Hyperlocal Tokyo

I visited Mongotanmen Nakamoto for the first time and had a very enjoyable and delicious experience. Since there isn't a Nakamoto in my area, the only "North Pole" I've had was the 7-Eleven version. But the North Pole at the restaurant was surprisingly easy to eat. It's a bit spicier than the 7-Eleven version, but not much. It's a place that's easy for a woman to go to alone.

I ordered the "North Pole Vegetables Crunchy" with extra vegetables. Arriving at 11am on a weekday, I was able to be seated without waiting. The restaurant has a counter with about 10 seats and 5 tables for two. It was my first time having the "North Pole" in a while, and it was spicy! The "North Pole Vegetables Crunchy" had a thicker soup than usual, which was delicious, but made it a bit difficult to eat the noodles. I added extra vegetables, so I felt full and relatively healthy.

There's a certain nutritional value you can only get from Nakamoto. The line is long, but you can get your ramen within 30 minutes. The turnover is good. The signal is bad, so it's best to download movies beforehand. However, the Mongolian Tanmen is a perfected flavor that surprises me every time. The sweetness of the vegetables, the savory taste of the miso, and finally the spiciness stimulate the brain. The flavorful noodles soak up the soup perfectly, creating a flavor bomb. Also, the hard-boiled egg is a nice touch. If you order the famous cup noodle-style arrangement with natto (fermented soybeans), it's a great flavor-changing item. The cold savory taste of the natto, the noodles, and the vegetables create a heavenly marriage!

While walking down the bustling main street in Shibuya after work, I stumbled upon this restaurant. I remembered having a delicious Mongolian Tanmen at the Itabashi branch a few years ago when it was all the rage, so I was excited to order it again. However, this time, I didn't feel much of the spiciness or flavor that I remembered, and I wasn't impressed. Maybe I should have ordered something spicier.

On a gloomy day, I suddenly craved North Pole Ramen and headed to the Shibuya branch. It's been so long since I last visited, I can't even remember when. Nothing had changed. I was surprised to see so many women dining alone. I went on a weekend around 7 PM and there was a short wait, but we were seated fairly quickly. I used to order the North Pole Ramen with double the spice, but this time I went with the regular. It was spicy, but also flavorful and delicious! Aprons and water are self-service. They also seem to be doing delivery through Uber Eats, which is great.