NAKANO: ButaYama that super heavy ramen similar to Jiro Style aka Jiro-Kei! Its sooo filling and sooo tasty! (iPhone 12 Mini)

It was my birthday weekend and I made an exception to eat a wonderful bowl of hella fatty lardy tasty ramen with chunky noodles! At the entrance there is a pre-payment vending machine.

Chef will ask your preference to customize the ramen toppings.

1. Garlic 2. Veggie Volume 3. Fatty Lard volume 4. Extra flavoring.

Large L shaped counter seating...

Video of all the goodness of this heavy calorie ramen!

Here it is! Customized as... Little bit of Garlic, Little Bit Veggies 150 grams, Large portion of flavorful fatty lard! I didnt ask for the soup to be super flavorful as they just put a scoop of seasoning inside. Its super flavorful as is. 

2 Huge Chunks of CharSiu Pork! Soooo meaty!

Super thick chewy noodles... LIKE!

OMG! Sooo good yet soo bad for anyone on a diet.

So as for the new pricing system.  The basic ButaYama ramen is 900 yen for 125 grams of noodles or 950 yen for 250 grams.  125g is just too little for me and 250g too much! I usually max out at 180-200grams. This night I paid the extra 50 yen but did have left overs.  Since its always rather busy it may take about 10-15 minutes until the chef asks you about the way you want to customize.  They didn't speak Japanese to me so you can just say FUTSUU to the chef when he calls on you... which means standard topping.  Standard is 300 grams of boiled veggie topping, normal volume of fatty lard topping and normal flavoring.  Id probably skip the garlic topping as it can be quite overwhelming. 

Check out my February 2020 entry just before Covid and Ukraine.  Prices were much cheaper.

https://tokyobelly.blogspot.com/2020/02/nakano-station-butayama-pig-mountain.html

Restaurant: ButaYama Nakano Branch

Restaurant J: 豚山 中野店

Homepage: https://www.butayama.com/

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1319/A131902/13235889/

Address j: 東京都中野区中野5-54-4

Address E: 5 Chome-54-4 Nakano, Nakano City, Tokyo 164-0001

Google MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hq6PQxNKqfHuTm7E7

ラーメン, 二郎系ラーメン, 中野駅, Japan, Japanese, Ramen Jiro, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, ramen, tsukemen, Nakano Station, lunch, dinner, iphone 12 mini

OIZUMIGAKUEN: Chuka Soba (Ramen) KigaRa for perfection... wow 32 year old ramen owner chef makes an amazing bowl of Gyokai Ramen!! (iPhone 12 Mini)

I love ramen but attend to only try and eat it once in a while because its heavy on the carbs but on this day I was helping out a friend with some painting and he offered to take me out for some ramen lunch. We arrived to this hidden away ramen spot called KigaRa... think the Ra is for Ramen

Friend suggested I try the Gyokai (fish broth) Ramen 850 yen.

This is one of the most famous noodle makers in Tokyo that supplies so many ramen shops. 

Chef got a Trader Joes gift from his relative in the US.  I assumed he lived there.

Small table seating for only 6 people... I assume its due to social distancing.

Lots of great American hits on the BGM.

What a beauty!  A little portion of green veggies, purple onion and a slice of holy raddish?

The broth was my favorite heavy type that clings to the noodles... it was as good as it looked.  Absolutely loved this bowl and the noodles had a nice chewy texture.  We later talked to the chef and he was a very friendly younger guy... hope he expands to other areas in Tokyo! If  you dont mind the train ride and walk definitely go go!!

Restaurant: Chuka Soba Kigara (Kigala)

Restaurant J: 中華そば キガラ

Ramen Database: https://ramendb.supleks.jp/s/151574.html

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132103/13287353/

Address J: 東京都練馬区大泉学園町4-23-22

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Oizumigakuen-cho 4-23-22

Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LftumNASq3PUH1Jz8

ラーメン, 西武池袋線 大泉学園駅, 中華そば, 濃厚魚介そば, 醤油つけ麺 , 濃厚魚介つけ麺, Japan, Japanese, foodie, noodles, yelp, tokyobelly, iphone 12 mini, ramen, tsukemen, dipping noodles, oizumi gakuen, nerima, ikebukuro, 

OKINAWA NAHA: Ramen Danbo Hakata style ramen in Naha! Extremely popular with Asian Tourists... customization similar to Ichiran! (Sony RX100)

WOW! Quite the full house after Midnight.

