希望軒 (Kibou-ken Shinjuku)

While on the lookout for part time work I looked out for a good ramen shop to eat away post interview stress. With the help of tabelog I found an excellent spot not so far from Shinjukusanchome station. 希望軒 (Kibou-ken) is part of a small chain which offers several varities of ramen like tonkotsu and miso. I was drawn to this shop because of the following image:

WOW! Who wouldn't want a bowl of ramen lined with meat, other than of course some of my very nice vegetarian friends. When I arrived I paged through their menu with the help of an enthusiastic and friendly Ramen chef. Yes, they have an actual menu, and not just a ticket machine like most shops! I could tell he was used to tourists coming in and seemed well rehearsed in giving me an English tour of their offerings:

Based on the image above I decided that I couldn't pass up the sesame miso ramen. It looked fantastic! While the chef made my bowl and many others for his hungry customers he made small talk with me. Usually I am quite shy with my Japanese language skills but he made me feel at ease so we learned a little bit about eachother. I really appreciate such a friendly warm atmosphere. As he was chatting with me, he put the finishing touches on my bowl. In one deft motion he sliced an egg with fishing line and served up my order. He seemed to be waiting for a response, and I didn't disappoint. Immediatley looking up from my meal with a smile I said oishii (delicious)!! He was very pleased with my reaction, which was a genuine reaction to a wonderful bowl of ramen.

The base was delicate but flavorful, one of the best miso ramens I have had to date, having a subtle sesame flavor. Its egg was well seasoned and cooked perfectly. Some shops serve the egg cold, but this one was warm, which I prefer. All of the toppings (bean sprouts, pork, green onion) were done to perfection. I also really appreciate shops that offer fresh peeled garlic on the table that you can squeeze into your bowl with a garlic press. Everything about Kibouken was a delight, from the warm atmosphere to the delcious ramen, so If you are near Shinjuku station head over to Shinjukusanchome. It's only about a ten minute walk. I really want to go back! おいしかった、またきます!!! 5/5

Links to both their facebook, official website, and tabelog, as well as the map:

初代 けいすけ 品川店

Recently I had a meeting in Shinagawa station and afterward decided to check out Shinatatsu Ramen Street/Ramen Alley. This is a strip of ramen shops outside of the west exit of Shinagawa station. All of these shops are part of larger chains that have gained notoriety for one reason or another:

The line for Tetsu was too long, as it is the most popular shop in Ramen Alley, so I decided to try Shodai Keisuke:

Ramen Alley is a bit of tourist trap, but Keisuke has been written about positively on TimeOut Tokyo. It was obvious that I try the famed black miso ramen. When my ramen arrived I was excited because it looked beautiful, a delicate topping of saffron, perfectly cooked egg, a generous portion of pork, menma (bamboo shoots), and ribboned negi (green onion):

Toppings, no matter how beautiful or delicious, do not make the bowl. What makes the best bowl is the base, and I am sad to say the black miso base of the ramen at Shodai Keisuke is seriously lacking. The black miso, which looks more green than black, had a muddy flavor. Muddy is not a desirable quality in ramen (for me at least) and it was such a shame because the toppings were done perfectly. The only redeeming flavor factor was the hearty helping of shansho (sichuan pepper). The pepper couldn't save it, but it did help. I might revisit this shop and try a different base, but it won't be any time in the near future. I did enjoy their laminated booklets that featured the owner Keisuke Takeda in cartoon form and other locations of his shops:

The atmosphere was warm and friendly and this is the only place on Ramen Alley that has an English menu, so it might be worth a stop for anyone at Shinagawa waiting on a shinkansen. If you go try something that's not the black miso ramen and let me know if you liked it! From me it gets a 2/5.

<<Click>> for their site, and here's a handy map: