During a break in my business trip, I had some free time so I decided to visit Yarou Ramen. I had seen somewhere that they were collaborating with another brand, so I took the opportunity to check it out. I ordered the collaboration menu and was surprised when a bowl of ramen with a large character drawn on the nori arrived! The appearance caught me off guard, but I personally enjoyed the taste as well!

In Akihabara, there is a ramen shop called "Yarou Ramen" that is collaborating with an anime movie. The atmosphere is quite funny, starting from the sign outside. You purchase a meal ticket from the machine inside the shop, and the items vary depending on the number of slices of chashu you choose. The Yarou Ramen I had previously in Takadanobaba looked and tasted completely different, but I found this one here to be more delicious and to my liking. The vegetables on top were a nice touch, adding a slight sweetness to the flavorful broth, and the chewy thick noodles matched perfectly. It was really tasty.

I went to have lunch at the Yarou Ramen Akihabara store, which is currently collaborating with the popular Seishun Buta Yarou series, whose second movie is being highly praised. The collaboration ramen was a Niigata Tsubame-Sanjo ramen, which was a pork back fat and dried fish broth ramen, but the soup was lukewarm and didn't quite hit the spot... The tender chashu was tasty though.

Visit on July 1, 2023: Located a short walk from JR Akihabara Station Electric Town Exit. The interior has a counter on the 1st floor, and a mix of counter and tatami tables on the 2nd floor. I ordered the collaboration menu of "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl" and was guided to the 2nd floor. This time, I ordered the collaboration menu, but you need to purchase a meal ticket in advance from the ticket machine. Hand the ticket to the staff and receive a number tag. Then, line up outside the store. When your turn comes, the staff will guide you inside. When the food arrives, return the number tag to the staff. This time, I ordered the Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl Ramen (regular). The base is Enzanjo Ramen. The store broadcast mentions chicken, pork bone, and dried fish broth. The aroma of dried fish is prominent. The richness of the animal-based broth is also solid. Although there is also pork fat, it felt restrained. The noodles are thick, curly noodles that are chewy and firm. It has a similar feel to Jiro-style ramen. The toppings are plentiful, including dried fish, chashu, finely chopped menma, onions, green onions, naruto, pickled vegetables(?), seaweed, and yuzu. The onions and yuzu give a refreshing touch. It's interesting how the taste changes as you eat. It was a delicious ramen.

The main store of Yarou Ramen, located in the center of Tokyo, has been collaborating with the popular anime movie "Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl" since late last month until August 23rd. The collaboration includes special ramen, merchandise, decorations, and even the store announcements, all themed around "Rascal". As a big fan of both ramen and anime, I went to see the movie last month and was deeply moved to tears. My towel got wet from crying. After immersing myself in the movie at TOHO Cinemas Ueno, I walked to Akihabara and enjoyed the Rascal Ramen. The ramen was delicious! It wasn't just a regular anime collaboration ramen. The soup used pork, chicken bones, and dried sardines, with plenty of lard and thick noodles, giving it a refreshing taste with onions. It's similar to the Niigata Tsubame-Sanjo style (lard and dried sardine ramen). The rich umami of the animal broth is the base, combined with the bold umami of the dried sardines (without any fishy taste). The soy sauce flavor is strong with a hint of sweetness, the natural richness and sweetness of the lard. It might be a bit challenging to finish due to the strong saltiness, but the impactful and addictive flavor kept me slurping with joy. The wavy thick noodles also provided a satisfying chew. Even the regular size with plenty of thick chashu toppings made me full. For only 1,380 yen, you can fully enjoy the world of Rascal, eat a satisfying bowl of ramen, and even get a postcard. The cost performance is excellent. Rascal fans, be sure to visit after watching the movie.

Visited for lunch on a regular day. There was no line this day because it was raining. I usually see a line during lunchtime, so I was glad to be able to get in easily. I ordered the "Tonkotsu Yarou" for 880 yen. You can hear the sound of vegetables being stir-fried in the kitchen. A mountain of vegetables was served with one piece of pork on top. The soup was rich. The thick curly noodles had a chewy texture. The vegetables were sprinkled with black pepper and were delicious on their own. There was no garlic or extra oil option. Different from Jiro-style ramen in that aspect. I wished I could have added some garlic in this type of ramen.