If ever confused remember the top left corner is the Ramen Shops most basic and recommended item.  

Menu Link: https://ramendanbo.okinawa/menu/

Customization in Japanese: Noodle thickness, noodle texture, soup, green negi and level of soup flavoring.  

No Japanese dining here.

Free ice water in hot Okinawa.

The staff seemed to be from several Asian countries... I'm sure some are bilingual if you need some help.

If you need a part time job its 900-1,125 yen per hour here!  

There is a notice to customers in Japanese.  Many items are no longer available on the counter but you can request them: Garlic, pepper, gyoza sauce, toothpicks and tissue.  I totally didn't read this when I was there.  

Friends order..

My simple order. 

Tender slice of pork.

This was totally Fukuoka Style Hakata Ramen... very similar to Ichiran Ramen.  Japan has a huge variety of Ramen but anything from Fukuoka pretty much tastes the same.  Its like having Chicago Pizza in Chicago, Los Angles or New York... all the same.

https://tokyobelly.blogspot.com/search?q=hakata+ramen

During covid this place had very few customers but after travel restrictions were lifted the Southeast Asian crowd came back to enjoy the ramen here.  Mutekiya in Ikebukuro has the exact same loyal Asian customer base too: https://tokyobelly.blogspot.com/2015/07/ikebukuro-mutekiya-ramen-at-130am-and.html

Restaurant: Ramen Danbo Naha Makishi Branch

Restaurant J: ラーメン暖暮 那覇牧志店

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/okinawa/A4701/A470101/47001946/

Homepage: https://ramendanbo.okinawa/menu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danbo_okinawa/

Address J: 沖縄県那覇市牧志2-16-10

Address E: Okinawa-ken, Naha-shi, Makishi 2-16-10

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/rXCFB2HAh822goht6

暖暮 那覇牧志店 , DANBO だんぼ, ラーメン, ゆいレール美栄橋駅, 博多ラーメン, Japan, Japanese, foodie, ramen, noodles, chinese, fried rice, sony rx100, naha, okinawan, tokyobelly, yelp, foodie

FUKUOKA: Hakata Issou Nakasu for their slightly stinky Hakata-Ramen. 3.59pts on Tabelog! (Sony RX100M3)

When in Fukuoka you gotta try Hakata Ramen... locals don`t like Ichiran Ramen.

Arrived exactly when they opened at 7pm.. this place closes at 4am. I can only assume because its a huge red light district with host and hostess bars all over the place.

My Sony RX100M3 is having lens issue.... unfortunate.  

Tube of garlic! 

One chef and one waiter taking care of about 12 customers. 

SonyRX100M3 Blurry! Ugh. The most basic bowl of ramen 780 yen... if you want a boiled egg its an additional 100 yen then goes up from tere. 

Fortunately took a random photo with my iPhone X for insta... no blur!

I love this really stinky Tonkotsu ramen thats mostly found in Kyushu.  Soup had a great depth with slight stinkiness. 

Went with the medium boiled noodles that still had a nice al`dente texture. 

2 slices of thin char siu pork. 

The life of this ramen is 100% the soup.  There were multiple topping options for an added cost but I was just here for the slightly thick pork soup broth. 

See the sign over the shop... Sign for high hourly pay and hostess boys. 

Overall I really won`t be craving this ramen spot but the chef and staff were very friendly.  I was expecting something more stinky and addicting.  BUT! Its one of the more popular ramen spots in Fukuoka... perhaps more geared towards tourists?

Restaurant: Hakata Issou Nakasu Branch

Restaurant J: 博多一双 中洲店 

Tabelog Foodie: https://tabelog.com/fukuoka/A4001/A400102/40036823/

Address J: 福岡県福岡市博多区中洲2-6-6

Address E: 2 Chome-6-6 Nakasu, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 810-0801

MAP: https://goo.gl/maps/6KtHvbWLW5xTkZAY8

博多一双 中洲店, ラーメン、餃子, 中洲川端駅, 天神南駅, Japan, Japanese, foodie, yelp, tokyobelly, noodles, cheap, dinner, sony rx100m3, beer, gyoza, budget.