Ichiran Ramen in Roppongi

By June 08, 2015 , , , ,



















One of my absolute favorite things to eat in Japan is ramen. Deliciously firm and springy noodles, swimming in a piping hot bowl of soup, topped with just the perfect combination of ingredients. Comfort food level max. 

A few years back, a friend of mine took me to Ippudo, and ever since that meal, I've been unable to find a ramen place that satisfied my craving - despite dragging my friends to literally every single ramen shop available in Toronto. When food bloggers touted Ichiran as THE place for ramen in Tokyo, I had to go. 

Our day started off bright and early in Roppongi, where we went to get eyelash extensions. Not realizing that we needed reservations, Tiffany and I were turned away with promises that they would be free the following Monday. With stomach's grumbling, we decided that now would be the perfect time to grab a quick meal, and we just happened to stumble on Roppongi's Ichiran location. We walked in the door to be greeted by a vending machine - which I had heard was THE way to order ramen in Tokyo. Fumbling with the contraption, we were eventually able to make out what we wanted from the pictures displayed.

We collected the dispensed tickets and took them over to the counter where the staff exchanged our little stubs with a 'ramen survey'. There we were able to chose how rich we wanted the soup to be, how firm we wanted the noodles, and if there were any other toppings we wanted to add at that time. 

Feeling particularly famished, Tiffany and I hurriedly circled the options and handed it to the server who remained hidden behind the screen that covered our booths. He left us to our own devices - only stopping by to drop off an egg (which was delicious by the way), and within a few minutes, returned to our little cubicles with steaming hot bowls of ramen. Slipping the bowls under the window, he pulled down the shades - allowing us to enjoy our bowls of ramen in complete privacy.

The ramen itself was not bad, but I'd have to say that the star of the meal was the egg, which was mindblowingly rich and deliciously creamy. Someone told me that eggs are all equal, but Japanese eggs were a little more equal and now I know why. Cost of the meal was 790 yen for the ramen, and 120 yen for the egg. 

For those of you wondering, they have locations scattered throughout Japan and some even overseas. Pretty sure there is one in Hong Kong, although I never had a chance to stop by. For someone who doesn't speak a word of Japanese, and in general had a bumpy time getting around in Tokyo, Ichiran is extremely foreigner friendly - with clear pictures and a choice of 5 languages for the surveys. 

Definitely worth a stop by - if not just for the egg.

naomi

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