Today's lunch on this extremely hot day led me to a spicy hot pot restaurant where I hoped to stimulate my appetite. When it's hot, I often struggle to think of what to eat, but spicy hot pot might just do the trick. I ordered the "Chicken Mala Tan for 860 yen including tax" with a spice level of 1 out of 5. While the original "Shichihou Mala Tang" in Shibuya is well-known for its spicy hot pot, this restaurant stood out because the glass noodles were thicker and you didn't have to choose specific ingredients, making ordering simple. As for the taste, the spice level was just right and it was quite delicious. Spicy food is perfect for scorching hot days. Personally, I prefer thinner glass noodles like the ones at Shichihou Mala Tang. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

The shrimp and clam dish with a spice level of 3 was ordered. It was moderately spicy. The dish had fewer vegetables and glass noodles, making it suitable for those on a diet or with a small appetite. If you feel like it's not enough, you can order extra noodles or go for a large portion from the start. It's a good choice for when you want to eat something healthy.

【Itadaki Maratang Shibuya Store】I visited a restaurant that I don't usually go to① Itadaki Maratang This dish includes meat, clams, shrimp, vegetables, and mushrooms, priced at 1100 yen. I ordered the most luxurious one and it was delicious! I'm not good with spicy food, so I usually go for level 1, but it was so tasty that I even considered trying level 2. It was my first time trying it and it was really good! By the way, there are people who love extremely spicy food, and I can't help but think that the view must be different once you reach that level haha. Anyway, it was seriously delicious❤️② Mini Loro Han 420 yen By the way, the Loro Han was also incredibly delicious! Even though it's mini, it's very filling and goes perfectly with the noodle soup❤️ It was really delicious③ Canned Beer (Asahi) 380 yen PS: You don't even need to add extra toppings because there are various condiments on the table for unlimited flavor variations, which is great haha. From black vinegar to fish powder to garlic, Sichuan pepper, etc... I will definitely go back!! Address: 33-10 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Phone: 03-6416-3312 Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM Instagram: @souta_jimaharu #Shibuya #ShibuyaGourmet #ShibuyaCafe #Gourmet #ShibuyaLunch #ShibuyaDinner #MeijiJingu #AkihabaraStyleInstagrammerSota❤️ #Sanlertan #Maratang #Ramen #RamenLovers #RamenInstagrammer #RamenClub #RamenLover #RamenPatrol #Ramen #AkihabaraStyleInstagrammerSota❤️

Located in the building next to Bistro Browser, across from Tokyu in Shibuya, is a Sichuan hot pot restaurant. After enjoying the hot pot at Nabo in Ikebukuro, I became a fan and started exploring more. It seems like this place is also related to Nabo, so I had to check it out! Unlike Nabo, here you don't choose your toppings yourself, but rather order them verbally. Of course, you can also customize by changing the glass noodles to Chinese noodles, konjac noodles, or tofu. I ordered the "Chili Hot Pot with Seafood" (1100 yen) with pork, clams, shrimp, vegetables, and mushrooms, at the highest spice level (3 out of 3). While waiting, the spicy aroma tantalized my senses. The dish arrived in about 5 minutes, filled with purple cabbage, bean sprouts, bell peppers, komatsuna, sweet potatoes, carrots, Chinese cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and eryngii mushrooms, along with plenty of meat and squid balls. However, the spiciness and depth were not as intense as Nabo's. I ended up adding half a bottle of ginger from the table condiments to enhance the flavor. The glass noodles lacked the chewy texture I enjoyed at Nabo, being slightly firmer and shorter. Overall, this place is more suitable for beginners in Sichuan hot pot, as you can skip the hassle of choosing toppings and avoid overloading your bowl with ingredients.

I really like medicinal cuisine. However, it's not so easy to casually enjoy medicinal cuisine alone, as it tends to become a hearty meal like hot pot restaurants. For those of you who love medicinal cuisine and dine alone, I recommend this place! When are you going? Now! I'm getting a little weirdly excited again, but anyway, you can easily come here alone and enjoy the food. I've been here once before and was in the perfect medicinal cuisine mood, so I decided to go for it! I chose the vegetable mala-tanmen because I wanted to eat lots of vegetables. The vegetable mala-tanmen contains five types of vegetables, which vary by day. On this day, it had bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, and pumpkin. The menu is divided, so it seems to be friendly to vegans and vegetarians. Oh wait, I want some mushrooms too, so I added extra mushrooms. I also added my favorite pea shoots. While waiting eagerly, I realized that if I had chosen the mushroom version from the start, it would have had both vegetables and mushrooms already. I remember making the same mistake on my first visit. The pea shoots piled up so much that they didn't stand out, but it was delicious and warmed my body, so it was fine. I love medicinal cuisine! Thank you for the meal ♡

I felt like eating mala tan in Shibuya, so I searched on Tabelog and found a hit. Shibuya really has everything. It's located in a building near Bunkamura, and the entrance is a bit hard to find at first, but you can manage to find it if you keep looking. The mala tan served was surprisingly visually appealing. It was vibrant in color and reminded me of pressed flowers. I chose medium spiciness, and it wasn't as spicy as I thought, but it still had a good kick to it. If you're not a fan of very spicy food, you might want to go for a milder option. I want to explore more mala tan restaurants.

