Chukasoba Ito

Don't judge a book by its cover, and similarly, don't judge a ramen's quality by its simplistic appearance. While Chukasoba Ito has a minimalist appearance, its flavor is anything but. Despite its seeming simplicity, the broth here is deep and rich. There are only two items on the menu: soba and niku soba. The first option is just a plain bowl of ramen, while the other includes pork chashu. The pared-down nature of it is what allows the individual aspects of the ramen bowl to shine. The soup is made of a broth combination of dried sardines, dried bonito, and kombu kelp simmered on very low heat to get the perfect golden tint. The handmade noodles are made thin and flat. No preservatives are added to any of the ingredients, so as well as being extremely delicious, these are also healthier than your average ramen noodle soups. The chef behind these brilliantly crafted bowls has truly mastered every aspect of the art of ramen. Getting to this former Michelin Bib Gourmand holder — two years in a row! — is slightly more difficult, with the closest train station being Oji-Kamiya Station on the Namboku Line, and even then it's a 16-minute walk from there. Nonetheless, the reward of rich, complex broth is very much worth it.