かれー麺実之和

After meeting with my lawyer (long story) I opened the checklist of ramen shops and happened to be not too far from Minowa.

The odd, midday hour left the popular ramen shop almost completely empty. I assume, since ramen is a bit of a rarity in the Roppongi area, that this shop picks up late at night. Apparently they are open until sunrise. There is an extensive alcohol menu that backs up my theory.

Asskicking hot? Against my better judgment I went with the spiciest thing on the menu.

And, yes, it was brutal.

This was a tough bowl to get through. Admittedly, I only got about 2/3 of the way. The sheer amount of capsaicin is enough to flavor 50 bowls of tantanmen. But as the temperature cools, and the body adapts, this turned out to be a tasty bowl indeed. As for the flavor, I guess pork and fire are the best words. Nothing subtle was able to make it past the heat. Any hints of fish or obscure vegetables were lost in fiery translation.

They do have a regular version as well.

My list of ramen shops is sometimes a mystery. I couldn’t recall why I had jotted down Minowa in my Tokyo street atlas. Later I remembered an old youtube video I had seen about the hottest ramen in Tokyo. Sure enough, Minowa makes a spot about 7 minutes in.

When a TV show in Japan films people eating ramen, they are required to give an overreaction. You won’t be screaming for mercy but will feel the heat. Be warned. When you make a challenge of eating, the enjoyment is often lost.

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東京都港区六本木 3-13-8
Tokyo, Minato-ku, Roppongi 3-13-8
Closest station: Roppongi

Open 11:00-31:00 (I guess that means 7am)
Sundays 18:00-23:30

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

実之和 (Minowa in Roppongi)

九秀 (Kushu in Hatagaya)

中村屋 (Nakamuraya in Ebina)

坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima)

実之和 (Minowa in Roppongi)

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九秀 (Kushu in Hatagaya)

中村屋 (Nakamuraya in Ebina)

坂内食堂 (Bannai Shokudo in Kitakata, Fukushima)