EKODA: Jeju (Cheju) Korean for some great Sundubu! Am I in Akasaka?

I'm here for only one reason... I don't need a menu.  One order of 600yen Sundubu Chige Please!!

Interior was cozy with counter seating for 4-5 people.  

Several different kinds of Chige for 700yen...

Side dish of seasoned bean sprouts arrived... crunchy and fresh!

Mini salad was super fresh too~.  Great to visit a shop with a female owner chef.

When the boiling bubbles settled down the soup level fell nearly 1/3rd!  Oh my... initial impression wasn't so great.

But as I mixed in the freshly cracked egg and began to taste the Chige it had a deep incredibly tasty flavor.  Its like I was back in Akasaka enjoying a dish from Chon.Jin.Dong... minus the great side dishes and volume.

Never spotted a large container of Ginseng before... authentic authentic.

Overall I was unexpectedly surprised to how great the Tofu Sundubu was at Jeju.  I'll definitely be back again for my Korean lunch cravings!

Shop: Jeju Korean Restaurant

Foodie Blog: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13055049/

Address J: 東京都練馬区旭丘1-67-7

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, AsahiGaoka 1-67-7
MAP:

View Larger Map

IKEBUKURO: Yakiniku Gyu-En for some god awful Sundubu Chige

I'm a huuuge fan of great Korean Chige's and my stroll thru the side streets of Ikebukuro led me to this menu on the road... 650yen for Sundubu Tofu Chige.  How could I go wrong!

Ashtray... not good.

It was simply dead empty at 12:45pm on a weekday... highly unusual as most other restaruants were busy with the weekday lunch rush. Plus Rikkyo University (Saint Paul's University) was right around the corner... bad bad sign.

And my much anticipated Korean lunch arrives!

Kimchee was definitely grocery store bought... the seasoned bean sprouts just tasted all wrong, like it was just old. 

Now for the Tofu Chige.  Boiled water with red oil... it just tasted like red water.  Honestly... this is the WORST Sundubu I have had in my life.  Very little tofu, the clams still had sand in them and whats up with all the little skinny mushrooms?  

The egg that is normally cracked fresh into the Sundubu had already been boiled solid.  

The sandy clams... I have to admit they were generous with this.  Possibly 4-5 pices.

After 15 minutes I just felt sick... Did my best to finish the Kimchee but forget about the rest.  I simply got up and left. 

The attraction to this restaurant might be the all you can eat 980yen Yakiniku and nothing else.  But I did see them bring out the meat to another customer... meat was all frozen who knows where they source it from.

I am usually one to NEVER randomly walk into a restaurant without checking the foodie rankings but how could I have gotten Tofu Chige so wrong.  Wish Gordon Ramsey could visit this spot... its just sh*t.

Shop: Yakiniku Gyu-En

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13131799/

Address J: 東京都豊島区西池袋3-29-2 三原ビル 4F

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Nishi Ikebukuro 3-29-2, 4F
MAP:

View Larger Map

SHINJUKU: Yang no Ie (Yang's Home)... Black Peppery Salty Sundubu!

I think its the cold weather but I've been craving Korean Sundubu for weeks.  Did a little searching in Shinjuku and found a very reasonable Sundubu spot!  How can i resist 630yen!

The B3 of the Bic Camera building is a cozy little food court.

Lunch selections come with a bowl of rice and 2 tiny side appetizers.

Sundubu!

Very casual but there we soooo many celebrity autographed pics with the owner posted all over the walls.  My lunch is gonna be amazing!!! Is what I assumed...

When the Sundubu arrived it can possibly be the smallest ever bowl I've ever seen other than Yande-Gamu in Akasaka.

Had a taste... very salty peppery, heavy fishy flavor and the soup was simply clear like instant Nong Shim Ramen.  It didn't have that deep rich flavor like many of the great spots in Akasaka.

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.jp/2012/04/akasaka-chon-jin-don-korean-restaurant.html

Few pieces of clam.  Basically consisted of one egg, a sliver of Tofu and a couple baby clams... was probably one of the most boring Sundubu's I've had in Japan.

If you are bored, super cold and just want to warm up then maybe the 630yen is worth the time but it really failed to impress in any way at all.  Its like comparing Taco Bell vs Los Angeles Taco Trucks... kinda the same but totally different.

Shop: Yang no Ie - West Shinjuku Halc Branch

Shop Website: http://www.yangnoie.com/about.html

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13119297/

Address J: 東京都新宿区西新宿1-5-1 食堂酒場ハル地下MB3F

Address E: Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Nishi Shinjuku 1-5-1, MB3F (Basement)
MAP:

View Larger Map

EKODA: Nurungji Korean for an ear full of K-Pop and Belly full of Tofu Chige!

Lunch menu posted outside... stuff starts at 850yen.

On the hunt once again for some Korean spicy chige soup~... But its a struggle to find anything near the level of Akasaka (home to so many Korean restaurants). 

Although the lunch menu doesn't have any pictures you can match the kanji with the dinner menu to give you some clue of what the items will look like.  seems the Chige's in the evening are the same price but rice is an additional 100yen.  Not too bad if you are craving late night spice.

My own free bottle of water... Tokyo tap of course.

There it is!  Tofu Chige had a nice rich color to it... and the 3 side dishes looked solid!

It was a solid Tofu Chige.  Wasn't the best I've ever had but surely destroyed my experience with Korean soup in Nerima.  Will satisfy your craving.

Rice was gooood!  Didn't cut corners on this.  Didn't ask if 2nds were free but trying to keep the carbs down to a minimum.

Kimchee

Rolled egg

Thicker textured seasoned tofu with some jiggly konyaku.  Very flavorful

Arrived at a late 2pm so after the beautiful housewives of Ekoda left with their kids I was all alone... Overhead one lady who seemed concerned that her child won't be out of college before her husbands mandatory retirement... guess they had kids later in life.  

There is a large TV dedicated to playing K-pop... lots of singin and dancin.

About half of the restaurant was tatami style seating.

Oh the memories... pics of customers.

Everything on the dinner menu was pictured.   The service here by an older Korean gentlemen was spot on friendly and quick.  I'll probably be back to try their Miso Chige and Kimchee Chige before the winter ends.

Shop: Nurungji Korean Restaurant

Foodie Website:  http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13054476/

Address J: 東京都練馬区栄町32-4 セブンスリービル 1F

Address E:  Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Sakaecho 32-4

MAP:

View Larger Map