I tried the "Special Karashibi Miso Ramen" at the "Karashibi Miso Ramen Onikinpou Ikebukuro" in Tokyo, Ikebukuro, and it was truly impressive. The double soup made from pork bones and chicken bones simmered for over 10 hours satisfied me to the core with its depth and complexity. The flavor of Shinshu miso aged in a wooden barrel for about 100 years was particularly impressive, with its deep taste and balance with various spices. The blend of three types of noodles - medium thick, medium thin, and thin noodles - allowed me to enjoy the texture changes, and each noodle intertwined perfectly with the "Karashi" and "Shibi" spices. The original chili spice "Karashi" stimulates the tongue, while the Shibi oil made from Wakayama grapes and Sichuan pepper provides a pleasant numbing sensation. The stir-fried bean sprouts topping enhances the flavor of the soup with its fragrant aroma, and the stewed chashu pork with a hint of star anise plays a role in balancing the spiciness and numbing sensation. The young corn reminiscent of a gold bar offers a brief moment to rest your mouth in the midst of the hot bowl. This ramen is more than just a bowl of noodles; it is truly a masterpiece that combines skill and passion. I was simply immersed in the afterglow of the overwhelming dedication put into this bowl by "Karashibi Miso Ramen Onikinpou". Thank you for the wonderful meal! 🍜

I went to "Karashibi Miso Ramen Onikinbou" near Ikebukuro Station East Exit! First, I bought a meal ticket and ordered the most popular dish, the Special Karashibi Miso Ramen (1330 yen). There was a long line, with more than half of the people being foreigners speaking various languages. It was quite a wait of about an hour and a half, but just before entering, I was asked about the spiciness level - I ordered it as "normal" spiciness and "less numbing". When I entered, the Special Karashibi Miso Ramen arrived. It had a firm texture with a light miso base, combined with the sweetness of pork fat and the kick of spiciness. The spiciness level was "normal" and the numbing sensation was "less", which was just right. The toppings included two pieces of braised pork, stir-fried bean sprouts, garlic chives, baby corn, and a boiled egg. The texture of the baby corn was great. The braised pork was tender and incredibly delicious! The noodles were of a soft and chewy type.

I finally got to try OniKanabo, a ramen shop I had been curious about. I arrived at the shop around 1:30 pm and luckily there were only two people in line ahead of me. I bought my meal ticket and waited for about 5 minutes before entering the shop. It was my first time there, so I decided to get both the spicy and miso ramen with extra toppings. The ramen was served in about 5 minutes. The "Spicy Miso Ramen with Extra Meat" had a delicious stir-fried miso base soup, but the spiciness was a bit too much for me personally. Next time, I would like to try the normal level of spiciness to fully enjoy the flavor of the soup. The medium-thick noodles were decent, and the pork was simmered and had a rich flavor. The portion size was also satisfying, making it clear why this shop is popular.

Around 11:30, I visited the restaurant and there wasn't much of a line, so I breathed a sigh of relief and purchased my menu at the ticket machine. The restaurant operated in a Jiro-style, where they serve all the menu items at once and then seat the customers all at once. I only had to wait about 10 minutes before being seated, and 10 minutes later, my spicy miso ramen was served. It had a standard level of spiciness and numbness, with a red soup, green onions, bean sprouts, and pork chashu on top. The soup was easy to slurp, and the noodles were slightly thick and had a good texture. The bean sprouts and green onions played a good supporting role, balancing out the texture and spiciness. The chashu was a bit tough, but overall, it was a well-balanced and enjoyable meal. The water from the water server was also delicious. While there weren't any outstanding aspects, the restaurant had a stable and reliable feel to it, making it a place I would want to visit again.

The food was still delicious as always. I lined up around 2:30 pm on Sunday and waited for almost 2 hours. I recommend using Uber because it arrives quickly. The baby corn was sweet and very tasty. I would like to go again.

I arrived 15 minutes before the restaurant opened on Saturday and there was already a line with me being the 18th person in line. I was able to sit down at 11:43 a.m. I was worried about the spiciness before going, but I decided to go for extra spiciness and mild numbness. The person I went with ordered a regular level of spiciness. I like flavored eggs, so I ordered one with that. The noodles were a bit thick. The chashu was really delicious. The spiciness was okay, but once it stuck in my throat, it was a bit much. The person next to me coughed once and then kept coughing. However, the ramen had a delicious spiciness. The person I went with only drank the soup. I didn't sweat much, but I had a slight sweat on my forehead. There are only 11 seats, so when I got in, there were already 20 people behind me. It might be better to go early.

