渡なべ

Lovingly called Baba by the locals, Takadanobaba is an area that I should really spend more time eating in. The now snoozing Ramenate covered the place quite well, when he was here, and I always felt like I could search further afield for quality slurping.

What a horrid thought! Baba is still a ramen battle zone, and a shop like Watanabe is a clear victor. What’s so special about this one? It is another in a long line of thick tonkotsu gyokai soups, a trend that has become something of a mainstay in Tokyo ramen. What makes this one stand out?

Look at that menma! Pickled bamboo shoot does not apply as a proper translation here. The thing is a brick; and there are two more buried under all those noodles. Quite excellent. Tougher than your average, but tender enough to eat without a fork and knife.