大塚屋

I wrote my goodbyes to Kururi in 2015, when I managed to make it for one of their last bowls ever. It was one of my favorite miso ramen spots in Japan. Simply amazing. It was ranked number one on some list somewhere, a list that inspired me to start Ramen Adventures.

Well, the space has been reopened as Otsukaya, serving a bowl that is related to Kururi, yet very different.

Ramen or tsukemen are your choices. A placard outside describes their soup as ドロドロ系辛みそ; mega-thick spicy miso.

I need a word stronger than mega. Colossal? Monumental? Insane?

This stuff is intense. The miso tastes like it was derived from Kururi’s, and then rendered down with spice until you can stand a pair of chopsticks upright in it (which you should never do in Japan). The spice isn’t too crazy, but I couldn’t finish this one due to the thickness.

It’s worth a visit if you are a big ramen nerd, but for others, you might want to think twice. What a shame.

東京都新宿区市谷田町3-2
Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Ichigaya Tamachi 3-2
Closest station: Ichigaya

Open 11:00-15:30, 17:00-21:00
Closed Sundays

Ramen Adventures

Ramen Shop Reviews from Japan and Abroad

大塚屋 (Otsukaya in Ichigaya)

田なか Second (Tanaka Second in Akihabara)

築一 (Tsukiichi in Ginza)

大塚屋 (Otsukaya in Ichigaya)

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田なか Second (Tanaka Second in Akihabara)

築一 (Tsukiichi in Ginza)