On Saturday afternoon, I stopped by this "Yarou Ramen" in Akihabara. It's a flashy yellow-colored shop. There always seems to be a crowd in front of the store, making it feel intimidating to enter. Tourists come and seem unsure, not smoothly entering the shop. I bought a ticket at the machine and sat at the counter seat I was directed to. I ordered the "Tonkotsu Yarou" for 780 yen. The interior of the shop has quite a few seats. It seems to be collaborating with anime, as advertisements by voice actors were occasionally played. After a short wait, it arrived. It came with stir-fried bean sprouts and a little bit of leeks on top. The stir-fried vegetables with oil were delicious. There were white and red fried garlic chips on the counter, and I added a few spicy red garlic chips. I also sprinkled some curry powder. The noodles were very thick. The soup was what you would call a Jiro-style, but I thought the saltiness was a bit mild. They seem to allow customers to adjust, as there was soy sauce dressing on the counter, which I added a little bit of. The slice of chashu was tender and had a good meaty texture and flavor. There were minced garlic at the bottom of the soup. The combination of Jiro-style taste, tonkotsu flavor, garlic, curry powder, and chili was delicious. The "regular" size had a reasonable amount.

I hope they put in a bit more effort if they're going for a Ramen Jiro-inspired dish. Can't wait to see what they come up with! It was really delicious. Thank you very much.

Visit on April 15, 2023: Located a short walk from JR Akihabara Station Electric Town Exit. The interior of the restaurant has a counter on the 1st floor and a counter with tatami tables on the 2nd floor. The seats decorated with August's Cinderella Nine collaboration are on the 2nd floor (1st floor is regular). You purchase a meal ticket, then the staff guides you to your seat. If the restaurant is full, you wait in line outside before buying your meal ticket. Luckily, there was no line outside, so we were able to enter right away since it was raining. This time, I naturally ordered the Hachinai Buta Yarou Ramen. I thought about getting the large serving, but during a previous collaboration, the illustrations were hidden by a mountain of bean sprouts, so this time I opted for a regular serving. The soup is tonkotsu shoyu, with a mild taste that was very easy to drink. The fat and saltiness were just right, and while it was rich, it wasn't overpowering. The noodles are medium straight, which was a bit surprising as they weren't thick. Even more surprising was how voluminous they were. I imagined a normal amount of noodles for ramen based on their thickness, but there was quite a lot. The bowl was packed with noodles. The toppings include chashu, menma, seasoned egg, spicy mustard greens, green onions, spicy cod roe, wood ear mushrooms, pickled ginger, and seaweed. The generous portion of chashu was delightful. The thick slices of chashu were tender, flavorful, and delicious. The various toppings made each bite interesting as the flavors changed, making it a fun and tasty experience. The ramen looked vibrant, tasted delicious, and offered a variety of flavors to enjoy.

Recently there was an event, so I couldn't get in because of the line, but now that the event is over, I can finally go! The ramen looks voluminous, but surprisingly easy to eat! The chashu and vegetable stir-fry are irresistible. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akibayarou/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/akibayarou Introduction: Akiba Yarou Ramen's features include whether to stir-fry the vegetables, the richness of the flavor, the hardness of the noodles, and the amount of fat, which can be adjusted at any time with garlic and curry powder provided on the table. Menu: The ramen genres are divided into tonkotsu, miso, tsukemen, soupless, and seasonal menus. Tonkotsu Yarou - 880 yen: The original tonkotsu ramen of Yarou. Buta Yarou - 1,260 yen: Proudly serving thick slices of chashu. Mega Buta Yarou - 1,540 yen: The highest volume and toppings ever in Yarou history! Doro Niboshi Tsukemen - 1,080 yen Doro Niboshi Special Tsukemen - 1,380 yen Soupless Yarou - 930 yen Luxurious Soupless Yarou - 1,030 yen *New menu: Vegetable Stir-fry Set Meal (Salt Tonkotsu Flavor) - 700 yen Buta Vegetable Stir-fry Set Meal (Salt Tonkotsu Flavor) - 980 yen

Features of Yarou Ramen: - Option to have vegetables grilled or not - Intensity of flavor - Firmness of noodles - Amount of fat - Garlic and curry powder available on the table for additional seasoning Menu Categories: - Tonkotsu Ramen: Yarou Ramen's original and signature dish - Buta Yarou: Features thick slices of pork chashu - Mega Buta Yarou: The ultimate in volume and toppings - Doro Niboshi Tsukemen: Dipping noodles with a rich fish broth - Doro Niboshi Special Tsukemen - Soupless Yarou: Soupless ramen option - Luxurious Soupless Yarou New Menu Item: - Vegetable Stir-Fry Set Meal (Salt Tonkotsu Flavor) for 700 yen - Buta Vegetable Stir-Fry Set Meal (Salt Tonkotsu Flavor) for 980 yen

I ordered the Wild Man Ramen in extra-large size. It was very rich and I got hooked on it. You can add as much garlic and spicy fried garlic as you like. They also have other spices like curry powder. I arrived around 12:30 and there was a short wait, so it might be better to go early or avoid lunchtime.

