Roku-Rinsha （六厘舎）

The first time Daniel and I came across Roku-Rinsha in Ramen Street of the Tokyo Station, we didn't even think about waiting an hour for tsukemen. It definitely lingered in our minds afterwards though, 'What if it's really good?'. Well, you know us! We went back and stepped into the line waiting to see what the hype was about. 

45 minute lines don't stop us from eating 

Decisions, decisions!

Aji-Tama Tsukemen 味玉つけめん
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Standard Size: 950 yen (plus 200 yen for XL noodles)

It was a really unique flavor, first of all I think it was one of the first times I've had fish broth soup for tsukemen! It was really rich and the aroma of fish stock definitely made its presence. Tsukemen noodles tend to be a lot thicker/chewier than ramen noodles so it tangled well with such a rich soup. The only downside was that the colder it got, the fishier and less appealing it became. Lesson learnt; you've gotta have it while it's hot! -Mari

Mari basically stole the words out of my mouth. I loved the taste, but it did get fishy as it got colder. - Daniel

Fish stock broth with all the condiments at the bottom.

Slurpy slurp slurp.

So we want to ask, who did a better job of using their paper bib?

Ichiran (一蘭)

Ichiran is not just any ramen restaurant. It offers private booths to maximize the focus of just you and the hot bowl of ramen. You are given a list of options for the ramen (hardness of the noodles, thickness of the broth, level of spice etc.) so that you can have the ramen exactly how you like it. Lines are usually long especially during the afternoon or dinner time, but service is fast so you won't be waiting longer than 15 minutes till you're seated. It's just you and your ramen bowl from there.

Focus on the ramen and only the ramen

Tonkotsu Ramen
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780 yen

This is how I always want my ramen to be, thick noodles, pork broth soup,  and with just the right amount of Ichiran's famous 'red sauce'. -Mari 

I copied Mari with almost all the options, but I got medium noodles instead. The ramen was amazing. The little kick given from the red sauce and the rich taste of the pork broth gave it an awesome flavor. The noodles weren't too soft or too hard, and the char siu was extremely tender. - Daniel Hess

Are you hungry yet?

We couldn't get enough of these char siu slices!

Slurping noodles in Japan shows appreciation towards the food- you gotta do it! 

OVERALL

Ichiran is one of those restaurants that welcomes people who want to eat ramen alone in peace. It's definitely a must go if you're in town and want to experience a totally unique eating environment. It's not often you get to really focus on your food and its flavors when you're eating with company. Not to mention all you introverts out there, it's perfect! -Mari

Amano-Ya（天野屋）

We're back! 

We totally get that we've been lacking on blog posts the past couple of weeks.. I've been settling into my new classes at university and Daniel's been super busy getting himself into activities and such for September! Of course excuses are for losers- so we'll stop there.

Kanda Myoujin (shrine) symbolizes the authentic beauty and culture of Japan. It's a sweet getaway for small prayers in the middle of a bustling city with modern technology, and of course, a bite to eat.  

If this isn't serenity, then what is?

Kuzu Mochi
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450 yen

 So. Good. This is truly a Japanese dessert/tea time snack that you have to have if you're here. It's healthy and naturally sweet. The brown powder you see is called 'Kinako', and it's a roasted soybean powder commonly used in sweets in Japan. It's better when drenched with 'mitsu', the brown sugar syrup.  -Mari

Mix Mochi (Nori Mochi left, Kinako Mochi right)
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650 yen

The mix mochi plate was the dish that made this snack break perfect. The nori mochi was really simple, but it was delicious. The kinako mochi was perfect in every way possible. The roasted soybean powder coated the warm, soft, chewy mochi impeccably and gave it the most divine taste. - Daniel

Snack times are the best times

OVERALL

Amano-Ya is always a great place to stop for a snack. The interior is decorated with a variety of interesting antiques from Japan and has a very cozy, relaxing atmosphere. One wall also opens up to their garden, which is therapeutic to just look at and escape to from the city life. - Daniel