"Specially made Laa-Men Soy Sauce ¥1,700, Char-grilled Pork Rice ¥400 [Process until serving] - 7:44 Arrival, joined the queue as the 11th person - 8:50 Started registration, secured the 12th spot at 10:00 - 9:55 Revisited - 10:00 Entered the restaurant - 10:06 Served from 10:06 to 10:27 Visited the top-ranked restaurant in Tokyo and the third in the country, known for its extreme popularity and difficulty in securing a spot. This was my first attempt, precisely a few months after narrowly missing the chance due to not registering in time. Ordered the special soy sauce ramen and char-grilled pork rice. The soup is a traditional soy-based broth with the aroma of chicken oil. The richness increases as you progress, with the fats from the pork slices melting into the soup. The sharpness of the seasoning prevents it from becoming too heavy, allowing for a smooth and enjoyable experience. The noodles are thin, straight, whole wheat noodles, cooked to a slightly soft texture by default. The smooth texture of the noodles complements the soup well, indicating a careful consideration of the match between the two. The toppings are extravagant, featuring various parts of pork and even two types of shrimp along with chicken. The seasoned egg is also perfect. The char-grilled pork rice speaks for itself in terms of flavor. The yolk is not placed on top but mixed in, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail. An impeccably crafted dish without any shortcomings or compromises. The restaurant's ranking as the top in Tokyo and the third nationwide is well-deserved. Thank you for the wonderful meal."

Visited Ramenya Shimasan in Nishi-Shinjuku. Had their special soy sauce ramen, featuring smooth thin noodles in a rich soup made from chicken and soy sauce. It came with five types of roasted pork, two types of wontons, egg, and truffle. Truly delicious, as expected from this popular Tokyo spot. Unfortunately, their tsukemen was not available. #RamenyaShimasan

・[Shop Name] Raamenya Shima [Nearest Station] 2-minute walk from Nishi-Shinjuku Station [Budget] 1700 yen Raamenya Shima operates only during weekday afternoons. They serve a maximum of 60 meals per day, making it quite a challenging place to get into. I lined up at 8:30 a.m. and they started taking reservations at 9:00 a.m. I was number 26 in line. I returned around 11:35 a.m., having lined up again around 11:15 a.m. I managed to enter the shop around 11:40 a.m. ⭐️Menu Ordered⭐️ - Special Salt Ramen: 1700 yen The "special" includes an incredible array of toppings: flavored egg, two types of wontons (pork, shrimp), five kinds of chashu (roasted pork), simmered pork shoulder, charcoal-grilled pork belly, charcoal-grilled chicken thigh, marinated chicken breast. Every topping was fantastic! My favorite was the marinated chicken breast topped with tartufata. The aroma of truffle was irresistible. Thank you for the delicious meal!

Leaving home at a delightful 5:15, arriving at 6:30 felt like being in pole position until, turning the corner, I saw two college students already there, having arrived around 6:00 on the first train. Both were delightful young men, and we passed an enjoyable hour chatting while we waited. Yesterday, I came at 9:00 and missed out on the 2:30 slot, unfortunately. The line extended from the front of the shop along the road towards Shinjuku Station. At 7:30, there were eight people ahead of us. Registration started at 8:30. The head chef was a tough-looking guy, built like a judo player. By 9:00, the "sold out" sign was up. At 9:10, we got the okay to enter, feeling like Captain Armstrong taking that first step. The restaurant was immaculately clean, with the owner greeting us warmly. The special salt ramen, priced at 1,700 yen, was a visual delight, with a fragrant soup made from mountain chicken that shimmered like gold. It had depth and a hint of truffle. The noodles were thin but had a nice chewiness. There were five types of chashu, each with its own distinct flavor. The dumplings were plump and bursting with flavor. When I inquired about the return of the kelp-soaked noodles, I was told it might take a while due to a lingering numbness in the chef's right hand. Wishing him a speedy recovery, we left around 9:30. The taste lingered in my mouth for about an hour. It was a delightful meal, and I'll definitely be back. Next time, I'll try the kelp-soaked noodles if available, or else I'll go for the special salt and negi chashu rice with soup poured over it.

Ramenya Shima, known for its special soy sauce ramen, is currently ranked first in Tokyo and third nationwide on Tabelog with a rating of 3.99. The noodles are cooked to a soft texture, similar to the tenderness of the chashu pork, creating a harmonious blend. It's more akin to "yanmen" (soft noodles) than traditional ramen. The promised deliciousness is there, but there are some points to consider. It's a debate between being "shoppe" (sophisticated) and "umee" (delicious). Each topping feels like a high-end appetizer. You might find yourself craving for white rice (though they only offer a mini donburi, not white rice). Perhaps due to the saltiness seeping into the soup, the latter half becomes too intense, making it hard to discern the flavors, and finishing the soup becomes challenging. It's a shame... it might have been different if served in a separate dish. I arrived on a Monday at 8:20 AM to find 34 people ahead of me. They started taking names at 8:30 AM. I revisited at 12:15 PM.

