I was surprised by how thin and not delicious the ramen was at Ichiran when I came here for the first time. I don't know if this is the normal taste, but it might be the first time I've had such an unappetizing tonkotsu ramen. Compared to this, Ichiran is in a whole other league. It was really, really not delicious.

Come to think of it, I feel like I've only ever had the char siu cut at Ichiran before. It's been a while since I had the Shiro Maru classic at Asakusa Hashimoto Honpo, but the char siu there is seared! I never really paid attention to the subtle differences before, but I don't think I've been to any other ramen shops in the Tokyo area where they sear the char siu before serving it. Maybe it's a trend to differentiate themselves? I used to work part-time at a ramen shop when I was younger, so I can tell right away if the char siu was pre-cut or cut right before serving. It seems like more and more shops are starting to offer seared char siu as a selling point. This was actually my first time encountering seared char siu at Ichiran! And I found comfort in the SDGs cup at Asakusa Hashimoto Honpo.

I came to Asakusa Hashimoto-ya for the first time in a while. It seems like this shop is known for their SDGs cups as a point of focus, differentiating it from the regular Ippudo shops. Today, I tried the Shiro Maru Genmai without any toppings. It's amazing how much the absence of red ginger and mustard greens can change the impression of the dish. I enjoyed the taste of the original ramen after a long time.

"Edo-style soy sauce ramen for 870 yen. Despite the name, the soy sauce used is a blend from Kyushu. The soup is slightly sweet with no distinct Kyushu soy sauce flavor, and the noodles are medium thickness. It's a nostalgic bowl that keeps its distance from traditional tonkotsu ramen."

I found this place in an unexpected location! Had a slightly late lunch. It's great that they have all-day service. You can order using your smartphone by scanning the QR code, so you don't need to call out "excuse me" which is convenient. I had the tonkotsu ramen with half fried rice for 1,010 yen. The ramen was marked as spicy, but the bean sprouts that came with it were spicier than I expected, so it took me a while to fully enjoy the ramen. But it was so delicious and addictive! The atmosphere was like a café and the staff were friendly, making it easy for a solo female diner to feel comfortable.

I went to a restaurant in the Tokyo area after seeing a tweet about a giant pepper mill being placed there during the World Baseball Classic, but couldn't find it. It seems like it was returned to the headquarters as it was just a joke. The staff mentioned that they cook the soup in the restaurant, and the donburi at Asakusa Hashimoto is served in a white bowl with a red circle design. By the way, the door handle of the restroom looked stylish.

I had the lunch set A which came with gyoza and rice. The staff was cheerful and efficient. I'm not in the food service industry, but I felt like I should learn from them. It was nice that they offered free spicy bean sprouts. The portion size was satisfying. I would like to visit again.

The bean sprouts and tea were self-service, which was convenient. I thought someone would come to take our order, but it turned out we could order through a QR code, which made it easy. I wanted to try the thin noodles with tonkotsu soup. It was my first time at Ippudo, and the ramen was delicious and suitable for everyone's taste. I debated whether to add extra noodles or a boiled egg, so I'll try that next time!笑

Today, I participated in a collaboration event between Ippudo and Kaku-no-Shin at Asakusabashi. I found out about this event through a Facebook announcement and made a reservation to attend. The Hamburger Ramen served at this one-day event exceeded my expectations. The first thing that catches your eye is the hamburger! A large hamburger is piled high with vegetables, topped with plenty of back fat. The original thick noodles give a substantial Jiro-style texture, which is impressive on its own. When you take a bite, the hamburger is tender with a strong beef sauce flavor. The abundance of vegetables gives it a healthy texture. In addition, the thick noodles and mild soup have a slightly different atmosphere from Ippudo's regular ramen, but the unique characteristics of each are blended well, making it very delicious. This ramen, with the chashu representing Kaku-no-Shin's hamburger, is quite a hit. This collaboration successfully combines the strengths of Ippudo and Kaku-no-Shin, especially showcasing the deliciousness of Kaku-no-Shin's hamburger. Overall, I was highly satisfied with this collaboration, and I hope it becomes a regular menu item in the future. Thank you for the meal. I will definitely come back!

Today's lunch noodles! I had Edo-style soy sauce ramen and gyoza set at Ippudo Honpo on the first floor of the company. It was not Hakata tonkotsu, but a Tokyo ramen that originated in Kyushu. The thick slices of char siu and crunchy thick menma in a refreshing soup were delicious! The flat thin noodles paired well with it. As a Tokyoite, I still prefer Ippudo's tonkotsu soup, but this was personally satisfying. #Asakusabashi Lunch Club #Asakusabashi Lunch #IppudoHonpo

Vegetable Shiro Maru ¥1,080 (price at the time of visit). It was my first visit. I originally aimed for the limited menu item "Hakata Monja Soba" at the store, but it seems they no longer offer it... I ordered the noodles to be firm instead. This particular store is a rare branch of Ippudo that is labeled as the "main store." So, what sets it apart from other Ippudo stores? Well, they boil the soup in the store and also prepare the chashu there. The soup has a rich and flavorful taste that can stand up to the vegetables. The chashu is cooked using a pressure cooker and then seared, resulting in a thick and tender texture that is quite delicious. The noodles served are the classic thin noodles. This bowl of ramen was totally unexpected after being rejected by another restaurant, but it turned out to be delicious, with friendly staff, giving me a satisfying experience that I didn't anticipate.

