鶏そば 三歩一 (Torisoba Sanpoichi)

Takadanobaba (Baba for short) is a ramen hub written about many times on many other ramen blogs, but I still haven't been able to explore the area properly. I was visiting a friend who attends Waseda this week and knew it was my perfect chance to try some of the ramen that Baba had to offer. But where to start?! There are an abundance of shops. However we were quite famished so the closer to the station the better and decided on 鶏そば 三歩一. Ok, so my Japanese, especially kanji reading skills are not the best so the rough translation for 鶏そば 三歩一 is Torisoba Sanpoichi If anyone has a better suggestion please let me know! As we were ordering a friendly staff member asked us if we needed any help. But we said we were OK and took a seat.

After we took our seats we noticed that this shop makes its own noodles. This is impressive, as I have been told that most shops order their noodles directly from companies after specifying the size and shape. It is indeed soba, but a soba that's so fine! The noodles really are a very good delicate buckwheat, techinically soba, but served ramen style. We watched the noodle making process while we waited for our bowls.

I ordered thick cut chicken with negi and green onion toppings as well as a side of egg noodles. I had to wait for my extra egg noodles to arrive, but it was totally worth it because I was able to dump them into my left over stock. I found that they had a richer flavor than the regular noodles and believe them to be the highlight at Chicken Soba. The base was light but not complex and slightly on the bland side, but I did really enjoy their thick chicken slices which were juicy, tender, and plentiful. I added some spice and felt a little more satisfied with the base. They certainly had a lot of fans waiting outside and so this kind of delicate stock must be a hit. But I think it's probably the egg noodles because I saw more than one serving go out! Torisoba gets a 4/5 because of a bland base balanced out by great chicken and a friendly atmosphere. I can't wait to visit more shops in the Baba area!

Tabelog and Map!

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: