Located in a mixed-use building on the second floor in front of the southeast exit of Shinjuku Station, this restaurant specializes in salt ramen made with fish head broth. The first time I visited, I tried their fish head salt ramen. The broth is truly clear and packed with the umami of fish, not overwhelming but very refreshing. The soup, flavored only with fish flakes, is on a different level altogether. The types of fish heads used that day are displayed on the wall in the restaurant. About 4 to 5 different types of fish heads are used, and the content varies daily, allowing you to enjoy the differences in flavors each time. The noodles have a great texture and taste, complementing the soup well. Toppings include two types of ground fish paste with a delightful red and white color combination. Additionally, the sliced chili pepper adds a nice touch. The grilled rice ball with pickled vegetables is served as a topping, which you can enjoy as is or crumble into the soup for a delicious experience. On my second visit during a hot summer day, I tried their limited menu chilled clam ramen. It was beautifully presented with large clams in their shells. The high-quality broth still tasted fantastic even when chilled. The seaweed topping had an excellent flavor, likely fresh seaweed rather than salted or dried. It was thick and very delicious. While different from the rich, heavy ramen styles, this ramen, with its exceptionally well-made broth, would likely be the perfect way to end a meal.

Menya Kaijin @ Shinjuku Ara-daki Shio Ramen ¥1000 with all toppings ¥750 Recently, a popular restaurant that has been in the spotlight for its collaboration with Sushiro. I had tried the "Hamaguri Shio Ramen" supervised by Kochira at Sushiro, so I had been curious about this place for a while and finally made my first visit. Located on the 2nd floor of a building right near the southeast exit of Shinjuku Station. Around 7:30 PM on a Sunday, there were about 4 people waiting. Like Shinjuku, there were many foreigners, and we were seated all at once, so we waited for about 15 minutes. About 10 minutes later, a luxurious and visually appealing bowl of ramen was served. When I tried it at Sushiro, the seaweed from Sanriku and white negi were incredibly delicious, so I decided to go for all the toppings which was ¥150 more but worth it. The soup is made by simmering various fish scraps purchased that day, and the types of scraps for that day are prominently displayed on the wall, which was an interesting system. The sparkling soup with a sharp saltiness is filled with the umami of fish, making it irresistible. The noodles are thin, low-hydration noodles that are easy to slurp, a silky straight type. As I enjoyed the toppings, it was inevitable that they would run out quickly, and towards the end, it got a bit bland, but the crunchy negi and mizuna added later helped recover the texture. The shrimp shinjo has a deliciously bouncy texture, and the chicken tsukune with cartilage has an incredibly tasty texture. I definitely want to have this with a drink next time. The Myoga, shredded ginger, and shiso on top of the negi are great accents. And of course, the Sanriku seaweed is incredibly delicious! It's so crunchy and satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed the unique Ara-daki Shio Ramen and left completely satisfied! Thank you for the meal!!!

A shop on the second floor of a so-called pencil building in front of the station. After waiting in line on a narrow staircase for about 10 minutes, I entered. The tables (with partitions) are shared seating, so the turnover is quick. I ordered the salt ramen with fish broth in a large serving. There was a display inside the shop showing "today's fish broth" options: still alive fish, conger eel, yellowtail, salmon. The noodles are thin like Hakata ramen. The chicken meatball that came instead of chashu was delicious.

I had the opportunity to visit Shinjuku, so I finally went to Menya Kaishin, a place I had been curious about for a while. Since it was close to closing time, there weren't many people, and I was able to enter right away. I ordered the salt ramen set recommended with grilled rice balls. The soup with a light and flavorful broth was delicious.

The "ara" used in the dashi on that day seems to be different. It was displayed on the wall. The ara for that day was red snapper, conger eel, yellowtail, and salmon. This time, I had the salt ramen that is on the front page. The clear soup and thin noodles go well together. It comes with green onions and two types of fish cakes as toppings. The light soup can be easily finished off. They also have a pickled plum rice ball set, so it might be nice to finish with it in a porridge-like style.

Located just a minute from the south exit of JR Shinjuku Station, under the Koshu Kaido overpass. I had been wanting to eat here for a while and finally had the chance to visit. The salt ramen with heshiko grilled rice ball set comes with free extra noodles. The clear and beautiful soup, infused daily with fish, combined with the special salt sauce makes this ramen special. At first, it may seem a bit light in flavor, but the umami of the fish gradually spreads in your mouth. The straight thin noodles go well with it. The toppings include coarsely ground meatballs (tsumire), shrimp balls (tsumire), green onions, myoga, shiso, and shredded red chili peppers. The soup and noodles were satisfying on their own. The two types of coarsely ground balls are firm on the outside but melt softly inside, both delicious. The toppings can be enjoyed individually or together, enhancing the refreshing salt ramen. Lastly, the heshiko grilled rice ball, made by marinating salted fish like mackerel or sardines in rice bran for a long time, is a delicacy that complements the soup excellently. This rice ball, dipped in the remaining soup, creates a surprisingly delicious porridge. It's similar to the deliciousness of sea bream tea pickles or hitsumabushi. Ordering this was a great decision. I had extra noodles and finished every grain of rice. It was satisfying. Thank you for the meal.

