After my free breakfast and perusing of the mega food filled Famima fantasy tour, we jumped onto a couple of trains and headed to the Kiba station (I think, i take horrible notes) to go to Menya Kissou Ramen. This place is ranked #1 or at least consistently on the top of lists on Japanese Food sites for Ramen in Tokyo.
This place is open for lunch from 3-5 hours a day until they sell out which they surely do everyday. We got there about 20 minutes before the shop opened for lunch. The storefront is located in an alley off the street in a fairly residental area. When we turned the corner we were greeted with a line of about 15 people already waiting for their ramen fix. The first 10 were set up in two orderly rows of chairs set up by the shop.
The most orderly outdoor line on Black Friday.
This was one of the most quiet and orderly lines ever.
Nobody was talking to each other, everyone’s head buried in a book or intently playing with their phone surfing the net or whatever. None of the yakkety-yak of people you hear at the sceney crowded wait-in-line food places in LA where people loudly speculate on what a kimchi quesadilla tastes like or the time they got really sick the last time they went to Pink’s. Yak Yak Yak.
We didn’t have cool phones or the forethought to bring a book with us so we did what came naturally to tourists. We yakked about lines and took pictures of the street signs in the neighborhood. The other people in line quietly ignored us and continued reading/texting.
what to do while we wait? Take pics of signs like stupid tourists! Angry triangle.
Storefront. Is this a ramen shop or a stationary store?
The procedure for the line outside. We of course had no idea what to do, even with pictures.
About 5 minutes before opening time, the rolling metal door in front of the shop creaked up and a woman came out and took the order of the people in the chairs. The show was starting! Yay!
The first customers are escorted into the shop and they are served their bowls. Meanwhile the line out side shifts and we take our places in the rows of chairs. We order (actually the Japanese speaking member of our party orders for us like our mom would). We eventually get in and eat.
No cameras allowed though.
still from a shaky video since there were no cameras allowed. Brothy!
So the verdict? It was pretty good, the noodles were smooth yet chewy with a good texture and the tonkotsu broth was very porky yet not greasy. It was almost like watered down pork gravy but much more rich and very smooth with no greasiness. The toppings were excellent and the egg was pretty tasty. It had a really creamy yolk and was not quite hard boiled nor softboiled (magic egg, how do hey do that?) Wish I was more educated in Ramen varieties and style to express myself better.
I was the first done and stepped out of there. It was almost a 45 minute wait for this and I am glad to have tried it and want to go again, but not sure if I would wait again for it. But it was tasty and i wished I ordered a bigger bowl. My favorite is still Santouka Shio ramen, but I am glad to have tried the “Best Ramen in Tokyo.” And i wish I had more pictures of it but didn’t want to keep the long ass line behind up wating.
After eating, the line has grown.
You may want to check out:
You were the first one out of there. But you forgot to put your empty bowl up on the counter so the guy could clear it.
there should be a sign. or at least a cartoon.