I went to Shimokitazawa for work. I had to visit a renowned restaurant that has been listed in the Bib Gourmand guide for seven consecutive years (2016-2022). I managed to enter without waiting in line at 12:45 on a weekday. Even now, there always seems to be a line of at least three people, according to the locals. I chose the "rich" ramen (¥970) somewhat arbitrarily and added a mayonnaise char siu rice bowl (¥250). As a novice, I only knew it was a famous restaurant, so what followed was a series of surprises. Firstly, the char siu had a taste somewhere between regular char siu and prosciutto. It was positioned right in the middle, and I wonder how many slices there were—maybe 7 to 8. It was truly shocking. The color was pink, and when pulled apart, it changed color due to the heat of the soup. Apparently, if you don't like this, you can request it to be served separately. The taste was like the saltiness of prosciutto combined with the texture and moistness of char siu. This goes beyond mere ramen—it's awe-inspiring. And then, the tsukune. It's surprising. It's made to complement the dish, but it's tsukune. The onions were also crunchy and good. The soup was incredibly rich, coating the noodles well, and even when eaten normally, it doesn't leave much behind. While the flavor is rich, it doesn't sit heavy in the stomach. The mayonnaise char siu rice bowl isn't like what you'd get at a regular ramen shop. It's finely diced but has the distinct flavor of "Koike's char siu" bowl. It's quite refreshing, maybe? Many people might opt for extra noodles (¥250) instead of the char siu rice bowl. A colleague ordered extra noodles, and it was truly a violent amount and way of eating, more noodles than in the first bowl, for sure. Wow, it's not just delicious—it's an amazing creation. Next time, I'll go for something lighter! Thank you for the meal. I'm stuffed!

I've never been to the nearest station to my parents' house, but decided to have ramen before going home. I headed out with my parasol and sunglasses, ready for action! But then I realized I didn't have my wallet in front of the ticket machine. What a comical moment, just like in "Sazae-san"! Later that evening, I went back with my parents for a rematch! (Coincidentally, it was Respect for the Aged Day.) When we arrived at the restaurant, I saw a familiar umbrella bag (it was mine). Seems like I'm more forgetful than my parents! (*´-`) We bought tickets from the machine for: - Shoyu ramen: ¥950 - Rich ramen: ¥970 - Sudachi dipping noodles: ¥1200 - Extra chashu: ¥350 - Mayo chashu rice: ¥250 - Asahi Super Dry ×2: ¥550 ×2 Total: ¥4820 We sat at the counter, the three of us, enjoying beer and delicious ramen. We definitely raised the average age in the restaurant! When I asked my parents which was their favorite, they all agreed on the rich ramen! It's the best match with beer! Looking around, I noticed many people were eating "Taiwanese mixed noodles," which seemed like a better match for beer. Next time, I'll have to try that! I made sure to log it on my food review app so I won't forget. For Respect for the Aged Day, I managed to show my filial piety in my own forgetful way by forgetting my wallet (and umbrella bag). Thanks for the meal! ★★★

I had tsukemen! It was delicious. The rare char was tasty, and the kelp-infused water was incredibly flavorful! Since coming here, I've tried various delicate and beautiful-looking ramen styles, but they didn't impress me much. However, the ramen here was delicious!

I had the boiled-down ramen. It was light and easy to eat, with no strong flavors. I thought it was decent, but personally, I felt it lacked a bit of punch. We went right after they opened, so there wasn't much of a line, and we got in easily.

I went to a restaurant for lunch on a weekday, looking forward to it after a long time. As I walked towards the restaurant, I saw two people standing in line, but they were actually smoking after eating, so I entered without waiting. Despite ordering quite late, my ramen came out immediately. Lucky me, I thought as I slurped the noodles, which seemed softer than before. The soup also tasted lighter... or maybe it was just my imagination. Since four servings came out at once, I couldn't help but wonder if those who ordered first were being made to wait. Are they running out of hot water? I couldn't help but think. The counter I was seated at still had cup marks... Taste can be influenced by one's health, so I'd like to give it another try.