Exiting from the southeast exit of Shinjuku Station and going down the escalator, you will find the restaurant in the building right ahead, making it convenient and easy to reach from the station. I entered around 2 pm on a weekday and was able to eat without waiting in line. The soup used different kinds of fish heads depending on the day, and on this day it was made with "red snapper, conger eel, yellowtail, salmon." I ordered the fish head salt ramen (1,000 yen). There was no fishy smell, and the umami flavor was strong, which I really enjoyed. The thin noodles were easy to eat, and the soup was clear and not heavy, so I almost finished it all. I was tempted by the free extra-large serving, so I went for it this time, ordering only the ramen, but I also want to try the grilled rice ball next time by ordering a set.

Visited on a weekday afternoon. Was able to enter without waiting. Ordered salt ramen with heshiko grilled rice ball. The ramen was delicious but got a bit boring towards the end. The rice ball was very tasty and even surpassed the ramen in flavor. Overall, the evaluation as a ramen shop is okay.

Yesterday, I drank a lot, which is unusual for me. I arrived around 11:10 am on Saturday morning. The restaurant was already full, with 4 people waiting ahead of me. The stairs were narrow, so waiting outside was a bit uncomfortable. The restaurant, GAP, was located very close to Shinjuku Station, almost right in front of it. I ordered the salt ramen and pickled fish rice set for 1,170 yen. I had to wait a bit. The restaurant was popular with many signs inside. The soup was incredibly gentle and delicious on my body, which had been drinking too much the day before! The pickled fish rice is a local dish from around Fukui Prefecture, where mackerel and sardines are salted and then aged in rice bran for a long time. It goes really well with this clear broth soup! It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. I will definitely go there again.

After drinking, I wanted to finish off with ramen, so I looked for a shop in Shinjuku on my way home. I like salt-based ramen, so I chose Kaishin. I visited around 9 p.m. and waited about 10 minutes to get in. I ordered the salt ramen with dried fish and grilled rice ball. The large serving was free, but the price had increased to 1170 yen. The taste was light and delicious with a seafood broth, and when you put the grilled rice ball into the soup at the end, the flavor of the dried fish added another level of deliciousness. Well, there are various types of salt ramen, but personally, I prefer the punchy ones like Sapporo Junren or Kanagawa's Kaisei.

At Shinjuku South Exit, a ramen made with various fish broths is popular. The summer limited edition "Chilled Clam Ramen" comes with dried fish onigiri for 1870 yen. The rich taste of the broth is apparent, but when chilled, the umami flavor feels less pronounced. I would like to try the ramen with warm soup to fully experience its flavor.

I went to Lumine the Yoshimoto. For lunch before that, I chose Menya Kaishin. It's unusual, right? Me going to a ramen shop that's not even in the latest top 100 list. Simply put, a colleague recommended Lumine the Yoshimoto as a delicious ramen shop in Shinjuku. I visited around 12:30 pm on a weekday. Lunch peak time. I was worried about waiting in line too much... but when I timidly climbed the stairs of the mixed-use building, there were plenty of empty seats. I sat at the counter seat recommended by the staff. Right in front of the counter was a wall and a cardboard box. I felt relieved that you order from the staff and pay later. I ordered the Salt Ramen with Fish Broth for 1,000 yen (including 10% tax) - it seems like the prices have been updated since April 22, 2023. A single order without rice balls. Still, I thought there were quite a lot of noodles (from the perspective of a perennial dieter girl). The soup had a refreshing taste! It felt like adding a bit of oil to a clear soup. The noodles were thin, almost thinner than somen but thicker than hiyamugi. The toppings were shrimp dumplings and chicken cartilage meatballs. Both had a moderate firmness, not too soft. Toppings included white scallions, myoga ginger, needle ginger, shiso leaves, and thread-like red chili peppers. There were no toppings like ground meat or corn that scatter, so it was good that you could eat the ingredients until the end. I'm sorry, but I didn't finish the soup. Not because it wasn't delicious, but I wanted to adjust my salt intake. Credit cards are not accepted. ----- Lumine the Yoshimoto on a weekday at 2:00 pm. I only knew two groups. Nakagawa family, they've aged! I thought. Nankai Candies, they're the real deal! I thought. Knowing the jokes made me feel like, "Oh, that thing I saw on TV!" People I didn't know were interesting. Abe Koji seemed popular, and indeed, he was amusing in a gentle way! I'd like to see more of him. At first, I imagined "Kumada Masashi," so I was surprised by the different image. Plus and minus, it was funny. Seems like he's been in the industry for a long time. Sissonne, when that person appeared, there was a cheer like, "Yay!" I thought, they're famous. Quite funny, but the name is like Suzanne, so I can't remember it. Shin-ya, the rugby comedian, was also skilled. It was a sold-out day with many good comedians. I picked a good day. Unfortunately, I didn't have good neighbors! There was a girl who kept playing with her smartphone. Just a little over an hour. Can't you resist using your smartphone? I think I could have enjoyed it more if you didn't have it.