Near Asakusabashi Station, there is a main branch of Ichiran, which is one of only two locations nationwide. They serve a soy sauce ramen here, which is said to be a recreation of the soy sauce ramen they used to serve at their Fukuoka Daimyo branch when they first opened. I have fond memories of the tonkotsu ramen I had as a finale to a drinking party back when I was working in Fukuoka, which made me fall in love with pork bone broth. At that time, they didn't have soy sauce ramen, so I visited this time specifically for that. I ordered the Tamago Edo-style soy sauce ramen for 1,010 yen, along with the Asakusabashi main branch limited Negi Tamago Gohan for 300 yen. The soy sauce ramen has a clear and refreshing taste, with a soup base made from sweet soy sauce from Kyushu, dried fish, and pork bones. It comes with medium-thick noodles, thick menma, chashu, and a half-boiled seasoned egg, creating a well-balanced soy sauce ramen. The free bean sprouts on the table were delicious as always. The Edo-style soy sauce ramen from Ichiran that I tried for the first time was quite delicious. Thank you for the meal.

One of the branches of the popular chain Ichiran Ramen, known as the "Main Shop," can be found in two locations nationwide, one near Nishitetsu Ohashi Station in Fukuoka called "Shiohara," and the other here in Asakusabashi. This particular branch is the only one in Tokyo that doesn't use a central kitchen, but instead makes the soup in-house, constantly striving to develop unique menu items. I came here specifically for the "Shoyu Ramen" that can only be enjoyed at the Main Shop. It had been a few years since I last visited Ichiran, back when I tried the original store in Daimyo. I arrived by bike from work at exactly 3:00 PM on a weekday, and was surprised to see only two customers waiting at that time. It's really popular, huh? Despite being alone, I was lucky enough to be seated at a table rather than the counter seats after a short wait. I used the QR code on the table to place my order for the "Edo-style Shoyu Ramen (900 yen)" and the "Half Fried Rice (450 yen)." Both dishes arrived simultaneously in about 5-6 minutes. The soup was clear and beautifully glossy on the surface, made with bonito and jaw stock, resulting in a traditional and delicate flavor. This is Tokyo ramen created by people from Hakata, huh? Well, it's impressively well-made. The noodles were smooth and slightly thick, but perhaps slightly lacking in firmness due to overcooking. It might have been interesting to use firm Hakata noodles. The thick menma bamboo shoots had a great texture and presence. The char siu pork slices, with a nice sear, were juicy and delicious. With two pieces included, they had just the right amount of fat and were very tasty. The fried rice was seasoned with "The Hakata Tonkotsu," offering a unique and flavorful twist on the typical Tokyo-style fried rice made with chicken broth and artificial seasonings. The oily and rich flavor of this tonkotsu-based fried rice was surprisingly delicious. As you chew, the umami seeps out from between the grains of rice. The staff consisted of friendly young ladies and energetic guys, creating a lively atmosphere in the restaurant. It was a really nice place located near the Asakusabashi Minami intersection.

I tried to enter a ramen shop near Asakusa Bridge around 3:00 PM, but all of them were closed for lunch break. So, I came to this place that is open all day. This place is famous for its tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen. I usually enjoy tonkotsu ramen at other shops like Ichiran, but I saw that they also serve shoyu (soy sauce) ramen on the sign outside, so I decided to try their meat-included Edo-style shoyu ramen with a seasoned egg topping for ¥1340. The soup was light with a hint of dried fish, the noodles were thin and straight, and the chashu (sliced pork) was tender. The price was a bit on the higher side for a chashu ramen with a seasoned egg, but overall, it was a good experience.

The beautiful interior of the cafe ramen is impressive. The detailed explanations and customer service are excellent. It offers a different charm from typical local Chinese restaurants. This wonderful restaurant and company are growing with the times. Everyone has their own preferences, but this ramen shop is definitely amazing. I was completely satisfied with this long-standing restaurant.