Finally made my debut at this famous restaurant. Although I was curious about the white soy sauce, I opted for the classic special soy sauce in the end. True to its reputation, the broth had a rich depth and was incredibly delicious. All the toppings were excellent, especially the wontons and chicken. The noodles were soft and thin without much chew. The grilled pork bowl was decent, made with charcoal-grilled pork. I'd love to come back more often if it were more accessible to dine in.

It's delicious after all. I think this is my third visit. I usually don't prefer soy sauce ramen and don't order it, but Shima's soy sauce is different. It has an excellent compatibility with the luxurious scent on top, and I end up coming here because I want to eat it. I'm not sure whether to choose salt or soy sauce. The garlic aroma and enjoyable taste of the salt version, and the meaty aroma and enjoyable feeling of the soy sauce version. And in both cases, the small but impactful purple pearl onions are a treat.

It's been quite a while since my last visit. I arrived at 9:19 in the morning, but the only available slot was at 14:30. I waited with an empty stomach, worried that they might not have the specialty dishes I was craving. Turns out my intuition was right. I ordered the white soy sauce and roasted pork rice bowl, which weren't available before. As always, they were incredibly delicious. The noodles and soup were outstanding. When I poured some soup over the roasted pork rice bowl halfway through, it became even more incredible. I'll definitely come back again.

◆What I Ate: ⚪︎Special Soy Sauce Ramen ⚪︎Salt Ramen ◆Price: 2,950 yen ◆Reservation: None ◆Stay Duration: Arrived at 7:17, Started Recording at 8:42, Opened at 9:30, Served at 9:59 ◆Impression: The pinnacle of Chinese-style noodles. The ultimate experience is found here. ===========

I always wanted to go to this restaurant, but the hurdles were high. I took a weekday off to visit. They started accepting entries at 9 am, and when I arrived before 9, there were already about 40 people in line. At 9:15, it was my turn to sign up, and there was an opening for the 12:45 slot! After taking care of some errands, I returned around 12:40, waited for 25 minutes, and finally entered the restaurant! Surprisingly, a solo customer got in a bit earlier. I ordered the special soy sauce and salt ramen, along with a pork bowl. The salt ramen was light, and the soy sauce had a rich flavor. All the pork slices were delicious! Despite the initial hurdles, I might not visit again, but I was satisfied with the meal.

Arrived at 8:10 on Wednesday, September 6th, expecting to be the 15th person in line for the 21-person limit, but ended up being the 21st. While waiting, met up with people intermittently. Killed time at a nearby café and arrived 10 minutes early. Got seated and served in about 5 minutes! The char siu was delicious, soup was tasty too! Noodles were slurpy and great! It was worth getting up early! I was impressed by how they managed everything alone! Thank you for the meal!

I visited "Ra-menya Shima" near Nishi-Shinjuku-Gochome Station for the first time. It's a place where you write down your name and they assign you a dining time based on the order of arrival. It's rated as Tokyo's No. 1 ramen shop on Tabelog and there was a long line from early hours! We ordered the "Special Ramen (Soy Sauce)" and "Special Ramen (White Soy Sauce)" along with the "Seared Pork Rice." The presentation of the char siu, wonton, and flavored egg was beautiful, making the ramen visually appealing. The "Soy Sauce" had a rich depth from its base, while the "White Soy Sauce" highlighted the carefully extracted soup even more. The balance with the fragrant straight thin noodles was perfect, resulting in an elegant and delicious dish. It was truly a piece of culinary art! Of course, the "Seared Pork Rice" was also outstanding. "Thank you for the meal!" I wanted to savor the soup forever, so if I get to visit again, I'd like to try the "Shio" (salt) ramen next time.

Despite operating only during weekday daytime hours, "Raamenya Shima" in Nishi-Shinjuku Gochome, Tokyo, lives up to its reputation, always drawing long queues. Today, I took a day off work and arrived at the shop at 7:05 AM. I was the first in line, but soon, others arrived one after another. The owner of this shop trained at the renowned "Shinabuya" by the late Minoru Sano, and their tradition and skills are well-preserved. The soup made from specially selected mountain water chicken, passed down from the master, has an exquisite depth and aroma. And the salt seasoning is superb. Its sharpness and the fragrance of the soup create a perfect harmony in the mouth. The special toppings for the raamen include charcoal-grilled pork thigh and chicken thigh, kelp-infused low-temperature chicken breast, shrimp dumplings, meat dumplings, seasoned egg, and truffle. Each topping is meticulously prepared at a high level. It's such a luxurious experience to savor this level of quality early in the morning. I felt immensely satisfied, as if I had accomplished something special even on a weekday morning. Thank you for the feast! ❣️

I finally got to eat at the last seating, and it was worth it! The seasoning on each piece of meat was superb! The truffle salt added a wonderful flavor. Despite the various tastes, everything came together nicely. I definitely want to go again!