Ramen Koike is about a 7-minute walk from Shimokitazawa Station! Visiting on a weekday night means no waiting in line, you can enter smoothly. I ordered the boiled fish ramen and mayo chashu rice. The soup is light and clear with a solid presence of boiled fish. It's so delicious that I ended up finishing every last drop of the soup. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

Boiled dried ramen costs 950 yen, an extra noodle refill is 250 yen, and a bottle of beer is 550 yen. It's great that I could enjoy ramen and beer within 2,000 yen. Recently, there are ramen bowls that cost around 1,500 yen, so maybe the ones I had before were too cheap. The soup and noodles are well-combined, with a clear and delightful soup. The extra noodle refill is delicious even on its own.

I visited the Bib Gourmand award-winning restaurant around 7:00 PM on a weekday and was able to get in smoothly. I ordered the Niboshi (dried baby sardines) ramen priced at 950 yen. Despite the appearance, the soup had a strong aroma and flavor of Niboshi, complemented by the sweetness and spiciness of raw onions and the crispiness of fresh pickled mustard greens. The light and smooth meatballs, along with the silky texture of the thin noodles, allowed for a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The well-aged Chashu, resembling ham, was thin but generously served with six slices, making me feel like I got a good deal. I had previously enjoyed the subtle spiciness of Sansho (Japanese pepper), and although it was not included this time, I still preferred the Niboshi flavor. I look forward to visiting again. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Thick Ramen with Mayonnaise Char Siu Rice, Extra Noodles, September is always a stable regular visit! Whether to make it a limited edition or go for Taiwan style, there are many choices, but standing in front of the ticket machine, I always opt for the reliable ramen. I always order the Mayonnaise Char Siu Rice too. Thank you for the meal.

On a typical weekday at 1:30 PM, there was no wait. However, even while eating, there was a constant flow of customers in and out. The place seems to be thriving. Instructions for eating the tsukemen were provided, so I started by eating it without dipping anything. Hmm, the soy sauce-flavored kelp broth is delicious, and it seems like I could just keep eating it as it is. Following the eating instructions, the next step is to try it with seaweed salt, but I resisted the temptation and instead squeezed sudachi citrus over the noodles. Oh, delicious! The generous portion of rare char siu on top of the noodles was a delightful surprise. I finished it in no time and then drank the remaining soup. Thanks for the meal!

The aroma of dried seafood filled the restaurant, and the light ramen was delicious. The staff were cheerful and friendly, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Many people were ordering extra noodles, and I can imagine they must be tasty! Although there was a lunchtime queue, it seems popular, so I look forward to the next visit.

I chose a light-bodied, clear soup ramen to fully enjoy the deliciousness of the broth. The aroma and flavor of the fish-based soup, paired with thin noodles and rare chashu, were all fantastic and delicious. I wanted to savor it more, so I added an extra serving of noodles. Next time, I'd like to try the rich and hearty option.

I had the rich flavor with seasoned egg ramen. First of all, the noodles were delicious! At this point, I felt the high quality. The firmness of the noodles was also perfect. The soup is rich but not too heavy, allowing the richness to come through nicely. The only slight disappointment was the seasoned egg. It was too standard, so I think enhancing the saltiness would help it blend better with the soup and noodles. Also, the egg was cold, so dipping it in hot water just before serving would be perfect.

I enjoyed a flavorful and rich ramen with seasoned soft-boiled egg. The soup was thick and packed with savory goodness, perfectly complementing the slurpy noodles. The vibrant and tender chashu was delightful. Many diners opted for extra noodles, each with their own timing preference, suggesting they were regulars. A regular portion was already quite filling!

I ordered the seasonal limited sudachi tsukemen. It was 1,200 yen. I added 50 grams of noodles for an extra 50 yen. I had it last year too, but I forgot about it until I saw reviews from others on Tabelog (a restaurant review website) and hurried to eat it. It's delicious as expected. The bonito broth is rich. Some reviews mentioned it was lukewarm, but maybe because it was a less busy time, the noodles were adequately cold. I followed the recommended way of eating. Among all the menu options, including the ones available all year round, I think this is the best. I'll definitely go eat it again.