Stir-fried vegetables for 600g (500 yen) is a great deal for this amount. Normally, it's only 400g! Isn't it too cheap? If you order it as a set meal, it's an additional 200 yen, but I once had regular ramen and couldn't finish it, so this time I ordered it modestly without rice, and it was delicious and satisfying. This time I tried the salt tonkotsu flavor, so next time I want to try the burnt soy sauce flavor. Yoroi Ramen Akihabara branch is a place I recommend. I visit over 500 shops a year and share my recommendations daily. My goal is to be the most helpful account in Japan! Please like, follow, and save. I also have the same account name (@souta_jimaharu) on Instagram, TikTok, Tabelog, and Google, so please support me there too. Yoroi Ramen Akihabara Branch has a rating of 3.5 on Google (1042 reviews) and is located at 3-2-11 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0021. Opening hours are 11:00-21:30 on Sundays to Fridays.

You can usually get a seat without waiting after 6 pm on weekdays. I enjoyed the Yarou Ramen at this Jiro-style ramen shop where you can choose between boiled and grilled vegetables. The noodles are thick and satisfying, with a good amount of vegetables. The chashu is soft and easy to eat.

I had been here before, but I couldn't even remember the taste, so I decided to try it again after a long time. Sometimes I feel like eating this kind of inspired ramen. I entered the restaurant and ordered the "Buta Yaro" for 1260 yen at the ticket vending machine. It seems like a good deal for the 10th-anniversary special. I think I last ate here when it first opened, so I understand that my memory is fading. I remember that there was a lot of noodles, so I ordered them with less noodles. I was asked if I wanted the vegetables boiled or stir-fried, so I chose stir-fried. The finished ramen has a nice aroma of stir-fried vegetables. It's rich and a bit heavy because it's coated with oil, but the taste is good. The flat noodles are easy to mix with the soup and have a good chewiness. The soup is thick and has a unique taste, but somehow it tastes good when combined with the stir-fried vegetables and noodles. The rolled chashu is tender, with just the right amount of fat and quite tasty. It could use a bit more depth in flavor. Surprisingly, it didn't feel too heavy even with less noodles, so I might not have needed to reduce them. There is a good amount of artificial seasoning, which I usually avoid, but in this case, it seems to be part of the taste.

I wanted to eat vegetables, but the dish was full of bean sprouts... It was difficult to finish without garlic and spicy fried tofu on the table. The portion size was small at 600g, and when stir-fried, it was mostly bean sprouts. The flavor was quite strong. Tilt the plate to drain the seasoning sauce. When transferred to a soup bowl, it was probably around 90ml. Personally, I think Vegi-rou is better in terms of taste.

