Hyperlocal Tokyo

This is a renowned establishment specializing in light, seafood-based ramen. I usually order the light, yuzu salt ramen when I come here. What's truly remarkable is that despite being completely free of chemical seasonings, it bursts with an incredible depth of flavor. Could this be the origin of the '¥1,000 wall' often discussed in the ramen industry, effortlessly surpassing it?

This restaurant is famous for its yuzu salt ramen, which is popular among foreign visitors, just like Ichiran. The Harajuku branch is located near Takeshita Street, so it seems to have more foreign visitors than other branches. This restaurant only accepts cashless payments, including credit cards. On the day I visited, it was raining, so I was able to enter the restaurant without waiting in line. Usually, there is a line outside the restaurant. The yuzu salt ramen was simply delicious. The noodles were thinner than those at other salt ramen restaurants, which was unique. They were about as thin as tonkotsu ramen noodles, but they had a firm texture. The seared char siu was also delicious. The bamboo shoots were thinly sliced, which was also unique. I wonder if the char siu being seared over charcoal in a visible location is part of the performance. I quickly and deliciously enjoyed the ramen.

Unlike other locations, this one has a predominantly foreign clientele. Even on a weekday at 11 am, there was a considerable wait. The quality is consistently high, and the ramen is delicious. Unlike other chains, the quality is maintained, suggesting thorough staff training. However, they only accept card payments, which is a significant barrier for many Japanese customers. Additionally, the price increase has pushed the ramen above ¥1000, and adding options can easily bring the total to nearly ¥2000.

I went to this restaurant because I was craving delicious ramen. I had to wait in line for over 30 minutes before I could finally eat. There were a lot of foreigners waiting, so I thought maybe they were ordering from overseas. The ramen was flavorful and comforting. *Note: The price may have changed since my visit.*

This ramen shop has a crazy long line. It seemed like most of the people waiting were foreigners. The turnover rate was pretty fast, though, so it didn't take too long to get in considering the line. The flavor was... bland. It lacked any depth. I'm not sure what all the hype was about. It was the first thing that came to mind. The service wasn't bad, and the atmosphere was lively and good. But it really depends on your taste. I wouldn't recommend it.