たいよう食堂 (Taiyo Shokudo in Nakano)

たいよう食堂

The promenade leading to Nakano Broadway, the most random shopping center in the world, is riddled with food. The izakayas hidden down the alleyways are quite charming, but since I was in a hurry, ramen was in order. A light bowl of Okinawa style sokisoba sounded perfect.

I recall I was there shopping for second-hand lenses for my camera. If it weren't for a basic level of self-control, I would have walked away with a couple vintage Beavis and Butthead dolls, a replica machine gun, and a $12,000 wristwatch. That's Nakano Broadway for you. This Okinawan noodle shop suffers from a lack of said self-control. The place is... loud.

The walls serve as a menu, and distractions serve to make it a slow choice.

A bowl of sokisoba; light salt broth topped with Okinawan fishcakes and a mass of slow-cooked pork. You can practically drink the meat, it's so tender.

Add a tablespoon of chili-laced Awamori 泡盛 seasoning (it's booze), and enjoy. I haven't had many bowls in the Okinawa style before, and the ones I have had have been after consuming quite a bit of the booze in question. It's always been good. About the most simple bowl you can imagine.

This stuff isn't often considered in the same sphere as ramen, so research is tough. Let me get back to you on this one.

View Larger Map

東京都中野区中野5-59-6
Tokyo, Nakano-ku, Nakano 5-59-6
Closest station: Nakano

Open 11:00-15:00, 17:00-late

ビンギリ (Bingiri in Ogikubo)

ビンギリ

Another day, another bowl of tantanmen.

Bingiri in Ogikubo was the last on my list. Spicy, creamy, rich tantanmen is all over Tokyo, if you count all the cheapo jack-of-all-trades Chinese shops. But shops specializing in the stuff are few and far between.

Expect the usual mix of ground sesame, topped with some sansho-spiced meat. It's good, but in all honesty, it got lost in the pile.

The real mark against Bingiri are the hours. Only for a couple hours a day, in the middle of the day, and the shop is not really convenient. A 15 minute walk from Ogikubo. I'm not sure how they stay in business. The area sits on a busy residential street, perhaps local housewives dig this shop.

If you are a tantanmen completionist, go ahead and check them out. If you are a spice completionist, check out their mega spicy bowl, and let me know how it is. It looks spicy.




View Larger Map

東京都杉並区桃井1-12-16

Tokyo, Suginami-ku, Momoi 1-12-16

Closest station: Ogikubo

Open 12:00-2:00

Closed Sundays

牡丹 (Botan in the port city of Misaki)

牡丹

Not wanting to miss a chance, I said goodbye to my motorcycle friends and headed back into town for another bowl.

It was fairly warm, and I wanted to take advantage of the rare day off. The Misaki Ramen Association (website here) lists a few shops to visit.

I ordered more maguro ramen. This one was almost identical to the last bowl, with the Chinese-style stir fry on top. The only significant difference was that the soup was a lighter shio broth, and in no way as fishy. Better, but honestly I would rather have eaten the maguro stir fry on a bowl of rice.

Maguro rayu. Of course I drizzled some on.

By this point I was sick of gimmicky ramen. Yes, Misaki is the #2 maguro port in Japan, but that doesn't mean that the restaurants are better equipped to prepare the fish here. What it does mean is that the restaurants are catered to the locals; fishermen who want a hot, wholesome meal and a beer after weeks at sea.

I would bet that none of the locals order the maguro ramen.

View Larger Map

神奈川県三浦市三崎3-4-10

Kanagawa-ken, Miura-shi, Misaki 3-4-10

Closest station: Misakiguchi, then a bus

Open 11:30-22:00

Closed Thursdays