there is ramen

Rarely does a restaurant’s name so succinctly encapsulate its menu offerings. But sure enough, at Ogikubo ramen restaurant there is ramen, there is, indeed, ramen. And frankly, there is not much else. A smattering of additional toppings aside, the ticket vending machine out front only lists four menu options: ramen, ramen with chashu (braised pork belly), ramen with ajitama (seasoned eggs), and ramen with seasoned eggs and chashu. But what ramen it is. Exploding with umami, the soup is noted for its strong iwashi (dried sardine) flavor, which is then offset by the rich, fatty pork and dash of oil atop each bowl. Perhaps ironically for a restaurant that so strongly builds its identity on ramen, the “self-chashu don” is also highly recommended by regulars — in essence, an additional order of chashu placed atop rice that guests have to make themselves, but they are only too happy to do so. Having only been active since October 2022, there is ramen is one of the fastest restaurants to ever receive the Michelin Bib Gourmand. But it shouldn’t come as any surprise — even long before its induction into the Michelin Guide, the line out front often spanned several blocks, and is only getting longer as word gets out. Michelin Guide: 2024 - Bib Gourmand