After a business meeting, I went to Ramen Koike and ordered the cold dipping noodles for ¥1,200 because it was hot. There are different ways to eat it, but I found that adding salt and dipping it in the soup was the best. It was quite a surprising experience. Even if you're not a fan of dipping noodles, you can still enjoy it.

To Ms. Koike! I tried a limited edition cold dipping noodles. Chilled thin noodles come out soaked in kelp water. Eating them as they are, the kelp broth clings to the noodles, making them enjoyable even on their own. The cold dipping sauce with yuzu is also very delicious. However... When dipping the noodles and slurping them, I couldn't help but think of it as high-end somen with a good texture. Was it because the dipping sauce is cold or because the noodles are thin? That's what I thought.

You can enjoy very high-quality refreshing ramen here. It opens at 11 am, but there's often a line. They serve quickly, but waiting in the heat of summer can be tough. Weekday lunchtime might be the best bet. The topping, like the thinly sliced ham, is excellent.

【Ramen Koike】・Dried Fish Ramen ¥950Located along Koshu Kaido in Shimokitazawa, a flagship of the Koike Group, listed in the Tabelog Top 100. Previously featured in the Bib Gourmand. Around 11 o'clock, after having lunch and doing some shopping, I found myself feeling hungry again before heading home, so around 2 o'clock, I stopped by Koike. They had a summer limited edition dish called "Sudachi Hiya-hiya," which is chilled noodles with sudachi citrus dipping sauce, but since I had it last year, I opted for their classic dried fish soba, which I hadn't had in a while. It was my first time having regular dried fish soba in quite a while, and it was delicious with its subtly gentle broth. Slurping the noodles along with the chashu pork, chicken balls, spinach, and other toppings was pure bliss. Having Koike near my house is really convenient. #ShimokitazawaGourmet #RamenKoike #KoikeGroup #DriedFishSoba #PersonalGourmetMemoirs #FoodDiary

"At 12:30, waited for 120 minutes with 2 people, about a 5-minute wait. Hmm— The taste is not bad, but it's quite disappointing that the noodles aren't that cold. The soup is of the cold type with a watery kelp base. The noodles have a chewy texture. Towards the end, there's a soup mix-in, but it's warm in the cold soup. As a result, the soup ends up being lukewarm."

Arrived at Ramen Koike (Kamikitazawa) Summer Limited Edition Sudachi Chilled Ramen ~2023~ at 13:34, no wait for seating, the restaurant was full. In between work, I went to Kamikitazawa for a meal. Ordered: Summer Limited Edition Sudachi Chilled Ramen ~2023~ ¥1,200 Extra noodles +50g ¥50 Flavored egg topping ¥150 It's that time of the year again for Koike Group's Sudachi Chilled Ramen. The dish arrived at 13:42. The dipping noodles were refreshing with the vinegar and sudachi flavor. The flavored egg topping gave an extra boost of energy. Finished the meal quickly, it was delicious. Left the restaurant at 13:53, spending a total of 19 minutes. Restaurant review: Ramen Koike Group: 1. Ramen Koike (Kamikitazawa) 2. Chinese Soba Nishino (Hongomachi) 3. King Seimen (Oji) 4. Tsukemen Kinryu (Kanda) 5. Koikenoi Ekei (Sugamo) Tags: Tsukemen, Chilled Ramen, Ramen, Ramen Koike, Ramen Koike Brand, Kamikitazawa Gourmet, Kamikitazawa Ramen, Tokyo Ramen, Ramen Diary, Ramen Foodie, Ramen Tour, Ramen Instagrammer, Ramen Life, Noodle Life, Noodle Star, Noodlestagram, Noodle Instagrammer, Ramen, Noodles, Sudachi Chilled Ramen, Kombu Dashi Tsukemen