Yamaguchi Ramen, Tokyo, Japan. Voted best Ramen in Tokyo 2013
I asked my friend ramen expert Abram Plaut to send me to a Ramen Shop that would be in his top 5 of all time. This guys has eaten thousands upon thousands of bowls and ended up sending me to a 9 seat spot called Yamaguchi (see 2nd photo with directions etc.) This restaurant had no english signs and was on a very busy street, so I walked 15 mins from the designated subway stop and begin to pop my head in every ramen shop and would ask "Yamaguchi"?? After a few dirty looks and abrupt no ways I jumped into the nearest 7/11 and a the cashier walked to the epic Ramen Shop which was 5 stores down. I walked in to order my bowl and discovered that the standard ticket dispenser was in Japanese and Abram told me I had to order "tokusei tori soba". Luckily a local dinner knew a little english and helped me with my order. There were 3 ppl working at this shop. Two very green attendants and the master Yamaguchi. Of course I was watching the action in this open kitchen and noticed that the junior staff would put the bowls down prior to plating and then get the hell out of the way. Only the master could touch the food..period! It was a very intense kitchen and to watch this guy slowly and meticulously assemble the ramen was nothing like I've ever seen before. With 8000+ Ramen Shops in the Greater Tokyo Area this one is in the upper echelon most definitely. Below is the finished product, and I could continue for hours about this very special bowl of noodles but will leave you with...."The Greatest of All Time" (Shoyu pork broth, buttery pork shoulder and chicken, perfect egg, bamboo, & leek)
I asked my friend ramen expert Abram Plaut to send me to a Ramen Shop that would be in his top 5 of all time. This guys has eaten thousands upon thousands of bowls and ended up sending me to a 9 seat spot called Yamaguchi (see 2nd photo with directions etc.) This restaurant had no english signs and was on a very busy street, so I walked 15 mins from the designated subway stop and begin to pop my head in every ramen shop and would ask "Yamaguchi"?? After a few dirty looks and abrupt no ways I jumped into the nearest 7/11 and a the cashier walked to the epic Ramen Shop which was 5 stores down. I walked in to order my bowl and discovered that the standard ticket dispenser was in Japanese and Abram told me I had to order "tokusei tori soba". Luckily a local dinner knew a little english and helped me with my order. There were 3 ppl working at this shop. Two very green attendants and the master Yamaguchi. Of course I was watching the action in this open kitchen and noticed that the junior staff would put the bowls down prior to plating and then get the hell out of the way. Only the master could touch the food..period! It was a very intense kitchen and to watch this guy slowly and meticulously assemble the ramen was nothing like I've ever seen before. With 8000+ Ramen Shops in the Greater Tokyo Area this one is in the upper echelon most definitely. Below is the finished product, and I could continue for hours about this very special bowl of noodles but will leave you with...."The Greatest of All Time" (Shoyu pork broth, buttery pork shoulder and chicken, perfect egg, bamboo, & leek)