Visit date: August 28, 2023 (Monday) For today's lunch, I headed to the popular and often crowded "La Menya Shima" in Honcho, Shibuya-ku, where the Tabelog score is hovering at 3.99, just shy of reaching the coveted 4 points. This place dominates the Tabelog Tokyo Ramen and Tsukemen Popularity Rankings at number 1 and holds the second position in the national rankings. However, it seems challenging to surpass the 4-point barrier. Out of the 85,000-plus eateries nationwide, only 500 have a Tabelog score exceeding 4 points, making the 3.99 score quite impressive. Due to its immense popularity, the restaurant has designated weekends and holidays as regular holidays. Moreover, they implement a reservation system from morning, requiring patrons to return at a specific time to secure their spot—a significant hurdle to dining. Despite these challenges, I make it a point to visit because I absolutely love the "La Men" and "Tsukemen" crafted by Master Morijima. Today, being my day off, there's no reason not to go. However, in this scorching heat, I wonder how many customers will brave the wait. The registration starts at 9 AM, and given the heat, I aim to keep the wait time short. But arriving after the registration starts might be too late. After some contemplation, I decide to leave at 8:15 AM, slightly behind my planned departure of 8 AM. I take the Keio bus [Shuku 32] from the West Exit of Shinjuku Station to the nearest bus stop "Honcho 4-chome" and alight at 8:21 AM. From the bus, I see a line forming on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, with nearly 50 people rushing towards the storefront. I join the end at 8:23 AM, and there are already 44 people in line. Given that they only serve 60 meals a day, it seems like I made it just in time. However, it's uncertain until I register. Waiting nervously, at 8:53 AM, Master Morijima comes out, and the registration begins. I'm the 50th person, and fortunately, they allow groups of six to dine together. After registering at 9:09 AM, with a sigh of relief, I wait for the assembly time of 2 PM. Killing time, I return to the storefront at 1:45 PM. Surprisingly, some customers who were in line in the morning are still waiting. The clock strikes 2:07 PM when Master Morijima, wearing a chef's coat, finally comes out, calling names for entry. I enter at 2:14 PM and find out that most items on the vending machine are marked with "X." Only the default "Shoyu La Men," "Shio La Men," "Shiro Shoyu La Men," and the topping "Ajitama" are available. As my 50th position almost guarantees availability, I'm disappointed to hear that the "Katsuobushi and Kombu Tsukemen" is already sold out. However, there's no choice but to accept it. I purchase the "Shio La Men" ticket and take a seat at the counter with the signatures of Sasshi and Shokotan on the wall. I hand over the ticket to the counter, and Master Morijima apologizes for the sold-out items. He quickly starts preparing the "Shio La Men," warming the soup, boiling the noodles, and pouring the heated soup into the ramen bowl. In just 1 minute and 20 seconds, he strains the noodles and places them in the soup-filled bowl. The light noodle line ===========

I arrived around 8:30 in the morning and was about 23rd in line. They started taking orders at 9:15. I think someone else's review mentioned it felt like eating high-end French cuisine. And that's exactly what it felt like. Despite being ramen, it had the essence of fine French dining. It was a stimulating experience trying something so unique for the first time. For women, I'd recommend the regular over the special. Even as a woman, I left feeling completely satisfied. Next time, I want to try the white soy sauce. The owner was incredibly kind, making the whole experience even better. I'll definitely be going back. Thank you very much.

