Hyperlocal Tokyo

This is a renowned restaurant where you can savor exquisite Chinese-style ramen that blends Japanese and French flavors. The only menu item is the Chinese-style ramen, but the broth is truly exceptional. The flavor of the broth is so remarkable that you won't feel the need for any additional seasoning. I had the Ravioli Gourmandises ramen, which features French-style ravioli topped with truffles and foie gras. The aroma and taste of the ravioli were simply divine, exceeding all expectations. It was astounding how French ingredients could be so naturally integrated into ramen. The meat rice is delicious on its own, but when you add the ramen broth and turn it into a congee, you can enjoy the deliciousness of the broth twice, making it a fantastic combination. Reservations are essential, but the pre-registration process eliminates the need to wait in line, which is a huge plus. I highly recommend this restaurant to any ramen enthusiast.

This is a super popular restaurant that you often see on TV. You can make online reservations starting at 9:00 AM on Saturdays, but they fill up by 9:03 AM, so you need a bit of luck. It took me three weeks to finally get a reservation. The menu is basically Chinese-style noodles with toppings. I went for the Ravioli Gourmandise Chinese Noodles (¥2,200), a menu item that I had no clue about even after checking the website beforehand. (I still have no idea what "Gourmandise" means.) I also ordered the meat rice (¥500), which I usually don't get, bringing the total to ¥2,700 plus ¥500 for the online reservation fee, for a grand total of ¥3,200. Wow. Most of the customers seemed to be tourists. The staff spoke fluent English, which suggests that they have a lot of foreign customers. As I was waiting, the noodles arrived. They looked beautiful. I took a sip of the soup first. "Delicious! What is this? What flavor is this?" was my first impression. I couldn't help but take a second sip. Hmm. Is this a Western-style soup? The website mentions duck, chicken, scallops, and shiitake mushrooms, but I couldn't taste any of that. I'm a bit of a taste bud dummy, but the soup was simply delicious. Then I slurped up the noodles. Wow! The aroma was so good, it filled my nose. It was a truly unique experience. It was definitely a delicious ramen. Then I tried the ravioli, and the aroma of truffle filled my mouth. I was convinced that ravioli is the ultimate form of wonton. The soft-boiled egg and the char siu were also excellent, but the bamboo shoots were a bit fibrous, so be careful if you have trouble with things getting stuck in your teeth. And then there was the meat rice. It wasn't like a char siu rice bowl with sauce poured over it. It was fragrant with Western horseradish, but it was a bit bland, so the rice flavor was a bit lacking. I thought it would be nice if they offered the meat and Western horseradish as an appetizer (a small bowl that you could eat with a spoon in one bite). The website mentions a full course, but there was no explanation of the appetizers, main courses, etc., so I guess it's just a regular Chinese noodle dish. Also, the website says that classical music plays, but they were playing music by a Celtic musician who was famous for a while, so the attention to detail was a bit inconsistent. The most inconsistent thing was the tray they brought out. It was wet (I took a picture of the tray zoomed in, just to be a bit sarcastic), and when I wiped it with my finger, it was a bit sticky. I think they're so focused on the ramen that they're neglecting other aspects, like the website descriptions and customer service. The cold roasted green tea they served at the end was a great way to differentiate themselves. Was it supposed to be a "dessert"? I guess it's not good to overprepare. I realized how little experience I have. Everyone has different tastes. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Located a 3-minute walk from Higashi-Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Ginza Hachigo is a ramen shop that opened in 2018. They've gained attention for incorporating French techniques and serving ramen without using a traditional tare (seasoning). This has earned them praise from various sources. They recently started accepting reservations through TableCheck, so I made a reservation for Saturday at 1:30 PM. I ordered the Chuka Soba (Chinese-style ramen). The restaurant was filled with international guests, making me wonder if I was still in Japan for a moment. After a short wait, my Chuka Soba arrived. The golden, clear broth was beautifully presented with perfectly arranged noodles, topped with char siu, menma, and other ingredients. Visually, it was stunning. However, the taste wasn't for me. It wasn't bad by any means, in fact, it was quite good. But when I expected ramen, it felt incredibly underwhelming. I could clearly tell that the ingredients were carefully selected and prepared with great care, but it just didn't feel like I was eating ramen. The flavor was adjusted with the umami and saltiness of prosciutto, but it wasn't quite my taste. The international guests were finishing their soup, so I'm sure others enjoyed it. Oh, the menma was absolutely delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Chuka Soba Ginza Hachi Go Finally made it! I've been wanting to try this place for a while, but the line was always too long. Even after they introduced the TableCheck fast pass, it was always booked up. This time, it was third time lucky. I logged in beforehand to be ready for the 9:00 AM reservation opening and finally managed to snag a spot! Since I was there, I ordered the Ravioli Gourmandises Chuka Soba for ¥2,200. Now I understand why it's so popular. The broth was incredibly refined, and everyone around me, even the women, finished every drop. The noodles were a lovely thin type that perfectly complemented the elegant broth. The ravioli was soft and I was sure it would be fun to break it apart and eat it, but I ended up devouring it all in one go! The person next to me said they had been coming since the restaurant opened and had been here over 20 times in the past six months. It's easy to see why this place has such a loyal following of food enthusiasts. The clientele was international, and the female staff spoke fluent English, which was impressive. The restaurant was clean, and the chef was humble, sincere, and provided meticulous service. The delicate and delicious ramen was well worth it. Next time, I'll try the regular one!

I had tried to go to this restaurant several times before, but when I went at 9 am on a day off, there were about 100 people in line, so I gave up. Now that reservations can be made through TableCheck, I was able to make a reservation and visit! (≧∇≦)ﾉ The entrance to the restaurant is relatively level, so it's easy to enter. Once inside, there are a couple of steps. The aisles are narrow, so it's best to pull your chair in securely. I ordered the "Ravioli Gourmandises Chuka-soba" (limited to 30 servings a day) and the "Niku Gohan" (meat rice). The "Ravioli Gourmandises Chuka-soba" was a shock to my taste buds with the first sip of the soup. It's incredibly simple, yet rich and flavorful, and I wouldn't get tired of it no matter how many times I drank it. How is it possible that it doesn't even have any sauce added?! The char siu is cut like braised pork belly, with a decent thickness. It's incredibly tender and packed with flavor. The ravioli is like a delicious water dumpling. The filling is incredibly flavorful, it's simply indescribable. Ah, I wish I had ordered a beer. The menma and marinated egg are both excellent. The "Niku Gohan" is diced char siu with horseradish. It's delicious on its own, but they recommend adding the chuka-soba soup halfway through. When you add the soup, it creates an amazing harmony of flavors. I devoured it all! (lol) Finally, I finished with a refreshing cold roasted green tea to cleanse my palate. It was a truly wonderful meal. I can't say anything other than it's amazing, but I highly recommend everyone try this restaurant!!