[Tsukemen Kyudo] I love tsukemen and have been trying out different places. Today, I went to Yaro Ramen Akihabara in Chiyoda Ward. It's about a 5-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station. I've been to their Takadanobaba branch for ramen before, but this was my first time trying their tsukemen. So, on a cloudy and rainy Saturday in July 2022, I arrived at the opening time of 11 am and had to wait outside. First, I checked the menu outside (see 26th photo) and then went inside to the ticket machine on the right. They offered three types of tsukemen: Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen, Ajitama Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen, and Special Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen. The lineup for the base Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen was as follows: Regular (???g) 980 yen Large (???g) 1030 yen. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information about the amount of noodles around the ticket machine or inside the store. So, I chose the Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen and sat at the counter. I asked for the noodles to be served hot. The shop had a complex layout with a counter for 16 seats and two tables with four seats each, totaling 16 seats on the first floor, with a possible second floor as well. There were two people, a woman and a man who seemed to be in their 20s, mainly cooking, and another woman, who appeared to be a foreigner, mainly doing the customer service, making it a total of three staff members. The male staff member, without a mask, caught my attention as he was cooking vegetables with the other two while speaking loudly. I wondered how the chain headquarters viewed this. By the way, the women were petite and cute. There were no partitions for COVID-19 prevention on the counter. J-pop music was playing in the background. I was the second customer to order as soon as they opened at 11 am, but the service seemed a bit slow and uncoordinated. After waiting for about 19 minutes, I was served the Regular Doro-Niboshi Tsukemen. Visually, it was quite simple and didn't have any striking features. First, I tried the noodles without dipping them in the soup. The noodles were quite thick with a square cross-section. They were slightly chewy and cooked on the firmer side. You could feel the square shape of the noodles as you ate them. There were some visible particles in the noodles, indicating that they might have used whole wheat flour (see 6th photo). The amount of noodles was generous for a regular serving, probably exceeding 300g. I couldn't see any noodle boxes around, so I couldn't tell which noodle manufacturer they used. I have seen Murakami Asahi Seimen noodle boxes at other Yaro Ramen branches, so this branch might use them too. The dipping sauce, as the name suggests, was thick and slightly fishy, with a hint of bitterness. It didn't have as much fish flavor as the name implies, so it didn't quite live up to the expectations of a true niboshi lover. There was a slight citrusy acidity, not vinegar, and it seemed like there were some diced onions in it. However, the dipping sauce felt a bit off, almost like they used some kind of wheat flour to thicken it, similar to curry roux. The dipping sauce contained two pieces of menma and seaweed that came with the noodles. Inside the dipping sauce, there were two dice-shaped chashu slices. The chashu had an okay texture but lacked volume and had a peculiar seasoning that didn't quite hit the mark. The menma had a good crunch but also had a unique sweetness and seasoning that didn't quite work for me. As for soup refills, there was almost no dipping sauce left when I finished the noodles, so I didn't bother asking if I could get a refill (see 7th photo). After finishing the meal, I felt like it was okay, but once was enough. The price of 980 yen didn't seem to match the quality of the meal, especially considering that for a similar price, you could get a special tsukemen at other places. In terms of rating based on the actual experience, I would give it a 3.2, with the main drawback being the lack of dipping sauce.

[June 6, 2022 revisit] This is my second review on Tabelog, but I have actually visited this restaurant at least four times before. The reason being, I love watching competitive eating TV shows, and this place has been featured a few times in the past. Recently, they introduced a "Buttak Card" where you can receive a gift if you eat the designated menu items four times within a certain period. It's a convenient card that can be used at other stores as well, but I realized I haven't used it recently. So, I decided to revisit the restaurant after five years. I arrived at the restaurant around 9:30 pm on a weekday and found it almost empty, with only two older men as customers. I noticed a big change at the ticket machine - they now had a "Vegetable Stir-Fry Set" button in addition to ramen. Although I knew the Buttak Card could only be used when ordering ramen, I chose the stir-fry set this time. I picked the "Charred Soy Sauce" flavor with extra vegetables and extra rice. It took about 10 minutes for the food to arrive, possibly because they were preparing the dishes ordered by the previous customers. The portion of rice looked huge, but it was only 270g. The stir-fried vegetables were served generously on a large plate. The stir-fried vegetables mainly consisted of bean sprouts, with a little cabbage and onion, topped with pork fat and chashu. The vegetables were lightly stir-fried, so they weren't too soft, which suited the stir-fry style. The charred soy sauce was rich and flavorful, almost like the vegetables were soaked in the sauce. The strong flavor made me quickly finish the dish, so I added the extra rice to balance it out. Looking back, I should have followed the "How to Eat" guide on the table and added a raw egg. The pepperiness of the dish surprised me, overpowering the soup completely. Despite choosing the stir-fry set for a healthier option, I felt guilty after eating it. I managed to finish every last bit of the sauce, which was a common sight among the customers. It was a true G-style ramen shop stir-fry set. There were plenty of condiments on the table for those who wanted to try different flavors. On a side note, they now also have the "Butachinaka Card" available for purchase. Thank you for the meal.

A few minutes walk from Akihabara Station Electric Town Exit is Minna no Buta Yarou (Everyone's Pig Guy)! Their signature dish, Buta Kotsu Yarou Ramen, is priced at 780 yen. This ramen is made with carefully selected domestic pork bones simmered for over 18 hours to create a rich soup. The tender chashu is made from Spanish brand pork, and the domestic vegetables are served in a generous 350g portion. You can choose to have the vegetables boiled or grilled, but I couldn't resist the healthy option of boiled. The vegetable stir-fry here is delicious, and I later regretted not choosing the grilled option. Season your meal with garlic and spicy toppings on the table, and enjoy it to the last bite.

The grilled vegetables were good, but I wish they were cooked a bit more. I didn't feel like going far because it was so cold, so I wanted something to warm me up. I took another look at the noodles, but they looked okay visually. It seemed good, but not really.