Visited at 11:00 am on a weekday in August 2023. Sea God is known for its salt ramen, so I chose the one with grilled onigiri. The soup is made by boiling fresh fish scraps that change with the season and day. The noodles are made from a blend of carefully selected wheat flour, providing a firm texture despite being thin. The toppings include shrimp and chicken meatballs, white leeks, myoga ginger, shiso leaves, and shredded red chili pepper. While everything was delicious overall, I personally found the flavor to be quite light.

As the name suggests, they use fish scraps to make the broth, which is a distinctive feature. This restaurant is located on the second floor, but depending on the time, there may be a line extending to the first floor. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming for solo diners. The "Salt Ramen with Fish Broth" is made by extracting the broth from fish scraps. The names of the fish scraps used that day are displayed on the wall behind the counter seats. I've had it several times, and the taste remains consistent without much variation in the type of fish scraps used. The light-colored, clear soup has a rich saltiness without any fishy smell. The chicken and shrimp balls go well with the salty soup. The noodles are slightly wavy straight noodles with a soft chew. They also offer a spicy version called "Spicy Salt Ramen" seasoned with spices, which is recommended for replenishing salt in the summer.

I visited a restaurant I had been eyeing for a while and was able to get in without waiting around 17:30. I ordered the salt ramen with grilled rice balls. The soup had flavors of various seafood like sea bream, conger eel, yellowtail, and salmon. The ramen arrived on a tray, and when I tasted the soup, it had a distinct sea bream flavor, rich in seafood taste. The noodles were decent. I felt like it could use a bit more toppings though. The grilled rice ball is meant to be eaten by putting it into the soup at the end. This was a nice touch in terms of presentation.

It's easy to overlook if you're not careful. I arrived just in time at 11:20 am on a weekday, and the place was almost full. I had the salt ramen with grilled rice ball for 1170 yen. The soup had an elegant taste as expected, with thin straight noodles. Feeling a bit unsatisfied, I added some yuzu pepper for a change in flavor. Lastly, I put the rice ball in to make it like ochazuke. It was a delicious meal.

Limited-time summer chilled clam ramen set with grilled fish roe rice ball. The clams were fresh and the soup was so delicious that I finished every drop. I visited on a Thursday evening right after the restaurant opened at 4:30 PM, so I was able to enter without waiting. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

After a long time, I had ramen at Kaishin! It came with salted fish roe rice ball and topped with seaweed from Sanriku! The soup today was delicious! The soup made from the bones of 4-5 types of fish had plenty of umami without any fishy smell. The chicken and shrimp meatballs were also delicious as always! With plenty of condiments and tasty soup, putting the salted fish roe rice ball into the soup made it even more delicious. Luckily, there was no line on that day! But on the way back, there were 10 inbound customers waiting in line. Thank you for the meal! #ShinjukuRamenTour #AradakiRamen #Kaishin

"Quick Overview in 10 Seconds! 'Menya Kaishin Shinjuku Branch' - A specialty shop for salt ramen using daily changing fish scraps - The type of fish used varies daily, so the taste changes every day?! - Ingredients include chicken cartilage tsukune & shrimp shinjo, a bit different - Visited this ramen shop after having dinner with my spouse in Shinjuku the other day! Located on the 2nd floor of a mixed building, a bit shady... but it's a top-rated restaurant on Tabelog! (Currently selected in the Tabelog TOP 5000) Already lining up from the staircase entrance on the 1st floor...! Surprisingly, we were able to enter after just a 15-minute wait~ The menu we ordered is here: 'Ara-taki Salt Ramen' for 1,000 yen (tax included, price at the time of visit in August) - Chose the standard salt ramen from the menu! The fish scraps used in the soup are freshly caught in the morning. The type of fish scraps varies each day, and the day's scraps are displayed on the wall inside the restaurant, like elementary school calligraphy (the handwritten characters on the paper are charming). The fish scraps of the day were sea bream, conger eel, yellowtail, and salmon! When you take a sip of the soup, you can feel the various flavors of the fish packed in tightly, making it delicious. The salt sauce is not overpowering, giving a refreshing, light, and gentle soup. The noodles are thin straight noodles. They are quite soft, which might not be my preference as I like firmer noodles, but they match well with this gentle soup and are tasty! The toppings include round and flat chicken cartilage tsukune and shrimp shinjo. The cartilage in the tsukune is crunchy and delicious! The shrimp shinjo has a light shrimp flavor and fluffy texture, also delicious. The size of the ladle for these two toppings is just right and cute, somehow uplifting the mood. I initially thought the price was a bit high, but after tasting the soup, I felt a satisfaction beyond the price due to its flavor and kindness. Eating the unique tsukune and shrimp shinjo, both my stomach and heart were fully satisfied with this bowl. However, the interior of the restaurant is quite narrow. I had to sit diagonally to the table to eat comfortably, which made me a bit uneasy while eating... It was a bowl of ramen that healed me with the kindness and flavor of the seafood broth, making me feel like I was on the open sea. Thank you for the meal!"

