Hyperlocal Tokyo

While it seems like their main dish is tsukemen (dipping noodles), their ramen is also quite good. I'll definitely try the tsukemen next time. The soup is rich and a bit on the smaller side, so it's best to mix it well with the noodles. By the way, only ramen (not tsukemen) offers a large portion option. Tsukemen has a special large portion option for an additional ¥150. This wasn't clearly stated (or maybe I just missed it), so be aware if you have a big appetite. The large and regular portions are decent in size. The photo is of the ramen with a large portion, an egg, extra meat, and extra toppings. Just for reference.

This popular tsukemen (dipping noodles) restaurant is located on Dogenzaka, a street in Shibuya, and always has a line of people waiting outside. I had been wanting to try it for a long time, and finally got the chance to visit. The restaurant has only counter seating, with seats along the wall. It's a ticket system, with a ticket machine right when you enter. The menu includes tsukemen, spicy tsukemen, and Chinese-style ramen. Here's what I ordered: - Rich Tsukemen ¥800 + Large Portion ¥50 The regular portion is 220g, large is 330g, and extra large is 440g. Plus, the large portion is only ¥50 extra, and the extra large is ¥100 extra, which is very reasonable. I went with the large portion this time, and it was quite a lot of food since the noodles are thick. You can choose between regular noodles and malt noodles, and they recommend the malt noodles for their aroma, so I went with those. The soup was a rich, vegetable-based broth, very thick and creamy. It had a complex flavor with a strong seafood aroma and the sweetness of vegetables. It was delicious. The thick soup clung well to the noodles, and the aroma of the malt noodles went perfectly with the rich soup.

I arrived at 11:30 on Sunday and there were about six people ahead of me, so I was third in line. A large group arrived right behind me, making the line about 20 people long. You should be aware that you buy your tickets before joining the queue. I entered at 11:50. I ordered the Rich Tsukemen for 950 yen (220g) and a Special Portion for 150 yen (440g). You can choose from three types of noodles: chewy noodles, germ noodles, and flat noodles. The shop recommends the germ noodles, so I went with those. Some reviews mentioned that the germ noodles are easy to break and a bit powdery, but I enjoyed the wheat flavor when I ate them plain first. The soup is thick and coats the noodles well. If you dip too much, you might run out. I was careful and finished the last noodle just as the soup ran out. I didn't need a soup dilution. Haha. Next time, I want to try the spicy noodles and the flat noodles.

Rich Tsukemen (Noodles 220g) ¥950 + ¥100 for a large portion (330g) This is a place where you buy a ticket from a vending machine and then wait in line. If you need to wait, you line up along the flower bed on the street side, not on the store side. I was lucky to be able to enter without waiting, as it was past lunchtime. I usually see a line here, so I was lucky. The dipping sauce has a solid flavor, but it's not too strong, so you can enjoy it all the way to the end. You can ask for more dipping sauce if you need it. The char siu pork is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The noodles are smooth and chewy, and they go well with the dipping sauce. Because of that, even though I ordered a large portion, I ate it all up. Maybe I should have ordered a super large portion (440g). It may look plain, but it was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I recently enjoyed a truly high-quality bowl of ramen, considered by many to be the best in Shibuya! **Rich Tsukemen** ¥850 (tax included) **Large Portion** ¥50 (tax included) Located about a 6-minute walk from Shibuya Station, "Dogenzaka Mammoth" offers a truly mammoth-sized serving of delicious tsukemen! You can choose between chewy noodles and germ noodles, and I opted for the chewy noodles this time. The thick, springy chewy noodles perfectly coated in the rich, seafood-based dipping sauce were absolutely divine! The chewiness of the noodles and the quality of the seafood broth were among the best I've ever experienced in tsukemen. I highly recommend trying their unique germ noodles as well. Be sure to check it out!