is known for its Konbu Water Tsukemen in Tokyo. The shoyu dipping sauce has a strong bonito flavor without any bitterness, making it refreshing. The saltiness of the shoyu is not overpowering, giving an overall elegant impression of the dipping sauce. The noodles are on the medium-thick side with a slight chewiness, which I personally enjoyed for its smooth texture that blends well with the sauce. The konbu water that the noodles are soaked in is also light and allows you to savor the flavor of konbu. Personally, I felt that a stronger presence of konbu in the water would be nice. The chashu is low-temperature cooked by default, and upgrading to the special option includes a lightly seared pork belly and shoulder loin. They are all bite-sized and easy to eat. I particularly liked the pork belly for its melty texture and lingering aftertaste. The special option also comes with two large shrimp wontons, which are delicious with a prominent shrimp flavor rather than seasoning. They rank high among the shrimp wontons I've had before. There is a variety of condiments available for flavor enhancement, such as algal salt and high-quality sansho pepper, all of which add a nice touch to the dish. It's very much appreciated to have access to these for free, especially when some places charge for them or don't offer many options for flavor enhancement. Three-Michi provided a meticulous and elegant bowl of noodles. It's easy to see why they are popular in Tokyo with their Konbu Water Tsukemen that would appeal to many. Although the Konbu Water Shio was sold out this time, I would like to visit again to taste it if given the chance.