Good Job! Good Taste!!...

Day 765:

This is the sign that greets you when you walk into the Koenji Ramen Alley (高円寺ラーメン横丁).

Anyway, I was in the mood for a miso tsukemen and thought I'd come visit Kurai-san at the newest Kururi (麺処 くるり高円寺店). Unfortunately, I got his days mixed up and he was working at the Baba branch today.

But I still ordered the Karami Tsukesoba (辛味つけそば) with everything.

I liked it, but I just don't taste the hype. Okay job, okay taste...

On my way home I felt compelled to take this pic. I don't know why, but it felt serene.

I guess you just had to be there...

Full circle...

Day 750:

I lost the game of darts...but I found a place that's willing to revive my dj skills. (details to come!)

Anyway, I felt like taking a ride to Koenji for lunch. Menya Hayashimaru (麺屋 はやしまる) is famous and it's practically in every ramen magazine every year.

The Mixed Wontonmen (Shoyu) is a shinasoba that's been freakishly charged with a fat, homemade noodle.

With obvious roots connected to that shop in Hamadaya, this is an impressive bowl. It might take some getting used to seeing a shinasoba with a thick, udon-like noodle, but after a few slurps you won't want anything else.

And the wontons are very, very special.

Hey look what we got delivered from next door!

The circle is still far from being full...

Stand and slurp...

Day 668:

There used to be a lot more of these stand up and slurp ramen shops, but for some reason I haven't come across many lately. Taro-ken (高円寺ラーメン タロー軒) in Koenji is a classic if you want a quick slurp. And they're cheap!

The set menu (ramen and half curry) at 800yen is the most popular.

The ramen though is an average old school shoyu with a little too much saltiness.

And the noodles were a little too pretty for this soup, but I wouldn't mind coming back here. After all, they are open 24 hours.

Taro-ken's curry was good too, but I prefer mine green.

Now this is the way it should be.

GCS!

In the middle of...

Day 127:

I woke up surprisingly early this morning and had a mad craving for ramen. Go figure. So I called up Nate to see if there was a place near Koenji that he wanted to try and he immediately responded with Tabi no Tochuu (旅の途中).


I found this ironically fitting since Tabi no Tochuu loosely translates to "in the middle of the journey." And by all means, I am in the middle.


The shop is run solely by this man. I didn't get his name but he is a HUGE Bob Dylan fan. If you don't believe me, make sure you use the restroom. haha.


With only six seats, the place fills up fast so get your order in quick. The standard ramen seen below is a wafu shoyu flavor with a silky feel.


Impressive. There are definitely a lot of flavors in this soup that kicks your sense of taste into overdrive trying to recognize them all.


The noodles are impressive as well. What a great place to rest along this journey.


Nate got the Milk Soup Ramen, which was like a carbonara ramen. It had a uniquely interesting taste. I wouldn't mind going back to try it too.


Afterwards, we had our sights set on the nearest bookstore to pick up the latest Courrier Japon magazine. We had both received a text from Brian saying that this magazine had taken the NY Times article and translated it to Japanese.


Sure enough, there it was.


And there we were. Sweet! Too bad my last day at Ivan Ramen is this Sunday. Oh snap, I just slipped. Haha, I'll explain in my next post.


Brian also stopped by Bassanova tonight while I was working to celebrate with the green curry. That's when he took this goofy pick. I swear, I have no idea who that dork is.


Wow what a long day. And a long post.


Peace out...

Slayed by the field warrior...

Day 85:

It's Wednesday. My day off and the day we usually meet for ramen. Nate was back from Korea so we called up Brian and all met in Koenji. Nate and I found Tabushi (which could mean field warrior) while browsing the ramen database ranking for Suginami-ku. After a few minutes of roaming around the crowded streets and passing right on by, we finally found it.


Brian and I soon had our eyes glued on the picture of the Black Tan Tan Men out front. We immediately decided that THAT was what we were getting.


One sip and I was slayed by its spicy smoothness that ripped my tongue with flavor. This was definitely a great find!


The noodles were a bit overcooked, but that could have been my fault for being the noodle paparazzi that I am. This was a satisfying tan tan men.


I've been really craving gyoza lately so it was a no-brainer get an order with my ramen. They weren't anything special but they still fulfilled my craving.


