Menya Ryo — Restaurant in Tokyo

🍜 特製ラーメン / tokusei ramen 🇯🇵 麺家 龍〜Ryo〜 / menya ryo / ogikubo, tokyo 🗓️ 07/09/2024

(@wei.oframen on ig for my ramen adventure 😚)

First Iekei this trip woah! Ryo ranked #1 in the 23-24 TRY magazine ranking for Newcomer Tonkotsu. I gotta say that they have top-notch customer service. I actually tried to hit this shop a week before but they were closed to install additional ACs to ensure a comfy experience for the summer. On my second try, I arrived and joined a queue of about 10 deep. One staff constantly came out to check on us and urged us to get their free iced hojicha to cool down under the gazing sun. The second time that he came out, he also brought each of us a freezing-cold towel. When I came in for the ramen, they seemed to advertise themselves as the next generation of Iekei with their modern decor. I don't know if my perception of Iekei was skewed because again, it was the first Iekei in a while. However, I think it was truly delicious. I love the medium-thickness flat-ish noodles in this broth. You might want to order extra of their fragrant roasted chashu as well to eat it with rice as rice is free and you can...

特製ラーメン - Tokusei Ramen キクラゲ - Wood ear mushroom

In the last year, this has become one of my absolute favorite ramen spots. If you like Iekei style, it’s a must-try. If you haven’t tried it before, you should. This Iekei uses tonkotsu as a base, I believe, and the flavor is rich but not overwhelming.

The Nori texture is great, the broth is excellent, the noodles are short and bouncy, and the toppings are generous. Don’t get me started on the chashu. It’s got the perfect flavor and texture to complement the bowl and it’s amplified even more by soaking in the broth. I usually get the extra Kikurage (wood ear mushroom) because I like the texture it adds.

The thing that sets this place apart (aside from the delicious food) is the friendly service. I’ve gone enough times that more than one me ever of staff remember my preferences (okonomi) and can rattle it off to me before I say anything! And not just that, they make an effort to take care of all their customers, not just their regulars, with a warm, approachable vibe.

Thank you always and I’m sure I’ll...

Incredible. While I’m no expert on Ie-kei ramen, I noticed most shops tend to stick with traditional style of making the soup and ramen. This shop seems to not shy away from adding a modern spin.

The smoky char siu - incredible taste that also permeates throughout the soup. Speaking of the soup—really, really well balanced and not overly salty. The toppings in general were on point and that egg? Cooked to perfection with liquid gold spewing out…amazing.

Oh, the noodles were modern...