IKEBUKURO: Ramen Ichiran for breakfast! Oh man... the sun is up :(

Monja... Drinks at a tiny Mama-san bar... Karaoke... and we close out a very very long night out at 24hr Ramen Ichiran in Ikebukuro.  

Ramen starts at 790yen

You can customize your ramen with a whole list of options~.  Practice your Hiragana!

The shop is U shaped and within the "U" is the kitchen...

Peeking thru my window to see the opposite side... notice the little window thats open... there's a customer sitting in there.

And so my ramen arrives thru the little window.

There it is!  Unfortunately I don't really remember how good or bad this ramen was.

Just an FYI post if you are in need of a 24hr ramen spot. Ramen score is a very reasonable 3.37pts on Tabelog.  There are shops all over Japan.  

Shop: Ramen Inchiran - Ikebukuro East Branch

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramen.ichiran

Ichiran Website: http://www.ichiran.co.jp/index_hp.html

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1305/A130501/13019994/

Address J: 東京都豊島区東池袋1-39-11 サニーサイドビル

Address E: Tokyo, Toshima-ku, Higashi Ikebukuro 1-39-11
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HOYA: Inoshow Ramen... RED RED HOT!

My ramen King friend Kenta was craving Inoshows spicy red ramen... seems the small franchise is known for this particular special.

The different types of Spicy ramen... they also serve regular ramen or tsukemen.

http://tokyobelly.blogspot.jp/2012/11/hoya-inoshow-ramen-11212012-grand.html

3 different spice levels: Normal, less spicy and less less spicy.  Ordered the less spicy for myself. 

Kenta went for the Spicy and he was hurting but there seems to be an addictive quality to this soup.  

The noodles were flat and on the very al'dente side.  Not quite what I prefer but very filling.  Char-siu pork a bit on the dry side.

Free water and extra spice!

Very fashionable interior for a Ramen shop

I didn't dare try to drink any of my soup... perhaps next time.

Seasonable white soup ramen.

After being spoiled by the massive 650yen quantities at Ramen Dai and Ramen Jiro its hard to justify paying 850yen for a normal ramen.   If you like spicy then it might be a nice option for you... clean environment and attentive staff.  

Shop: Inoshow Ramen

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1328/A132801/13149754/

Address J: 東京都西東京市東町3-14-5 エミオ保谷 1F

Address E: Tokyo, Nishi Tokyo Shi, Higashi Machi 3-14-5, EMIO Hoya 1F
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KICHIJOJI: Ramen ZERO... Jiro'esque or Tetsu'esque your choice :)

I've always randomly spotted franchise Menya ZERO1 here and there in Tokyo but never ventured inside... not much of a franchise ramen guy I guess.  

But at 2:30am all the highly ranked ramen spots in Kichijoji were closed... so the cold forced us to stop trekking around in the dark and check out Zero1.  Staring at the Japanese menu for a while when the Ramen Chef hit us up with a....

English Menu!  Nice nice.  Started with a 300yen beeru.

My View of the kitchen... L shaped counter seating.

I went for the basic "Hearty Ramen Dish" that looked so similar to Ramen Jiro and Ramen Dai... A ramen guru friend mentioned that this style of ramen was booming.  Flavor was light compared to Jiro/Dai but it hit the spot.  Side order of Garlic is free...    And my friend ordered the "New Improved Bonito Flake Tsukemen Noodles with Tonkatsu (pork)" and the soup tasted just like my favorite Roppongi Hills location Ramen TETSU.   Think I like his better.

Overall it hands down beat most of the franchise shops that are open late into the night... most of which I regret eating the next morning due to poor foodie rankings.  But if like thick chunky noodles with a heavy broth then this ZERO1 Franchise is a great place to try!

Shop: Men-ya ZERO 1 (Kichijoji Branchi).

Shop website: http://www.zeroichi.jp/menu/index.html

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1320/A132001/13095470/

Address J: 東京都武蔵野市吉祥寺南町1-5-3

Address E: 

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NERIMA: Isshi Ramen for a bit of Exile BGM and "Ippudo-esque" Noodles

On the hunt for a ramen shop that doesn't close pre-midnight in Nerima and came across Isshi.  Probably one of the most visually appealing ramen exteriors ever.

Open til 6am... phew.

Osusume was the Tonkotsu-Black-Ramen 750yen. 

Onigiri's on deck.  One thing I noticed was the Exile BGM and the friendly Ramen Chef kinda looked like he could be one of the guys in this popular Japanese all guy group.

Free toppings

The only question that will be asked is how you like your noodles.

Friend mentioned its very similar to Ippudo Ramen

If you "LIKE" their Facebook page and then you can get a free topping... slice of Char-sui, egg and a few others.  Went for an extra half of egg.

FB LINK to the Isshi Page.

Very flavorful charsiu

And if you want a refill of noodles "Kaedama" its just 100 yen.  Overall the ramen was quite boring and volume lacking compared to most spots... it just didn't do it for me and later looking at the foodie ranking of "3.00 points" I realized many others felt the same.  But I think this place could be easily a hit with the ladies with Exile BGM playing and super friendly Exile looking ramen chef.  Mostly counter seating but there are a few tables in the back for couples.

Ramen Shop: Ishii Ramen

Shop Website: http://nerima-isshi.com/

Foodie Website:  http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132102/13137646/

Address J: 東京都練馬区豊玉北5-17-1

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Toyotamakita 5-17-1

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EKODA: Nanten for 600yen Special "Gyu-Kotsu Ramen" beef bone soup base.

Was craving some 650yen monstrous Ramen Jiro but closed on Sundays... so my walk took me all the way to Ekoda on a hunt for a new ramen shop and well... this 600yen "Gyu (beef) Kotsu (bones)" ramen stopped me in my tracks.  Plus the threw in an flavored egg too.  I gotta say I've always been curious about the surfing pig painting.

Different Ramen selections.

The Chef must really really like Reggae... playing the whole time on BGM.

Only 1 guy on deck on a slow Sunday night.  The seating is sandwiched between the kitchen and entrance and I just felt this stare the whole time during my ramen.

Toppings

I can say its a pretty ramen but the small bowl really did throw me off.  There was quite a bit in there.

There's a western familiarity to the broth... reminded me of American soup... quite possibly french onion soup but more like Consommé Soup .  Flavor lingered for a while thinking there was an added dose of MSG to the mix.  

Noodles were very al'dente and quite thick... lacked the chewiness that I'm nuts about.

The initial impression was not too bad but as I got half way the saltiness (MSG?) just got me unusually thirsty.  First time ever to have Beef Broth ramen vs Tonkotsu (Pork) or Seafood based broth.  I probably won't ever go back here but with a University facing the shop there is always a nice crowd inside.  Service was friendly but he does like to stare.

Walked past Nanten on 4/11/2013 and the exterior was cluttered with random menu items.  I think this place may have changed owners... hmm....

Restaurant: Nanten

Foodie Website: http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1321/A132101/13111919/

Address J: 東京都練馬区栄町10-3

Address E: Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Sakaecho 10-3
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