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MENクライ (Men Kurai in Hamamtsucho, Tokyo)

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MENクライ

Men Kurai was one of the hottest, if not the hottest new shops of the last few years. If we are being honest, this one gets the highest rating from me. One of a few ten out of ten shops, when I finally decide to update my outdated five-point scale. Massive, hand-cut noodles that defy the norms. Intense seasoning in the mazesoba and rich broth in the shio ramen. Garlic for days.

The shop is the 2nd from the guys behind Chukasoba Waka. This is surprising, as that flagship shop does a refined shoyu ramen. While the first shop is known for their soup, the second is known for their men.

The kodawari here is mostly about the noodles. Mochi hime (もち姫) brand flour is kneaded and left to rest overnight. The dough is then hand cut before boiling. This means thick, uneven noodles with a unique chewiness.

Mochi hime (lit. chewy princess) is a bit of a trend these days. It’s considered a rare flour, but if you frequent top-level ramen shops, you’ll encounter it often.

They are also using uwachu (岩中) brand pork, another premium product that many top shops swear by. Here, it’s marinated and cooked in a hangar-style oven.

The usual suspects beat me to the shop. Better late than never.

The menu has changed a bit since I first went here (with my camera). The niboshi ramen is out and shio ramen is in. I’ve tried them all and the quality is certainly there, but the one I keep returning to is the aburasoba (油そば). A special organic white soy sauce is used in the tare seasoning. Shichifuku in Aichi Prefecture ages their soy sauce for around half a year using a technique that makes an almost clear soy sauce. Historically, this was used for light miso soup, but ramen shops have taken to using it when they want something more clear and refined. White soy sauce tends to be sweeter, a nice contrast to these intense noodles.

The extra roasted garlic topping is a bit much, so order at your own risk.

Official Twitter here.

 

 

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