I visited around 11:30 am on a regular day. The restaurant was already full, so I had to wait in line for about 30 minutes before being seated. It seems like it's always busy during lunchtime. The balance of sansho pepper and miso is perfect and incredibly delicious. This is definitely a must-visit restaurant.

Spicy Miso Ramen 980 yen Stir-fried Bean Sprouts 150 yen I used to frequent this place in Kanda over ten years ago when the Spicy Miso boom began. It had been a few years since I last visited the Ikebukuro location. It was a little after 7 pm on a weekday and there were about 20 people in line. I had been avoiding this place because of the long lines, but since I had some time, I decided to wait. You purchase your meal ticket from a machine outside the restaurant and then line up. I chose the regular ramen and stir-fried bean sprouts because they are delicious. After waiting in line for a while, the staff comes to collect your meal ticket and you can specify the level of spiciness you want. I used to go for extra spicy, but this time I went for mild. After about 40 minutes, I was seated. My food arrived in 5 minutes. The bean sprouts didn't look as stir-fried as they used to be. The miso soup had a strong garlic flavor, and the spiciness from the chili pepper and Sichuan pepper was just okay this time. However, the chewy noodles paired perfectly with the soup. The sweet corn was a unique addition. The chunks of meat were tender and flavorful. Overall, it's the ultimate spicy ramen.

The spiciness and numbing sensation are addictive. Waited in line for about 40 minutes with 10 people ahead of me. Even after 1 p.m., there was still a long line. Many foreign customers. The ramen has a good portion size, and the chashu is melt-in-your-mouth delicious♡ I want to come back again sometime. The door is wide open, so it's really hot inside the restaurant. As I ate, I couldn't stop sweating. I'll come back when it's cooler.

It was around 8:00 p.m. on a weekday, but there was a line and I waited for about 30 minutes. The door was left open, which might be hot in the summer. I ordered the special spicy miso ramen with extra spiciness and extra numbness. It was not only spicy but also full of flavor, satisfyingly delicious with a perfect balance of spiciness.

The popular restaurant had a stable line of about 40 minutes, but it was an exciting time. This time I ordered with a flavored egg and half rice. I chose the spice level as normal to low. I didn't want to make it too spicy because I didn't want to choke while eating and also because I didn't want to attract cold glares from others. I balanced the spiciness by eating it with rice, or rather, I deliberately made it spicy to enjoy the rice more. Suddenly, I had an idea to put the flavored egg on the rice and pour the soup over it, and it was incredibly delicious! I think it would taste even better if you increase the spice level, so I recommend trying it if you can.

When it first opened in Kanda, the ramen was so delicious that I would jump on the Yamanote Line during my lunch break from work in Shinbashi, and make it back in time. It was like a clever train mystery by Nishimura Kyotaro. Since then, many years have passed, and the taste has probably been improved, now becoming a popular restaurant with long lines. I ordered extra noodles today as well. Once again, the Onikinbou ramen is devilishly delicious.

I went around 8:30 on Wednesday night, and even at that time, it was a popular restaurant with a line forming. I waited for about 30 minutes. It was my first time at Onikinbou in 4 or 5 years, and I was very excited! I ordered the spicy ramen with extra toppings! Maybe it's red because of the extra toppings? I feel like it used to be white before. When the ramen arrived, I was impressed by the presentation, but compared to before, I have tried many delicious foods, so the initial excitement was no longer there, which made me a little sad... It had a rough taste with a tonkotsu pork broth, and I felt like it was more geared towards young people. But the baby corn was delicious. I liked it. I always thought of it as just spicy, but come to think of it, the base is miso tonkotsu broth... I ate while pondering on this. Maybe it's because of old age that I no longer think everything tastes delicious if it's strong in flavor... That's also sad.