The great thing about this place is that it is completely different from Jiro-style ramen, even though it is packed with plenty of vegetables. In addition to leafy greens, there is a variety of green and yellow vegetables, which is very pleasing. I accidentally ended up getting an extra serving of noodles... haha. The harusame noodles are a special order item, made specifically for this restaurant. They are not something you can easily find at Chinese food stores or elsewhere, as they are not always in stock. The rich soup, made with chicken bones and seasoned in a Japanese style, pairs well with the noodles. Personally, I think it would be even better if the soup was slightly diluted and had a bit of sweetness. I heard that this place is part of the same group as a restaurant in Shin-Okubo, and I was so impressed that I even asked for the location of the shop, which turned out to be in Shibuya.

The spicy soup had a lot of ingredients in it. The table had a spice similar to sansho pepper and garlic, which was nice. I found this valuable place when I wanted to stay healthy. They also have a variety of rice dishes, so next time I want to try them with the soup. There were many toppings to choose from, so I will ask the staff for recommendations.

The Sichuan-style soup with spiciness and numbness, paired with healthy noodles, has been gaining popularity among female customers recently. The pioneer of this trend seems to be Nanao Mala Tang, but I found another restaurant that follows a similar concept and managed to have dinner there just before 8 PM. The healthy aspect of the food makes it a reassuring choice for dinner. I entered the restaurant around 7:30 PM on a weekday and asked the staff if they were still serving, to which they confirmed. There was one female customer already seated, and another arrived shortly after. It seems like this place is popular among solo female diners, much like Nanao Mala Tang. The difference between this restaurant and Nanao Mala Tang is that here you can simply order what you like and the staff will take care of it, unlike the system where you choose your own ingredients at Nanao. Additionally, while Nanao currently only accepts cashless payments, this restaurant still accepts cash. As someone who prefers cashless payments, I don't mind either way. I ordered the beef mala tan and chose medium spiciness, but it turned out to be extremely spicy. Even though I consider myself to have a high tolerance for spiciness, I found it too hot. I would recommend choosing a lower spice level if you're not used to very spicy food. In terms of noodles and ingredients, I slightly prefer Nanao Mala Tang, but the convenience of not having to choose your own toppings here is a plus. Overall, I discovered that this restaurant is a good choice in the Shibuya area near Bunkamura, so that was a positive outcome.

I got hooked on Chiipao and have visited here many times because the location is convenient for me personally. At first, I liked Chiipao much more. The toppings you can add are a bit different, and the taste and noodles are also different. However, for some reason, it became addictive to me. Due to the impact of the coronavirus, you can no longer choose your favorite items from the case, and additional paid toppings have been introduced. It's a shame that the previous toppings that were available have been reduced, but there are more overall ingredients now, so it's more satisfying than before. What caught my attention was that the basic base meat options are lamb + vegetables, pork + vegetables, beef + vegetables, but for the Yuzu Maratan, it only says "meat" without specifying what kind of meat it is.

Located next to Shibuya VIRON in the basement, I visited this place for the first time because they serve glass noodles which are low in carbs and good for the body. The young female staff seemed very grumpy as she was handling everything alone. I ordered the basic "Topped Maratang" (with meat, clams, vegetables, shrimp, and mushrooms) with additional black fungus topping, and chose a medium level of spiciness. I could see the kitchen from my seat, and they warmed up the glass noodles and frozen ingredients separately in hot water (they didn't fry them in oil, so it's even lower in calories), then topped the cooked ingredients on the noodles. The dish had a generous amount of vegetables including bean sprouts, bell pepper, carrot, pumpkin, greens, etc. Since white fungus was already included, I probably didn't need to add black fungus as an extra topping. The soup was made with over 30 types of spices for medicinal purposes. The medium spiciness level wasn't too strong. The texture of the noodles was a bit disappointing, as they were more like chewy konjac noodles rather than the glass noodles I had imagined. Unfortunately, it wasn't to my liking. Thank you for the meal.

I went to a Maratang restaurant because I like it, but I was disappointed that there was no corner to choose the toppings, so I couldn't choose my favorite topping. The vegetables in the Maratang were too many bean sprouts. The soup was light and lacked richness. It felt like spicy chicken broth with glass noodles.