# Kombu-seaweed dipping noodles and grilled pork rice at Laamenya Shimayaki - it was quite a challenge to finally visit this long-awaited spot. I went on a Monday during the Obon holiday, arriving at 8:30 in the morning to find 30 people already lined up. I managed to secure a spot for the 12 o'clock slot and returned after killing some time. The shop has a cozy interior with about 6 seats and is run by one person, the owner. It's impressive how he manages it all alone. I had been curious about the dipping noodles, especially since it's a Shimayaki specialty, so I ordered the Special Kombu-seaweed dipping noodles and the Grilled Pork Rice as a set. The noodles, soaking in the brownish kombu-seaweed broth, were topped with yuzu citrus and purple perilla. The chashu (roasted pork) packed into the dipping sauce was fantastic. It seems the topping style for dipping noodles has changed from being served on a separate plate to now being immersed in the broth. When I first tried the noodles, I could taste the essence of the kombu-seaweed broth, but the noodles held their own with a solid sweetness and flavor. They were delicious, whether eaten on their own or with seaweed salt. Moving on to the dipping sauce, I found it packed with chashu and there was barely enough room for the noodles. I started by removing some of the chashu to make space. There were so many different kinds, but the one that stood out was the belly chashu. Its flavor had thoroughly penetrated the meat, the thickness was just right, and the melting sensation upon biting into it was unforgettable. I also noticed there were a few slices of chashu and a marinated egg, which made me grin. Finally, I dipped the noodles into the sauce. The chicken-based dipping sauce was exquisitely flavored with the aroma of bonito. As the noodles soaked up the sauce, the flavor evolved, creating a delightful journey unique to Kombu-seaweed dipping noodles. Purple perilla and yuzu citrus were also effective in changing the flavor, making it a very adaptable dish. The portion of noodles was quite generous, and by the end, there was barely any broth left, so I would have appreciated a little more. I also tried a rice bowl for the first time in a while, and it was very satisfying both in terms of volume and taste. It's difficult to come here due to its popularity, but it was worth the wait to finally fulfill my wish and be satisfied both mentally and physically. "Grateful for Ramen" #ramen #noodlegram #ramenlover #ramenclub #ラーメン部 #拉麺 #ramenpatrol #ramen #lunch #dinner #delicious #noodles #foodporn #ramenroundup #iwanttoconnectwithramenlovers #gratefulforramen #tokyo #tokyogourmet #tokyoramen #instanoodle #instaramen #instafood #shinjukugourmet #shinjukuramen #kombuseaweeddippingnoodles.

I spontaneously decided to challenge myself and visit this restaurant today! I arrived at the restaurant around 7:46 AM, and there were already 8 people in front of me. I thought it might be impossible to make it for the 9:30 AM slot, but I decided to wait in line. The registration started a few minutes past 9:00 AM, and by around 2:30 PM, there were still openings, but it seemed like more than 40 people were waiting. Since I was with someone who was planning to eat consecutively, I wrote my name for the 10:00 AM slot and temporarily left the line. I didn't go far, just took care of some errands at the convenience store and leisurely waited around the restaurant. I was called around 10:00 AM, and I entered the restaurant. Initially, I thought of going for soy sauce ramen, so I ordered the special soy sauce ramen and the rice dish I was curious about. The special soy sauce ramen was 1700 yen, and the rice dish was 400 yen. Each bowl was meticulously crafted, and it was evident even by just looking at them. When it was my turn after the person in front of me finished, the excitement couldn't be contained. Finally, when the ramen was served, it looked incredibly delicious, especially with the meat and wontons – it seemed unbelievably good. I decided to start with the soup and was genuinely surprised when I took the first sip. I was amazed at the depth of the flavor (ﾟДﾟ) It was unbelievably delicious. At least in my experience, it was the most delicious ramen I had ever eaten. Not only was the soup outstanding, but everything, including the chashu and wontons, was delicious. It exceeded the level of just being tasty; it was a masterpiece. I couldn't help but be impressed that someone could create such ramen. I wondered if there was anything beyond this level. Encountering a ramen like this was truly wonderful. I look forward to trying the salt flavor next time. Thank you for the meal!

Today, I had the perfect chance to finally visit this place in Nishi-Shinjuku that I've been longing to go to for ages since my work on-site starts in the afternoon. They only open on weekdays and serve only 60 bowls a day, so you have to queue up to get a taste. But if you arrive early in the morning, you're guaranteed a spot. I got there at 8:09 AM and connected with my colleague, but we wasted some time looking for parking and ended up being late. Parking is scarce around here, so you need to be careful. At 9:04 AM, they handed out the registration sheet. We were 12th and 13th in line, and by around 10:20 AM, we were let in. The sun was scorching, so we retreated to our car until 10:15 AM when we returned. At 10:30 AM, we were seated inside. I ordered the Special Ramen (soy sauce) with seared pork rice. It arrived in about 10 minutes. Despite being a one-man show, the way he smoothly guided us, cleaned up, set up the fixtures, and prepared the ramen was impressive. This raised my expectations for the taste. The presentation was immaculate and beautiful. As I took the first sip of the soup, it hit me like a bolt out of the blue! It was unbelievably delicious! Every ingredient, from the soup to the noodles, the seared pork, bamboo shoots, egg, and green onions, was exquisite! And they all came together harmoniously, each one standing out yet blending perfectly. What was this? It was like nothing I've ever tasted before, transcending dimensions! I finished every last bit, and as I left the restaurant, the owner thanked me, saying, "Thank you for your time!" Their service was beyond divine. The owner might as well be a god. But now, I don't think I can ever go back to ordinary soy sauce ramen. It's like... they're devils! This was hands down the most mind-blowing ramen I've ever had! Next time, I'm trying the salt ramen!