Had Karashibi miso ramen at Onikinbo, a special spicy miso ramen with extra spiciness and numbing sensation. A meal before an all-night movie session to get pumped up. The place was packed with foreigners, maybe it's in a guidebook. The taste was quite impactful, I wonder if it suits their palate. I don't know. I love spiciness, numbness, and miso, so I enjoyed it. Thank you for the meal! #ramen #noodles #foods #ramenlover #noodlelover #rameninstagram #noodlegram #ramenenthusiast

I'm going back again!! I had the special medium-spicy and medium-salty ramen. The soup had a smooth sweetness and acidity, with the atmosphere of Misoya Shoten's miso ramen. It should be delicious even without any spiciness or saltiness. The chashu was extremely tasty. The egg had a poached egg-like vibe. Next time, I'll try the zero-spicy, zero-salty ramen.

Guide to the extreme of spiciness and numbing taste I was curious because there is always a line, so I decided to wait and try the most standard Karashi Miso Ramen for 980 yen (tax included). After purchasing the food ticket, I lined up and the ticket was collected. They asked me about the level of spiciness and numbing taste, so I requested less spiciness and normal numbing taste. The interior was only a counter, and the toppings included bean sprouts, white leeks, baby corn, and chives, as well as a chunk of tender pork belly. The black oil floating on the soup was the essence of numbing taste, perhaps Sichuan pepper oil or paste? When mixed, the taste blends well. The noodles were smooth, medium-thin, and slightly flat. They didn't soak up too much soup, so you can slurp without worrying about choking. Overall, it felt like a miso tanmen focusing on numbing taste, and although the pork belly was delicious, I felt that the balance between price and portion size was slightly off.

Whenever I go, this restaurant always has a long line outside. Today, as I passed by, there were 4 people waiting outside. I decided to give it a try. It's Tuesday today, so I wondered what it would be like. I ordered the cheapest Karashi Miso Ramen for 980 yen from the ticket machine outside. The buttons were hard to see. The staff collected the tickets while we were waiting in line. I ordered extra spiciness. I bought the ticket at 18:12, started waiting in line, entered the restaurant at 18:36 (waited for 24 minutes), got my ramen at 18:45 (waited for 9 minutes), and left at 18:55 (ate in 10 minutes). There were 10 counter seats in the restaurant, with 4 women among the customers. They all seemed to be eating slowly. Maybe because it's spicy? Today, there were pairs and groups of 3 customers, and it felt like the ones who finished eating first had to wait for the others to finish. The door was left open. There was a small air conditioner, but it didn't seem to be working, so the temperature inside was the same as outside. It was hot. I can only imagine how hot it must be in the kitchen. All 5 of us, including the two who entered first, me, and the two who entered later, received our ramen at the same time. Seems like they serve in batches. It's the restaurant's policy, but it does affect the service. The toppings were bean sprouts, baby corn, and chunky pork chashu. The spiciness level was moderate. It didn't make me cough. I could feel a slight numbing sensation. The soup is a special blend of miso, seafood, and animal broth. However, the broth was surprisingly weak and got overshadowed by the spiciness. The broth was lacking. This ramen seems to focus more on its spiciness. I don't think I'll wait in line for it again next time.

After finishing work, I decided to eat something before boarding the Shinkansen, so I came here. I had been to the Kanda branch before, and the spiciness of the chili peppers and sansho pepper was so intense that I was sweating from the heat. It was delicious. The outside of the restaurant was cooler, too. Thank you for the meal.

Third visit. The miso ramen is still rich and stimulating. The ingredients are well cooked with good texture and taste delicious. The noodles also have a strong flavor that complements the soup well and can be enjoyed slowly. However, the turnover rate at the restaurant is really bad. Despite handing in the meal ticket well in advance while waiting in line, I still have to wait after being seated. There are several staff members in a small space, but they seem to have a lot of free time. I wonder why. Well, I'll still go back because it's delicious.

Visited at 1:00 PM. There were about 6 people waiting outside when I arrived, and about 10 people lined up behind me. Surprisingly, more than half of the customers were Asian tourists. The Ikebukuro branch was my first visit. There are only 11 seats at the counter, no table seats. The turnover rate was not that great. I ordered with the options "medium spiciness" and "normal numbness". I love the bean sprouts here, so I added extra toppings of that. The chashu was not roasted pork but simmered pork belly. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and delicious. The default amount of noodles was already quite generous, and I ordered a large portion, so I had to eat quickly towards the end. The noodles and soup did not disappoint, delivering a consistently satisfying bowl. The addictive spiciness and numbness made me very happy! The water dispenser placed in front of each seat is really cool (see 8th photo). It would be even better if they served beer or lemon sour from there. Ahaha.