Hyperlocal Tokyo

## Restaurant Name Yokohama-Style Ramen Samurai, Ueno Branch ## Location Ueno Station ## Budget ~¥999 ## Ordered Menu - Ramen ----- I had some errands to run in Ueno after work. As I was walking around, I stumbled upon Samurai! This area is known for its abundance of yakiniku restaurants, and I used to come here often during my college days. I was so surprised and happy to see a new Samurai branch here. The interior has both counter and table seating. Most of the customers were men, which is typical for a Yokohama-style ramen shop. However, it's a new store, so the interior is clean and modern, which is a plus. I ordered the ramen, as mentioned above. ▼Ramen The soup is thick and rich with marrow. The chicken oil shines a golden color and coats the noodles beautifully. The default seasoning seems to be heavy on soy sauce, resulting in a strong, sharp saltiness. The soup is a thinner style, making it easy to eat. It's a Yokohama-style ramen that's light yet flavorful, with a sharp, umami taste. Compared to the Shibuya main branch, this one is saltier, so be aware of that. *Please refer to the review of the Shibuya main branch.* The noodles are the usual excellent Sakai Seimen. That's it. Personally, I prefer the Musashi-style lineage, so I felt a bit underwhelmed. However, it made me realize that this is also a valid style of Yokohama-style ramen. The lack of any off-putting smells is a testament to their meticulous preparation, and the fact that they use Sakai Seimen noodles is a sign of authenticity. *There are many delicious Yokohama-style ramen shops that make their own noodles, so please understand that Sakai Seimen is just one indicator of a shop that adheres to the traditional style.* It was delicious. I'll be back. *Please like and save this post!*

I was looking for a ramen place to finish off my afternoon drinking session when I stumbled upon "Samurai" in Ueno. I was surprised! I knew "Samurai" as a famous house-style ramen shop in Shibuya, and I had tried to go there a few times but always gave up because of the long lines. I was worried about the wait here too, but even though it was around 6 PM on a Saturday, the place was only half full. I even wondered if it was just a similar name but a different chain. I was relieved to find out it was the same chain as the one in Shibuya. I ordered a simple ramen with extra soup and noodles, along with a small bowl of rice. The price was a bit higher than the average house-style ramen, but the taste was the classic Yokohama-style, strong soy sauce flavor. It was shockingly delicious! Personally, I prefer the Musashiya-style house-style ramen with its strong pork bone flavor, especially when they offer free rice refills. I usually rate those higher. But even though this one was quite salty, there was a certain finesse to the flavor. I might get laughed at for saying this, but I felt a sense of elegance in it. The last time I was so impressed by a soy sauce-heavy house-style ramen was at Ohdoya. Now I understand why the Shibuya location has such long lines. Ueno seems to have a lower awareness of this place. If you can get such delicious ramen without waiting in line, it's a hidden gem!

My first encounter with a creamy, clam chowder-like "家系" (a style of ramen). I was planning to visit several places in the afternoon, so I decided to have a hearty meal beforehand at "家系 Samurai." The main branch is in Shibuya, apparently. I heard they offer a rare grilled char siu topping for their "家系" ramen, so I ordered that along with a regular-sized ramen. After purchasing my ticket and taking a seat, the ramen arrived in less than 5 minutes. That's pretty fast for "家系." I had requested firm noodles and extra oil. The noodles were the standard thick, chewy 酒井製麺 noodles. I took a slurp right away. Samurai's soup is truly unique. While many "家系" ramen focus on the sharpness of soy sauce, this one emphasizes the richness of the pork bone broth. It has a creamy, thick texture reminiscent of clam chowder, with a base of seafood like clams, and a subtle hint of soy sauce. The firm noodles in the regular size disappeared quickly, leaving me wanting more, especially since I hadn't even tasted the grilled char siu yet. I couldn't resist, so I ordered a small bowl of rice for 100 yen. I mixed it with the spinach that had soaked up the flavorful broth, and the creamy richness paired perfectly with the rice. I also enjoyed the traditional trio of pickled cucumber, garlic, and chili bean paste, finishing every last grain of rice. Considering the current rice shortage in Japan, I should be grateful for the affordable rice they offer. Now, all that was left were the soup and the grilled char siu. I savored the char siu on its own. The aroma was incredible. The charred parts had a nutty, roasted flavor, unlike regular char siu, and it wasn't greasy at all. It just melted in my mouth. I believe it's made from the same shoulder meat, but the grilling process completely changes the texture. It was amazing. I finished every last drop of soup, even though I had two pieces of char siu and a bowl of rice. I believe that finishing everything is a testament to the deliciousness of the meal. This creamy "家系" is addictive and unlike anything else I've tasted. I'll definitely be back. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Just across Showa Street from Ueno Station, you can find this delicious house-style ramen. I had seen it near Shibuya Station but never had the chance to try it. Now I regret it... haha! Since it was my first time, I ordered the ramen with spinach topping and a half-size rice. It's great that they accept cashless payments at the vending machine. The ramen looked so good when it came out, I knew it was going to be amazing. Actually, the half-size rice wasn't enough, so I ended up ordering a regular-sized rice at the table. The noodles were short and the broth was thick, just like the authentic house-style ramen you'd find in the Keihin Industrial Zone.

I visited after about half a year. I used to go there often when it first opened, but after failing a health checkup, I limited myself to ramen once a month and went to Ramen Nagayama in Ueno every time, so it had been a while since I last visited Samurai. When you enter the store, there is a ticket machine on the right. As you are choosing your ticket, a staff member will stand by, so you can hand them your ticket after you have finished. You can choose the firmness of the noodles (firm, normal, soft), the intensity of the flavor (strong, normal, light), and the amount of oil (extra, normal, less), so it's good to choose your preferences while selecting your ticket. I ordered the "All-in Ramen" (¥1250) and rice (¥100) with "normal, strong, extra". My impression was that the soup and oil were still as delicious as ever, rich and without any unpleasant aftertaste. However, I ordered strong flavor because I was used to the ramen from the past, but after eating a long-established ramen for the first time in a while, it felt a bit strong (as expected since I ordered strong). If you are a first-timer or not used to it, I think normal or light would be better. Even so, the rich soup with a hint of pork bone's unique flavor is delicious. Another thing I like about this ramen shop is that they give you a generous amount of toppings. The "All-in" comes with three thick-cut, large pieces of char siu, a whole soft-boiled egg, nine sheets of seaweed (they are stacked quite high), and a mountain of spinach. I was happy to see that the portions haven't changed since the opening. The char siu also has the flavor I like, well-cooked but still tender. I was very satisfied with my long-awaited Samurai experience. Also, when you order rice, you can add as much pickled cucumber (Kyūchan) from the counter as you like. I once went to a long-established ramen shop with a friend who doesn't like pickles, and they left their pickles untouched. I really like this system where people who want it can eat as much as they want, and those who don't can just enjoy the plain rice. Putting some spicy miso (?) and Kyūchan on the rice and wrapping it in a seaweed soaked in soup is a satisfying meal in itself. In the Ueno area, there are many long-established ramen shops that are part of large chains, but there are no other authentic long-established ramen shops. I think the competition with factory-style long-established ramen shops, mainly in terms of price, must be tough, but there is a clear difference in everything from the soup to the toppings. I hope they will continue to be in Ueno for a long time. Thank you for the delicious meal.