On a day when you feel like eating spicy noodles, I discovered a shop right next to Bunkamura called "Itadaki Maratan". Let's go try it out. The shop is located underground down the stairs, with a very casual atmosphere. You can choose your main ingredients and add toppings as you like. You can also change the noodles, but I recommend sticking with the default. I tried the Lamb Maratan for ¥820 with a spice level of 3. The soup is a Japanese-style base made with chicken bones, flying fish, bonito, and kombu, combined with over 30 different spices and herbal ingredients. The added lamb really adds a continental feel. The spice level of 3 was just right for me. The noodles are original handmade harumaki from a small factory in Nara. They have a nice chewy texture. It satisfied my craving for spicy noodles without feeling heavy. I'm interested in trying the Tom Yum topping next time. Overall, a great experience. Check out their Facebook page "Curry Cell" and Twitter @hm_currycell.

I visited this Maratang restaurant after a long time. I noticed that they have changed their style to ordering set menus instead of choosing ingredients, which initially confused me. I ordered the pork Maratang with added onion slices and cilantro. Even on a hot day, I crave something spicy that makes me sweat. It was delicious. Personally, every time I visit this shop, I am always concerned about the customer service of most of the staff. Some seem unfriendly, always looking at their phones or talking too much. Since it's a small shop, conversations can be easily overheard and sometimes it bothers me. Of course, not all staff members are like that.

I've become addicted to spicy soup and thick springy noodles. Finally got to visit after the pandemic and also bought some to take home. The system has changed, now they offer set options. I got the seafood set with cilantro and seasoned egg toppings, and chose level 3 spiciness. It had been a while so level 3 was intense! But it's addicting! I'll definitely revisit soon.

Sometimes I go to this restaurant. I love mala tan and always crave it. This time, I topped my dish with dumplings, pork, bean sprouts, onions, cherry tomatoes, and pickled ginger. I chose a spiciness level of 3. As always, it was delicious! They say mala tan lovers get addicted and crave it again, and I might be one of them. It's also nice to add black vinegar and other condiments on the table to customize the flavor. The location is a bit hidden underground, so it may be hard to find for some people. You can also purchase the glass noodles they use in the restaurant.

On a regular weekday for lunch, I had some errands at Tokyu Honten, so I decided to visit this place that I had been curious about. I've been to Nihonbashi, Akasaka, and Iidabashi branches of Chi-Pao Mala Tang before, and I love it. I heard that the Mala Tang here is a branch of Chi-Pao, so I had high expectations. Chi-Pao is usually crowded during lunchtime, so I visited a bit later, but this place was not very crowded. Maybe it's because of the location. The interior of the restaurant is small but clean, and the staff seemed attentive and friendly, which was nice. The section where you choose the ingredients had fewer options compared to Chi-Pao, but I was able to find almost everything I usually choose, so it was okay. However, the Mala Tang was a bit disappointing. First of all, the soup lacked impact. The level of spiciness was slightly milder compared to Chi-Pao, or maybe it was just not prepared well this time? Regardless of the spiciness, the taste of the soup itself was bland. Also, the glass noodles were undercooked and lacked transparency, with a not-so-great texture. I noticed other customers ordering their noodles "soft," so maybe that's the default setting here. I'm not sure if it was just a bad day or if it's always like this. Since Chi-Pao is always delicious, maybe my expectations were too high. Overall, it was clear that it didn't quite measure up to Chi-Pao. After reading other reviews, it seems like many others share the same opinion. Next time I want to have Mala Tang in Shibuya, I'll probably go to the Chi-Pao in Sakuragaoka.

I visited for lunch on my day off. I prefer the shichimi flavor, but this place was closer. I chose lamb, boiled egg, taro stem, and wood ear mushrooms from the ingredient shelf. I ordered it with a spiciness level of 2. They generously added black vinegar and Sichuan pepper. The springy noodles were thick and chewy. I might be able to handle even more spiciness! Thank you for the delicious meal.

I had been curious about Harusameya for a while, so I decided to stop by when I felt a little hungry. I chose three items from the showcase and picked enoki mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and green onions to go with them. You can also choose the level of spiciness on a scale of 1 to 5, and I chose level 3. The Harusame noodles were thick and chewy, and the soup was a medicinal broth. The level 3 spiciness was a bit too much for me, as I started sweating after drinking some of the soup. They also offer rice dishes, so I think even men would be satisfied with the menu. Thank you for the meal.

Located in a building basement near Tokyu Department Store in Shibuya, this specialty shop offers Malatang. The interior is clean with a main counter. You can choose toppings (usually 3 kinds) and spiciness level. There are around 50 toppings to choose from, including chicken, pork, shrimp, clams, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms. I selected cabbage, wood ear mushrooms, water dumplings, and chicken as toppings, with a spice level of 2. The soup is complex with medicinal spices, not just spicy but also rich in flavor! However, the chicken topping was missing and the operation was slightly challenging. The soup is delicious, and with a wide variety of toppings, there are many ways to enjoy it.