麺LABOひろ (Menlabohiro in Yutenji)

麺LABOひろ



LABO opened at the end of 2016. As such, they weren't considered for an award in the Oscars-of-ramen ranking list put together by TRY magazine, which stands for Tokyo Ramen of the Year. This are the magazine that consistently gets things right, showcasing the year's best new openings.



The following year, LABO was given the rookie shop of the year. They were also awarded #1 in the shoyu category and #2 in the shio category. But let's be honest, no one was beating out MENSHO's new shio.

Both bowls are outstanding. The soup is chicken and niboshi, a simple combination that continues to be the rage in gourmet ramen. A bundle of pickled sansho peppers are a unique accent. They're aromatic, tangy, and give a lasting numbness to your tongue. Order the 1200 yen LABO鶏そば to get your bowl with all the toppings, including slow roasted duck chashu.



Limited bowls are common, and a 白だし, clear broth, was available this time.



I should note that no photos are allowed, apart from a photo of your food. It's written in big letters on the ticket machine, and I asked permission for the non-ramen shots.



The master worked in the world of yakitori, grilled chicken skewers, before opening this ramen shop.

Line up early for this one.





東京都目黒区五本木2-51-5
Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Gopongi 2-51-5
5 minute walk from Yutenji Station

Open 11:30-15:00, 18:00-21:00
Sundays 11:30-14:00
Closed Wednesdays

カラシビバーガー (Kikanbo Collab with Shake Shack)

カラシビバーガー



Apologies for the lateness of this post. This was a one-day-only collaboration between everyone's favorite ramen shop Kikanbo and everyone's favorite burger joint Shake Shack. If you follow me on Instagram you would have known.



Burgers from the Shack with Kikanbo's insane thick-cut chashu and a special karashibi sauce. And Kikanbo's signature baby corn, spiced with plenty of numbing sansho pepper.



Did you go? Consider yourself lucky if you did; this was one amazing burger.



#foodporn



Like I said, I announce this sort of thing over on Instagram these days:

Collaboration burger between Shake Shack Japan and 鬼金棒, the spicy miso ramen shop. The concept is カラシビバーガー, a 🍔 topped with a spicy sansho peppercorn sauce and Kikanbo’s famous thick chashu. On the side is an intense sansho baby corn. This collab is only for a day, 11/11, at the Gaienmae Shake Shack branch. Limited to 400 bowls. . . I mean burgers. 🎥 @ramen_beast #shakeshack #kikanbo @shakeshackjpn @kikanbo_japan

A post shared by Ramen Adventures (@ramenadventures) on Nov 9, 2017 at 3:42am PST

鴨to葱 (Duck and Onion in Ueno)

らーめん 鴨to葱



Is duck a trend these days? Duck and Onion opened in July, 2016, and takes duck to another level. Or maybe they take it down a level. The soup is made with nothing but duck and green onion.



An explanation basically says that duck meat is lower in cholesterol, higher in vitamins, and contains all the umami producing acids that a good bowl of ramen should have.



Duck, green onion, water. That's it for the broth.

As for the tare seasoning, things are a bit more complex. A blend of soy sauce from Chiba, Wakayama, and other spots give the ramen hear its signature impact. The duck is sourced from famous duck regions of Japan; Kyoto, Aomori, and Saitama.



Beautiful. They are using special bowls that are meant to let the aroma spread.



You'll be asked about the toppings. Green onion is prepared four or five ways, and you get to choose two. I went with tempura and fried. These choices are constantly changing. You can always ask for オススメ. Osusume means recommendation.



Fresh ingredients only in this chemical free bowl.



The upper right is the way to go, as it comes with extra slices of the excellent duck breast chashu.





東京都台東区上野6丁目3-6
Tokyo, Taito-ku, Ueno 6-3-6
5 minute walk from Ueno Station

Open 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:30
Weekends 11:00-20:00