I don't really want to share about this place. Compared to Ichiran with outlets in almost every state and more, this is really a hole in the wall but this hole beats* them hands down.
This small restaurant was so good we went there twice, once on the first day and for our last dinner in Japan. It definitely spoilt our tastebuds for Ichiran since we had it on the first day. Had I known of its awesomeness, I wouldn't have put it on our first day too. Similarly, I don't want to hype this and raise your expectations so ridiculously high. I'll let the pictures do the talking in just a minute.
Ramen #2, Chashumen, with about 6-7 pieces of chashu as thick as an iPhone 4 (don't ask me why, I just needed a good general measure of thickness). Some of my friends ordered #1 which had different ingredients.
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| It has Spring Onion (which I dislike), less chashu, bamboo shoots (brown mess in the middle and also kailan! And Ajitamago |
The above is Ramen #1 Nikutamen. The soup base tastes the same for the two ramen I introduce here!
I ordered the Chasumen twice because chashu is love, chashu is life. Both visits I added a Aji-tamago, flavoured egg. In the first visit we also ordered Gyoza, their house specialty which isn't anything special though.
Now, here's the real kicker, you'd think that eating good stuff in Japan is expensive right?
NOPE.
This bowl of insane goodness is still cheaper than Ippudo Singapore, at 100x the satisfaction.
Chashumen ~ 1130JPY ~ 13.13SGD
Nikutamen ~ 1050JPY ~ 12.20SGD
They have an 8% GST, but IIRC, no service charge.
I feel like we'd all be familiar with the general feeling that ramen is supposed to give. Slurping bowl of warm umami goodness especially after spending time in the cooler outdoors? Okay, now we're on the same page.
I think that one of my best memories of this has got to be the fact that it was THE meal of the day. We had a long day and were quite disappointed at the Pokemon Center. We took off earlier but still had to wait for dinner and none of us knew how good this place was at ramen until we all got our bowls.
That first bite was pretty heavenly. I had never imagined that chashu could melt in my mouth, because it was firm to the touch, resisted my crappy chopstick skills and I thought it was going to be like other chashu in Singapore. Tough and overcooked if thick and terribly teeny and flaky if it was too small. And I remained in that bliss, I don't think anyone of us stopped slurping other than to exclaim how incredible this bowl was. It did get a bit overwhelming nearer to the end of my meal but nothing some water and a scoop of condiments wouldn't solve. As a big eater for a girl, it was a teeny challenge to finish the noodles and I didn't slurp up all the soup.
The condiments come in a row in front of the counter before you, I added the 'Takana pickles with mustard' for a little spicy taste like we're used to back at home. They also offer water and tea free of charge. I would recommend you to have some water, during meal and have some tea after to clear the throat. You WILL get a food coma because the portion is very satisfying.
Details
Japanese Address: 〒169-0051 東京都豊島区南池袋1-17-1崎本ビル1F
English Address: 1-17-1, Minami Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Operating Hours: 10:30am - 4:00am (following day)
Nearest Subway station: Ikebukuro Station
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| Click: Directions from Ikebukuro Station |
Mutekiya definitely gets crowded during meal times, so my advice is avoid peak meal times like 6pm, 7pm. Instead, try to arrive just ahead of the crowd at 5.45pm where the queue could be much shorter and you will get to enjoy your meal pretty soon.
More coming up, stay tuned!
xx wj
*Obligatory Disclaimer: The views expressed of this author remains wholly and solely her own. At the point of writing, she has paid for all meals and will not wilfully withhold sponsorship/payment details from readers.*
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