参○伍 (Sanmarugo in Roppongi)

参○伍



The Ramen Shaman, LA's newest king of the ramen bloggers, was in town, and we had time for a bowl. Looking at the to-be-slurped list, 305 was up there. And the Shaman has the inside info on a 500 yen a week bicycle rental place, so somewhere in cycling range was in order.

Roppongi is definitely in cycling range.



Boasting three kinds of pork-based ramen bowls might be one of the reasons for the 20 minute line on a weekday. Chukasoba, Chashumen, and a Jiro-kei sanmarugoro all looked tempting.



I think I picked the winner, though the chukasoba will have to remain for another day. The chashumen is a mega-thick gyofun-enriched soup. That fish powder, that smoky taste, it just fuses with the fatty pork so well.



The Jiro-kei bowl was decent, though less thick and decadent than the chashumen. If you are some sort of Jirorian (yes, this is an actual word), then by all means enjoy.



Official Site Here


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東京都港区六本木7-13-10
Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-13-10
Closest station: Roppongi

Open 11:30-15:00, 17:00-the soup runs out
Closed Sundays

3SO in Machida

3SO



3SO (read as mi-so) is another out-of-the-way winner. Maybe rent in Machida is much lower than the rest of Tokyo. I can safely say that Machida is the best spot outside of central Tokyo for good ramen.



I went with the zenbunose (topped with everything), and then added the fried cheese topping as a last minute impulse. More on this later.



3SO boasts that practically everything that can be made in shop is made in shop. Noodles, eggs, chashu, even the spicy rayu is homemade.



All the toppings, all that pork, combined with the buttery-smooth miso that is a cut above the rest, plus that cheese . . . this was an umami overload. Shockingly good, this was an instant winner.



Too much of a good thing? Not really. I would gladly return here anytime I was in the area, though I might just go with the standard bowl plus egg. Looking at the ticket machine, that is what is recommended. As usual, if a shop has an おすすめ on the menu, stick with that the first time.



If 3SO were closer to town, this soup wouldn't last past midday. It is that good. Top 5 miso I have ever had, though I have yet to do a proper tour of Sapporo.




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東京都町田市木曽西4-1-31
Tokyo, Machidashi, Kisonishi 4-1-31
Closest station: Kobuchi

Open 11:30-14:30, 18:30-21:00
Closed Tuesdays and some Mondays

IPPUDO NOODLE EXPRESS at Tokyo Sky Tree

IPPUDO NOODLE EXPRESS東京ソラマチ店



Some things are done just for the check mark. The monjamen limited bowl at Tokyo Skytree Ippudo is a perfect example.



I tried to go almost a year ago, but you can imagine how crazy this place was around the grand opening. The tallest tower in the world at the time it opened, 634 meter tall Tokyo Skytree was sure to be a tourism hit . . . or maybe a trap.

At the base of this monolith is Solamachi, another addition to Tokyo's hundreds of upscale shopping malls.

With an Ippudo Express in the food court.



So here it is, the limited, only-at-Skytree ramen. Sorry, monjamen.



Monja-yaki is Tokyo's answer to Kansai's okonomiyaki. While out in the West, the batter-cabbage-meat pancake is fried up nice and neat, out here in the East we turn the whole deal into a sloppy mess.

It is very visual. The best compliment for monja is that it goes well with beer.

Does a monja ramen have the same appeal?



Yeah, it is a mess! Noodles, lettuce, bits of raw tuna and shrimp, some kind of mayo sauce, and rice all get mixed up.

Maybe it goes well with beer. I didn't feel like drinking at 11am that day.



While pops destroyed the bowl, his son picked out the best bits; the tuna and shrimp pieces.

Not really a compliment.



There is a Rokurinsha in Solamachi as well, I would suggest going there.


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東京都墨田区押上1-1-2 東京ソラマチ
Tokyo, Sumida-ku, Oshiage 1-1-2
Solamachi Shopping Mall Food Court
Closest station: Oshiage

Open 10:00-21:00