Descending the stairs from the southeast exit of Shinjuku Station, you will find the restaurant in the building at the end. It's a popular spot often with long lines, sometimes extending outside the building. Climbing the narrow staircase, you'll reach a door leading to a space with a counter and tables. Visiting early on a rainy day, we were able to get in quickly as it wasn't crowded. The walls are decorated with pictures of the fresh fish used that day. Since it was a hot day, I opted for the chilled option. The chilled dish seemed to be limited in quantity, so it might not be available at all times. The restaurant has a somewhat old-fashioned feel, which can be intimidating for a woman dining alone, but I remembered the delicious food from a previous visit, so I patiently waited. The chilled noodles came with a large clam on top. Taking a sip of the soup, it was refreshing and well-chilled. Despite being cold, the fish broth flavor was rich but not overpowering, making it enjoyable to drink as is. The noodles were nicely chilled and had a good texture, not becoming lukewarm. The semi-transparent medium-thick noodles had a satisfying chewiness. When combined with the soup, they smoothly slid down the throat. Extracting the meat from the large clam revealed its juicy and flavorful taste. Adding a touch of seasoning for a slight flavor variation, I finished the meal. Thank you for the delicious meal.

Menya Kaijin Shinjuku Store Cold Hamaguri Ramen, Heshiko Grilled Onigiri Long ago, I had visited the Kichijoji store, but I realized I hadn't been to the Shinjuku store, so I decided to visit. They had a limited quantity of cold ramen available, perfect for the peak of summer, so I ordered that. Unusually for a ramen shop, they operate on a pay-after system. Upon entering the store, I was greeted by that unique salty, oceanic aroma. I used to find this scent off-putting in the past, but now it brings back a sense of nostalgia. The cold hamaguri ramen is a limited edition item, and you can immediately see why once it arrives. It comes with two incredibly large hamaguri clams, a sight to behold. It's clear that these are not something they can procure in large quantities. The soup is purely salty, with a hint of hamaguri or clam broth, but it's hard to discern due to the cold temperature. There's a significant saltiness, characteristic of Kaijin's flavor. The noodles are firm, allowing for a cold noodle dish-like experience. The hamaguri itself is not overly cold, allowing for a delightful texture. As a fan of clams, this was a dream come true. The clam meat is robust at this size, firmly attached to the shell. I carefully extract it, savoring every bit. I've never had clams of this size before, and it was surprising to find that even the liver's umami flavor was present. I may not have truly appreciated the liver of bivalves before, but this rich, flavorful experience was incredibly delicious. Finally, I finish with an onigiri dipped in the soup. I wasn't sure how well the onigiri would pair with the cold dish, but the grilled, slightly charred exterior allowed for a delightful experience akin to cold ochazuke. Even when served cold, Kaijin's ramen unmistakably retains its essence. The impact of the hamaguri was overwhelming... haha. #TokyoGourmet #ShinjukuGourmet #ShinjukuLunch #MenyaKaijin #Kaijin #SaltRamen #Hamaguri #Clam #HamaguriRamen #ColdRamen #RamenLover #RamenInstagrammer #ConnectWithRamenLovers #RamenTour #RamenAddict #GourmetInstagram #ConnectWithGourmetLovers #GourmetInstagrammer #ConnectWithGourmetLovers #Foodie

Chilled hamaguri clam ramen. It may be a bit pricey, but the chilled dashi that may only be available at the Kichijoji store? I couldn't resist trying it since I love hamaguri clams. Delicious! It's undeniably delicious! However, the shell fragments were still a concern, and I might have been happier if the noodles were a little flatter and straighter. Well, the large hamaguri clams were delicious, but cost is still an issue.