Anytime JIRO appears in the name of a ramen shop, you know what you are in for. Thick, wheaty noodles. Intense soup. Garlic. A possible food coma.
Kojiro 256 in Asakusa is a bit of an outlier, though. They share the noodles with a Jiro-style shop, but instead of throwing them in soup, they get made into yakisoba.
If you don't know the joys of yakisoba, I'll break it down. Chinese-style wheat noodles are cooked and then stir-fried with cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, and a Japanese brown sauce. The whole thing is topped with bonito flakes and powdered nori seaweed. You wouldn't be faulted for comparing it to a lo mein or pad thai, though it is a unique dish all together.
Jiro-style noodles are fat and wheaty, and it turns out excellent to use in this way. Who knew!
Apart from a few kinds of yakisoba, the grill gets used for oysters and other snacks. Come hungry.
Oh, and 900 yen gets you a set with yakisoba and a draft beer.
Website here.
