Ichiran Ramen in Shibuya:

Here in Japan on a research trip, I need to get my ramen jones on. I figure to eat ramen at least 5 times in 4 weeks, which will mean I'll easily surpass my yearly required salt intake in those 5 meals, but it will be worth it.

First stop was a place called Ichiran (there's now a Manhattan branch) that is an outpost of traditional Kyushu Pork Bone Soup Ramen in Tokyo. I'd been to the original Ichiran in Fukuoka with my brother years ago, so this was a nice start to the tour. They let you choose your noodle doneness, the amount of garlic, spiciness, and really importantly the relative "thickness" of the soup. I went all out and got the strongest soup possible. No messing around here.

One of the really interesting things about the shop is that they put you in individual stalls to eat, rather than seating you at a counter or tables. You never see any of the workers. It's a bit like visiting a Ramen Love Hotel, actually. I suppose the rationale is that you'll slurp your noodles to your heart's content if there's no chance of being observed in your revelry. Works for me.

Anyway, I had my soup and a soft boiled egg and it was wonderful. The noodles had just the right amount of spring to them and the soup was nicely balanced. The Chashu pork was tender and sweet. No complaints at all. Next stop on this will be some Pork Bone/Soy Sauce Ramen, which I think is the king of Ramens. I'm hoping to find the best of the best on our return to Tokyo on Friday. Good times!