Ramen Yamatoki — Restaurant in Tokyo

On a balmy Sunday morning early in July, I took the Sibo train from Shinjuku to Koenji station, exiting the station using South Exit, then hung a left and walked parallel to the train tracks for about 5 minutes. Crossed the big road and at Yamazaki hung a right and walked a couple mins more. Arrived at the shop at 10:42am and was first to get online. I started waiting by the front door, but after a short while the lady worker emerged and told me to wait on the other side of the sidewalk. That worked out better, as I could sit on the railing...out of the bright sun. At 11:11am there were 11 people waiting in line. And then at 11:17am the nice lady emerged, and hung the Noren up above the door, signifying they are open and ready for business! And I was ready to eat. But first...had to order from the vending machine.

I ordered the "特製らぁめん" which is their special SOY SAUCE based ramen for 1400 yen. I love these type of wavey noodles, so ordered large size [ 大盛り ] for extra 150 yen. And as you guessed, had to try their Pork Belly Rice Bowl [ バラチャシ ュー丼 ] for 350 yen.

Sat down at the counter, gave my tickets to the lady, and 5 minutes later...it was show time! The bowl the ramen came out was almost majestic, with a plethora of wavey noodles that were just itching to get eaten. As expected, the ramen was delicious, the noodles outstanding, and the chashu sublime. I am so happy I ordered the large size- these noodles were so springy and chewy, I was enjoying every single bite. The aji-tama was very flavorful as well.

The Pork Belly rice bowl didn't disappoint and even reminded me kind of like the beef you get in Taiwan Beef Noodle soup. When I finished, I was satisfied, and know I made the right choice to come out and try this delicious ramen that made Tablelog's Hyakumeiten (百名店) list for 2024 (and priori years as well). This place should be on your list to visit as well!

Thank you for a wonderful and...

Very, very good ramen. I arrived around 11:10 and was the third person in line. The shop opened to patrons a bit early which was nice. Ordering is done through a kiosk. I don't speak/read Japanese so rely on Google translate to take photos of menus and translate but the glare is such that this service didn't work well. If you find yourself in this situation, order the "special ramen" which is the top left button. This is probably what you are expecting to order and it is delicious! See photo for the special ramen. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant - you will not be...

① Restaurant Features Only 8 seats at the counter, and you can get in without waiting in line around 1:30 pm on weekdays. ②How to order: Purchase a meal ticket from the ticket vending machine at the entrance. ③Payment method Cash only

◎Special Salt Ramen The mildness of the soup will win you over. The chicken and seafood soup has no sharp edges and can be drunk indefinitely. The noodles are flat and frizzy with a wonderful texture. The pork topping is thick yet tender and carefully prepared. The overall strength of this ramen is...