A fresh finale...

Day 1304:

After a refreshing trip to the gym, it was time to pay a visit to an old friend.

Gamushara.

This is still one of my favorite bowls to photograph.

I mean just look it at.

It's beautiful.

Speaking of beautiful.

She is a true beauty!

For some reason, I was craving Iekei so I stopped at Katsuraya on my way home.

Ie-yay-kei!

Okay maybe I shouldn't have done that.

haha.

Shono mercy...

Day 1218:

With the night off, I decided to visit another friends ramen shop in Ichigaya.

Menya Shono (麺や 庄の), the original shop that has produced the likes of Gachi and Gotsubo, is run by the ever-imaginative and highly-skilled Shono-san.

Menya Shono is known for doing crazy specials on a frequent basis, but with this being my first time I just went with the Tokusei Ramen.

How good does that look?

The noodles are made in-house as you will notice when you walk through the front door.

The soup is pretty thick and a bit on the fishier side, but it gets the job done. Next time, I gotta try one of the crazy specials.

Cheese senbei? No it's not that cheese senbei.

Go Nabe!!

April 3rd. Korakuen Hall. See you there!

Ramen photogenicity...

Day 1100:

One of my favorite bowls to photograph is the Ginger Shoyu Ramen (生姜醤油らぁめん) from Gamushara (我武者羅).

Perhaps it's the lighting.

Or the dark shoyu coloring.

But doesn't it look...

Amazing?

And it's also one of my favorite bowls to slurp! ご馳走様でした!

Today at Bassanova we had a visit from the J:COM tv show Ekinavi (駅なび).

Tune in 12/4!!!

Mini ramen anyone?

This should work for Chicago...

Btw, tickets for the Chicago Food Film Festival are on sale now!

Eataku...

Day 1013:

With basa back from summer break, I wanted to try everything to make sure they tasted good. They did.

One of the very first customers of the day was C.B. Cebulski (eataku.com) who was recommended by our mutual friend Kenshiro. Thanks for coming in C.B.!!

Afterwards it was time to taste-test more bowls.

And then I took a quick break so I could go try Yahiko's 5-year anniversary special (弥彦の五周年記念限定!!!)...

Mexican Curry Miso Ramen (メキシカンカレー味噌らぁ麺)!!!

Wow!

If Mexico had a curry then this is what their ramen would taste like.

It's a shame that this special is only available until the end of the month.

Shoyu stained...

Day 933:

Look!

Gamushara!

I love how the shoyu...

Stains the noodles.

This is a great bowl.

A legendary move...

Day 856:

Ichifuku (一福) has been sort of a home away from home.

Whenever I walk through the door, I feel like I'm entering the home of a relative.

But today would be my last time walking through it. For Ichifuku will be moving to a new location in April. Don't worry, it's just gonna be moving down the street.

Anyway, the Tomato Tsukemen is what I ordered today.

Ishida-san is a true master.

Gochisousamadesu!

A trillion...

Day 854:

A trillion thanks...

For a meal this great.

A trillion hours...

Icchodo (一兆堂幡ヶ谷店) in Hatagaya.

Spent slurping bowls like this.

Good or bad...

This is my life...