After ramen, we went Pringles-spotting. Grand Canyon Pringles anyone?


Or how about some Halloween Happiness Party Pringles for 50% off?


I'll think I'll take the Night Star Pringles.


Hey look, it's an injured pinky cameo.

Dreamland...

Day 75:

As I was riding my bike to the train station this morning, I looked up and saw a clear view of Mt. Fuji. Being able to see it from the city was breathtaking. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera at home so you'll just have to take my word for it.

We had a steady flow of customers come in today and I'm getting used to being able to do everything minus my little finger (is it pinky or pinkie?). Anyway, I planned on eating at Jiraigen tonight since they are doing miso ramen everyday for the next two weeks because bossman is at the Odaiba Ramen Park. But...they closed just as I arrived. So then I thought it would be nice to roam around Suginami-ku while listening to Robert Miles.

I took the subway to Higashi-Koenji thinking I could find someplace good to eat. And that's when I walked by Foo Foo Ramen...and kept walking. Haha. It didn't look very good, but I thought I'd just take a pic to show Murakami-san.


As I kept walking, I came across this ramen shop with its name blacked out. It looked super old school with just five seats, but still...I kept walking.


And that's when I found Miso Ippatsu. It's not a well-known shop but I was in the mood for miso and their Miso Tanmen looked delicious.


I sat down, ordered, and the two old guys got down to business. You can customize your bowl to your liking too. That's basically what the sign says.


I ordered mine with extra veggies at no extra charge. Now this was miso tanmen! A mound of sizzling hot veggies piled on top of some authentic miso-based soup. It instantly made me feel like I was in Sapporo again.


Just look at the steam rising. This is how ramen should warm your soul. It doesn't have to be considered the best in town. It just has to be the best at satisfying your current mood. Ahh...that's what I love about ramen!


Ahhh...


Even the egg doesn't always have to be hanjuku. There's nothing wrong with a good hard-boiled egg that's deeply marinated.


Welcome to my dreamland...

Sapporo Comfort...Kotteri Shoyu Style!

Day 69:

Today was a strange day. I think tensions were running rampant throughout the air for relatively no reason at all. Well there may have been a reason, but it was just fricken strange. Culture clash maybe? Anyway, I needed some comfort and I knew just where I wanted to go. Ramen Tetsuya hails from Sapporo but oddly enough their specialty is not Miso--it's Shoyu! Kotteri Shoyu!


Now that's what I'm talking about! Sapporo-style noodles in a hot kotteri shoyu soup with moist mouth-watering chashu and a luscious hanjuku egg. F*** yeah!!


The most beautiful girl came into work today. She was visiting from New York and had heard of Ivan Ramen from a friend. Damn, I wish I could have got her number. Anyway, back to the beauty at hand. Isn't this egg just mesmerizing?


Basil also came into Ivan's today to say his last goodbye before heading home. Have a safe flight homie. We had some good times raising the roof! haha.


So yeah, this was a great bowl and a fitting end to a strange fricken day. Happy Seijin No Hi to all you 20-year-olds out there. Enjoy it while you can!


P.S. I'm finally over my cold...I think...

My first ramen of 2010...

Day 61:

After being coop'd up all day, I was feeling much better and was in desperate need for some ramen! There are still several places closed for the new year, but my ruddy (ramen+buddy=ruddy. yes I am a dork!) Nate had mentioned that a new ramen alley had recently opened in Koenji. A quick bike ride later and I was ready for my first bowl of 2010.


There are four shops that make up this new alley: Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto; Tsukemen Tetsu; Torisoba Daiki-an; Tanegashima Shouten Kunigamiya. I chose Daiki-an because I needed something refreshing. (The original Daiki is located in Yushima near Okachimachi Station.)


It was tough to decide between their Ume-Shio Torisoba or their Shoyu Torisoba, but I was in the mood for some shoyu.


So I ordered the "Special" Shoyu Torisoba. What? You want a closer look?


Closer?


This was exactly what my ramen-deprived stomach was craving. A nice, clean shoyu to bring back memories of my childhood.


The chicken was tender and possibly the best I've ever tasted in a ramen.


The noodles were firm and easy to slurp, but that hanjuku egg just left me speechless.


The chicken wontons were amazingly good as well.


So there you have it, my first bowl of ramen for 2010.


Now I'm off to go find my second...