らぁ麺はやし田
Hayashida hit the scene hard in 2017. Somehow, it popped on to many (foreign) foodie radars. The location, right in the middle of Shinjuku shopping central, probably helped.
Despite the excellent location, it takes flavor to really win in the ramen game. Hayashida served up shoyu ramen, shoyu tsukemen, and if you are lucky, they will have nodoguro ramen. Nodoguro (のどぐろ), sometimes called blackthroat perch, is a coveted fish that is more common at top tier sushiyas than ramen shops.
They were sold out of the limited fish bowl each time I went.
The shoyu, though, is excellent. Made with Oyama jidori (大山地鶏), a specialty chicken prized for excellent fat and hearty meat.
If you'v never had an incredible shoyu ramen, and don't want to wait in massive lines or travel to the outskirts of Hyogo, this spot can't be beat.
They also have tsukemen and craft beer. Enjoy!