At the end of last year, a "Ippudo Fan Book" was released. The main content is like a bunch of flyers with no articles to read, but the bonus was amazing. It came with a special passport that allowed unlimited free noodle refills until the end of October, or 12 uses of either a white or red maru ramen for 550 yen each during the period. The book itself cost 990 yen, so even if you use the discount three times, you'll almost break even. It was like a dream passport for me, a hungry wolf, but with less than a month left until the end of the special offer, I've only used it six times. I realize now that I didn't love it enough to go so often♪ Changing trains, the subway starts moving, destination Asakusabashi, in a dark tunnel, once you come and check it out, the soup here cooked in the shop is different from others'~ Riding on a melody heard somewhere, I sing forcefully, on the 55th night~♪ The shop on a weekday afternoon still has customers coming in intermittently. I came to Asakusa Honpo to take advantage of the discount that I made an effort to use on this occasion. Personally, I quite like this chain's smartphone ordering system in the store. And then, the expected bowl was dropped at a terrifying speed! I dive into the soup right away... It might be basically the same as other stores. But well, it feels like there's depth or a sense of being carefully made. Somehow. Cristel. Next, eat the noodles and toppings too! Ah! This one also seems somewhat the same. The char siu has a good sear and a moderate flavor, leaving a different impression as usual. Well, not being too greedy, if I can properly digest the black privileges of the passport, it's fine. When I pay the bill... Wait, the passport isn't in my wallet. Maybe I put it directly into my pants pocket after using it last time and accidentally washed it with the laundry (I received complaints from my wife about the large amount of paper garbage from the laundry...). Even though I was completely drained, while paying the full amount normally, what I thought was, "I can go home now, just a regular guy," or a relief from the pressure of using the rights within the period. The end of the drama.

I had a set meal for 990 yen at a tonkotsu chain restaurant near the river in Asakusabashi. The fact that the name of the restaurant includes "honpo" (本舗) is a sign of their commitment. To be honest, I used to think that Ippudo was too flashy, but I was wrong. This is because I found out that you can get free rice refills. You can enjoy a bowl of ramen, a bowl of gyoza, a bowl of happiness don, and a bowl of spicy bean sprouts. And you can balance it out with a cup of rooibos tea. The staff's hospitality was also wonderful. While rice with ramen is good in the family style, rice with tonkotsu is also good. After my health check-up, I went to Yorokobi Ii-san to treat myself.

Hello, this is SapiO. "Honpo" is proof of in-store cooking! Tonkotsu ramen cooked only with pig heads! This is the second store following "Ippudo Shiohara Honpo" in Fukuoka Prefecture, not a branch of the Ippudo series. The biggest difference from the branches is that the soup is cooked in-store. The branches finish the tonkotsu shiratama by adding pig knuckles and other ingredients at the central kitchen. In the Honpo, they cook the soup in-store using only pig heads. It seems that pig heads are prone to unpleasant odors if the preparation is incorrect, so they cook it carefully in the store to finish it cleanly. The store has a clean exterior and a spacious interior. Many staff members are busy inside the store. I originally planned to try the limited edition "Hakata Monja Soba" only available at this store, but it seems to be a weekday-only menu. So, I ordered the default "Shiro Maru Genmai" instead. You can specify the firmness of the noodles, but the menu states that the softest call is "normal." Well, I thought they would understand if I ordered it as "normal." The store wasn't too crowded, but it took a little longer than expected for a tonkotsu ramen. While observing the main staff member's skillful stir-frying technique for fried rice, the ramen was served. ● Tasting The charred chashu caught my eye when the tonkotsu ramen was served. The soup has a taste that allows you to enjoy the purity of the tonkotsu. Perhaps knowing that they only use pig heads contributes to this, but you can enjoy a simple deliciousness with a single layer of umami from the tonkotsu. There is no hint of any unpleasant smell from the pig heads. I had the image that boiling pig heads would make the soup slightly thick, but it was pure and smooth throughout. The noodles are typical Hakata-style thin straight noodles. With low hydration, you can enjoy the simple deliciousness of wheat. Despite ordering it as "normal," I felt that it was slightly firm, but with thin, low-hydration noodles that pair well with tonkotsu broth, it was still enjoyable. One thing I unexpectedly liked was the charred chashu. The flavor soaked in the sauce was well infused, giving it a moist and delicious taste. It is not too greasy and can be enjoyed. Other toppings included wood ear mushrooms and green onions. Towards the end, to add spiciness, I added Moyashi Namul, which is a must-have when it comes to Ippudo, and finished it all! Overall, the carefully extracted soup and well-balanced seasoning are impressive. Upon leaving, they thanked me, saying, "Thank you for coming in this hot weather. We look forward to seeing you again." This simple gesture made me happy. Thank you for the meal.

Visited Afuri in Asakusa Bridge Honten with a friend on the 11th, it had been a while since our last visit. It was quiet in the evening, so we were seated quickly. We both ordered the Akamaru Shinaji, which always tastes delicious no matter which branch you visit. Afuri in Asakusa Bridge Honten serves the Akamaru Shinaji in a white bowl, which felt a bit strange. My premium membership points were soon updated, thanks to this visit. However, I can't help but feel a little disappointed that the premium membership perks that come with buying a magazine don't really offer any additional benefits.

There is a Hakata tonkotsu ramen restaurant about a 5-minute walk from Asakusabashi Station! It has a big sign at the corner of the building, and I felt like eating there after a long time, so I went in for lunch! As always, the ease of eating is unique to Ippudo, with a rich tonkotsu soup that is not at all smelly, firm thin noodles boiled to perfection, and juicy chashu, making for a consistently delicious meal! The spicy bean sprouts on the table are a good accent when added halfway through, and they are also delicious! If you want to eat delicious ramen in Asakusabashi, Ippudo is a reliable recommendation!