Hyperlocal Tokyo

There are luggage hooks under the table. The staff were very attentive and casually pointed out the luggage hooks and offered water. The smooth noodles are delicious. The soup isn't my favorite, but it tastes just right when eaten with the noodles. Maybe they considered the balance with the noodles when making the soup. The char siu is melt-in-your-mouth but doesn't have that unpleasant greasy feeling. The bowl has a lot of egg, so the green onions are a nice touch.

I usually eat at Hayashida Ramen near the south exit, but today I decided to try something new and went to Somen Kinshicho for dinner. It's conveniently located about a 5-minute walk from the north exit of Kinshicho Station. I ordered the luxurious set with shoyu ramen and a pork belly rice bowl with a soft-boiled egg. The price for both was around 1320 yen, which is average for the area. You order by purchasing a ticket and submitting it. The owner was very friendly, and after waiting about 5 minutes, my pork belly rice bowl with a soft-boiled egg and shoyu ramen arrived. The pork belly rice bowl went well with the soft-boiled egg, and it was easy to eat with the rice. The shoyu ramen had a hint of dried bonito flavor, or maybe it was just the heat, but I enjoyed it. The noodles were thick and curly, which paired well with the pork belly rice bowl. I also enjoyed the free garlic chips for a flavor change. The menu includes ramen and other dishes, and there are seats upstairs for those who want to enjoy drinks. It's a luxurious place where you can enjoy drinks and then finish with authentic ramen. They have a wide variety of dishes, and I'd like to go back and try their drinks next time. They also accept reservations, and I saw a group of young people going upstairs as I was leaving.

They recommended the shoyu ramen for my first visit. The staff wished everyone a good weekend as they left, which was a nice touch. The service was a bit slow for a ramen shop, but not unbearably so. The ramen itself was delicious. I ordered the donburi set, but the donburi was unfortunately terrible. There was very little pork, making it almost entirely a scallion bowl. The scallions were spicy, the black pepper was spicy, and the pork flavor was almost nonexistent. The spiciness even slightly altered the taste of the delicious ramen. It was a shame, as the ramen itself was great.

The four-on-the-floor beat emanating from inside the shop entices you to enter. 【Soy Sauce Ramen - ¥950】 In an era where many ramen shops charge over ¥1,000, this establishment offers a reasonable price point and simple, high-quality ramen. The soup, made with a blend of dried bonito, is deep and rich, yet surprisingly clean. The medium-thick, curly noodles have a smooth texture and good springiness, perfectly complementing the soup. A perfect way to end your night in Kinshicho.

I visited on a Saturday and was impressed by the warm greetings exchanged between the staff and customers. I heard things like "Have a great weekend!" to customers and "Have a safe trip!" to the Uber Eats delivery drivers. It was a lovely touch. Both the tsukemen and ramen have chewy noodles that are delicious! The gyoza are piping hot and the staff are friendly and create a great atmosphere!