2013 Grand Tsukemen Fest English Page!

Announcing the official English page for the 2013 Grand Tsukemen Fest!

Now you can see which shops will be serving their signature tsukemen each week of the festival. Warning, this page will make you hungry!



Will Tomita, Japan's #1 ranked tsukemen shop and winner of last year's Grand Tsukemen Fest, defend their belt? Or will another solid shop, like Ganja or Rokurinsha, take home the win. Or maybe one of the less traditional bowls; miso tsukemen from Men Furaido in Hokkaido or chicken paitan tsukemen from Kimuzukashiya.

From October 10th, this event is going to take Shinjuku by storm. 11am until 9pm everyday, you can join the fun. I'm looking forward to seeing some of you there. Keep an eye on the Ramen Adventure Google+ page for updates, including meetups and more tidbits about the event.

ローリング蕎麦ット (Rolling Sobat in Shibuya)

ローリング蕎麦ット



Who put soba in my tsukemen? Who put tsukemen in my soba?



Rolling Sobat makes very little sense, both culinary and visually, but we like that. The atmosphere is inspired by the long history of pro wrestling in Japan. Masked fighters battling in their own signature style. The Rolling Sobat is an actual move; a jumping, spinning back kick meant to send an opponent to the floor.



You see what they did? The move is written as ローリングソバット (roringu sobatto). Substitute 蕎麦, the kanji for the noodles, and you have a fun little play on words.



Anyways, they serve soba. Traditional buckwheat soba.



Soba has a long history in Japan, predating ramen by centuries. The buckwheat noodles are served almost exclusively with a simple dashi; a broth made from konbu kelp and dried bonito fish flakes. Topping are minimal, though mountain vegetables or maybe some tempura are commonly seen as additions.



Rolling Sobat, on the other hand, makes a meaty pork broth. Everything about this bowl screams Tokyo tsukemen; everything but the noodles. And it works. You miss out on the bite, that chewy texture that you can only get from wheat noodles made with kansui alkaline water.



Conveniently located in Shibuya (across from one of the best Japanese micro-brew bars Goodbeer Faucets). Definitely check this one out when you are in the mood for something a little different.



Facebook page here.



東京都渋谷区円山町1-19
Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Enyamacho 1-19
Closest station: Shibuya

Open 11:00-Midnight

とみ田と病院 (Convenience Store Tsukemen in the Hospital)

So, this happened.



The ramen adventure here is overshadowed, eclipsed more like it, by the reason for my hospitalization.

Driving home by motorcycle on Honandori, just past famous the famous ramen shop Eifukucho Taishoken, I was cut off and hit by a black car. Hit and run. It was a low speed crash, but the bike fell on me just right. Just enough to transfer all the energy of the impact into the fibula and tibia bones of my leg.

The above CT scan illustrates my point.



The first couple of days after the accident were spent in traction. Immobile, except for my right arm. Luckily, all I need to eat ramen is my right arm!



Tomita is one of the highest ranked tsukemen shops in Japan. The shop has a perpetual line; often over an hour. Well, if you don't want to wait, or make the trek out to Chiba, you can pick up a limited edition, ready-to-eat bowl at your local 7-11.



This isn't instant by any means. The noodles are cooked, and the toppings are real. Even the tiny slivers of yuzu peel are fresh.

Yes, the whole deal has a bit of a factory-made feel to it, and this pales in comparison to the original. But the fact that someone, pent up in a hospital, can enjoy a real bowl of tsukemen with ease is a testament to ramen culture in Japan.

By the way, Tomita will once again be at this year's Grand Tsukemen Fest from October 17th. They are the defending champ of the all-tsukemen festival, so expect a line.



Abram, Hiroshi, and Kei delivered this tasty treat. Big thanks to all my ramen fans who came through during visiting hours. You guys don't know how monotonous the hospital stay was, and I am grateful for your visits.



I'm now at my apartment recovering. The surgery went very well, and there was almost no pain about 12 hours after. Modern science is amazing. I can't put weight on it for about another month, but this is just how it goes. Wheelchairs and leg braces are my reality for a while.  That's another way of saying that Ramen Adventures will be taking a bit of a break (pun totally intended!) for a bit. I have a couple reviews queued up, but my streak of a new review every two days has officially ended.

Thank you for understanding.