Review: Menya Kissou ★★★★★
If someone pressed me to choose the best ramen joint in the Tokyo area, I would be hesitant give a definitive answer. There are many styles and other factors that need to be determined, and I don’t really believe in there being a best of the best. That said, Menya Kissou would be at the top of the list for quality ramen.
Tsukemen Goodness
They specialize in making a fantastic tsukemen, which are dipping noodles. Basically, your ramen comes in two bowls; one with the dry noodles and the other with the broth. There is a lot to love about their tsukemen. For starters, the noodles are made on location. They are thick and chewy, really filling your mouth… and your belly. The soup is also thick, helping it stick to the noodles when you dip them in. It’s incredibly tasty and well balanced, with chunks for pork and onions. The shop also offers chashu, sliced pork, as an additional topping, which I highly recommend. It is a little pricey, but incredibly tender and packed with taste.
Even though Menya Kissou is way out on the east side of the city, in Koto-ku, it still draws loyal fans every day. With its limited hours and seating, which is typical for a ramen restaurant, expect long waits outside. Even in the rain, you can expect to see a line of people outside, umbrella in hand. For this reason, avoid coming between noon and 1pm. Either arrive at 11:15 to line up and beat the lunch rush, or come after 1:30pm. Even at 2pm on work day, there was still a steady stream of people coming, which is surprising. The wait will be shorter, but you’ll still be waiting a little. It’s always a good idea to bring a book to pass the time with.
Hot Noodles, Cold Owner
Do note that there is no English spoken at the shop by the staff. You will need to order and pay through a ticket machine. Unfortunately, the machine is only in Japanese. If you can’t read kanji, you will have to use a translation app on your smartphone, take a guess, or bring a friend to help you. Honestly, it’s not too hard to figure out which options are ramen by the price, with the ramen being around ¥1,000. after navigating the ticket machine, you’ll be home-free. Once you’re seated, you simply hand over the ticket and wait for your ramen. No need to chitchat.
Don’t expect any help, or warmness, from the staff. The owner doesn’t seem interested in attracting tourists, or foreigners for that matter. He’s quite curt and seems annoyed to ever hear English. He also doesn’t like people using their smartphones when seated, or taking photos. While I do think he’s a bit of a curmudgeon, his ramen speaks for itself and that’s the reason you should come.
You can act like a regular by grabbing a paper bib, a stack of which are located near the entrance, and making sure you throw away your napkins and bib in the trash can by the door when leaving.
While you’re here, why not check out some of other REVIEWS or TRAVEL WRITE UPS from around the world.
Contact & General Information
Price: Cheap
Hours: Tues/Thur/Fri/Sat/Mon 11:30am-3pm (Closed on Wed/Sun)
Website: Menya Kissou (Facebook) They don’t an official website, but you can find them on Facebook.
Location: Google
