Recent Reviews
Located in the basement food court of the Otemachi Building, a two-minute walk from the Otemachi Station on the Hanzomon Line, this ramen shop opened in 2022. It's the second brand of the popular ramen shop "Mugi to Olive" in Higashi-Ginza. I visited around 11:30 am on a weekday, and there was already a small line, but only four groups, so I joined it. After waiting for about 10 minutes, I was called into the shop, purchased a ticket from the vending machine at the entrance, and handed it to the staff. The interior has a U-shaped counter with 10 seats and three tables for two. The spacing between the seats is just right, allowing for a comfortable dining experience. I ordered the "Clams, Shijimi, and Dried Sardine Triple Ramen" and added "Red Onion" as a topping and a free "Half Rice." After waiting for about 10 minutes inside, the ramen arrived. As soon as it was placed on the table, the aroma of clams and shijimi, along with a hint of citrus, wafted from the bowl. Taking a sip of the clear, beautiful soup, I was first greeted by the flavor of dried sardines, followed by the elegant umami of clams and shijimi that spread throughout my mouth. I couldn't help but exclaim, "Delicious!" (laughs). The thin, straight noodles are made by Mikawaya Seimen and have a smooth texture that pairs perfectly with the light soup. The char siu comes in two varieties: chicken and pork. Adding red onion as a topping gives it a "Mugi to Olive" feel (laughs). I forgot to take a picture, so it's a task for next time, but I remember there being pepper, olives, and dried sardine vinegar on the table. You can also order spicy paste, chopped ginger, and chopped garlic as additional toppings. If you want to enjoy the clam and shijimi ramen, you might not need the dried sardines. I was drawn to the word "triple," but next time I'd like to try the "Clams and Shijimi Ramen." The mazesoba and tsukemen are only available after lunch time.
A day trip to Tokyo for work. For lunch, I went to 'Ramen Kai to Niboshi, Tokidoki Noko', a new ramen shop in the basement of the Otemachi Building. First, I bought a ticket from the vending machine outside. ◎Premium Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen ¥1150 ◎Half Rice Free They seem to specialize in clams and shijimi (small clams), but since everyone eats this kind of ramen, I went with the tonkotsu shoyu. The shop is new and clean, with counter seats and tables. The Premium Tonkotsu Shoyu is a typical 'kake' ramen. I ordered the soup with normal thickness, but it was quite rich. The medium-thick noodles went well with the soup. I ate the rice with spicy miso, chashu (roasted pork), and seaweed. It was a pretty good 'kake' ramen. Ramen #129 of 2024
**Note:** Google lists this restaurant as accepting only cash, but it's actually the opposite - **cash is not accepted**. They accept credit cards, electronic money, and QR code payments. The lunch rush in Otemachi, one of Japan's major business districts, is fast-paced. Even at 11:30 am, right after opening, there's already a line, and you might wait 15-20 minutes. The best time to go is after 1:00 pm. There might still be a line, but it's usually only 2-3 people, so you can get in relatively quickly. After 1:30 pm, you can usually walk right in. I had the "Triple Clam, Shijimi, and Dried Sardine Ramen" for ¥1300. The triple soup is rich with clam broth, and the flavors of clam and shijimi fill your mouth. You can faintly taste the dried sardine in the aftertaste. The juicy chicken chashu and the elegant aroma of the mitsuba (Japanese parsley) make this a beautiful ramen. With a large intake of clam ornithine, you can expect fatigue recovery effects, despite the gentle flavor, haha. You purchase tickets from a vending machine, but cash is not accepted. It's digital money only, so be aware. It's located in the basement of the "Otemachi Building," a vintage building, but the payment system is state-of-the-art. The building is directly connected to the Otemachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, making it very accessible. It's also less than a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Station.
I visited around 3 PM on a weekday during the Obon season. There were about 4 or 5 empty seats. I was craving a niboshi (dried bonito) broth ramen, but the name of the shop and the menu position on the ticket machine suggested that the clam ramen was their recommendation. So, I ordered the clam and shijimi (small clams) ramen for 1280 yen. It had been a while since I had clam ramen, so I was a little worried about it being too strong. But when I actually tried it, it wasn't overpowering at all. The noodles and toppings were delicious! I happened to find this place while transferring from the Marunouchi Line to the Tozai Line at Otemachi Station. I'd definitely want to eat here again if I have time to transfer here in the future!
I visited around 5 PM on a weekday. It wasn't crowded at all, with only a few other people besides me. This made it a very comfortable experience, even for someone dining alone. I love clam soup, so I ordered the Clam and Shijimi Ramen for ¥1,280, with the special topping for an additional ¥500. Both the chicken and pork char siu were lean and didn't overpower the flavor of the soup. They were delicious. I also appreciated the perfectly soft-boiled egg. If I were to be picky, I would have preferred a hint of yuzu flavor in the egg, like I've had at other places, to complement the soup. The menma wasn't really my style, so I probably didn't need to add it. The noodles were chewy and delicious, and the clam soup was absolutely fantastic. The location is convenient, and they don't have a break between lunch and dinner, so I'm sure I'll be back soon.