Visit date: December 22, 2022 (Thursday). For today's lunch, I headed to "Menya Suzuharu," located near the Hongo-sanchome Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, to once again take on the 500g tsukemen challenge. Lately, I've been hooked on this "500g tsukemen challenge" at Menya Suzuharu. When you order over 500g of tsukemen, you can enjoy two types of dipping sauces at Menya Suzuharu. By taking advantage of this offer, you can savor both soy sauce and salt-based tsukemen with just one serving of noodles. If you were to eat two servings of regular 300g tsukemen at 1,150 yen each or 200g tsukemen at 1,050 yen each, it would total 2,200 yen. However, with the 500g tsukemen priced at 1,350 yen, you save 850 yen. Keep in mind that the toppings like chashu and menma are not doubled, so it's not a straightforward calculation, but it's still quite a deal. Today, I challenged myself with 500g, although 400g would have been more manageable. As I arrived at the storefront at 12:42, there were four people waiting outside. Last Monday, when I visited, there was a line not only at the storefront but also extending to the sidewalk on the road side, with 13 customers waiting. Due to time constraints, I had to retreat that day. Fortunately, I had more time today, and I was pleased that I didn't have to wait long. After about 7 minutes, a female staff member called me in, and I entered the restaurant. I purchased tickets for "300g tsukemen" and "seaweed salt with wasabi" at the ticket machine, handed over 200 yen in cash to the female staff, and placed my order, requesting "chicken oil for soy sauce and shrimp oil for salt." I was seated at a counter seat in the back left corner facing the open kitchen. I had to wait a bit today, and at 13:12, the toppings and "seaweed salt with wasabi" were served separately by Master Suzuki. A minute later, at 13:13, the noodles were served by Master Suzuki, and I quickly took a photo, capturing the young master in the frame. At 13:14, the dipping sauces were served, following the correct order of service. Sometimes, some restaurants serve the dipping sauces first, then rinse the noodles in cold water, align them neatly, and serve them. However, this method causes the dipping sauces to cool down rapidly. Today, I received a generous serving of 500g noodles with soy sauce and salt dipping sauces, topped with two types of rare chashu (pork loin and chicken breast), thick menma, and white negi on separate plates. Two small dishes containing seaweed salt with wasabi and spiciness were also provided. The "Soy (chicken oil) & Salt (shrimp oil) Tsukemen 500g" with seaweed salt and wasabi had a voluminous, luxurious, and beautiful presentation. The noodles, made by "Kokoro no Aji Shokuhin," the noodle factory of "Chuka Soba Tomita," were thick straight noodles with a cutting edge of 14, soaked in kombu water. When eaten without dipping in the sauce, the faint aroma of wheat flour was delightful. The noodles, made by mixing strong and medium flour with high water content, were smooth and chewy. They had a supple firmness and an excellent texture. Sprinkling seaweed salt on the noodles and tasting them enhanced the umami of the wheat flour.

On Saturday before 1 pm, there was a line of about 10 people in front of the restaurant. It was nice to see hospitality with a chilled water dispenser and free umbrellas for rainy days placed outside. Despite a sign stating no saving spots in line until purchasing meal tickets after being called, there were some rude individuals who ignored the rule, making me a bit annoyed. After waiting for about an hour, I finally entered the restaurant. I felt uncomfortable due to people not following the rules properly. The tsukemen was 300g for 200 yen, with an additional 200g option available for extra charge. I chose the nori salt and sudachi (citrus fruit) with a crispy seasoned egg and lemon sour. The chicken chashu and menma (bamboo shoots) as toppings were delightful. You could choose between two types of dipping sauces starting from 500g, with options like chicken oil for soy sauce and shrimp oil for salt. The noodles were soaked in kelp water, giving them a refreshing texture. The soup was light, not too oily, with a nice salty edge. The kaki (oyster) oil was surprisingly tasty even for someone who doesn't like oysters much, as it wasn't overly fishy. The combination of nori salt with noodles brought out a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness. The spicy sudachi was flavorful, and you could adjust the spiciness by mixing it with the dipping sauce. The menma was thick and crunchy, adding a nice texture to the dish. Despite the 500g portion of noodles, the light dipping sauce made it easy to finish. It was just the right amount to feel satisfied. Next time, I would like to try the niboshi (dried sardine) oil and shrimp oil. Thank you for the meal!

This was my first visit. I pass by this place once a week, but there is always a line of about five people, so I had given up. When I passed by the shop at 11:30 and saw no one waiting, I was drawn in. Since it was a Friday, they had a special menu featuring pork jowl. I ordered miso ramen with menma topping. The miso flavor was refreshing, and the thick slices of char siu were tender and delicious. The chewy, curly, medium-thick noodles were a bit difficult for me to eat, so wearing a paper apron was the right choice. I would like to visit again on a day other than Friday.

Oh, when will it finally cool down? Today, I took a 40-minute walk and visited Suzuharu at BM Homework Shop. I arrived 20 minutes before opening, so there was no wait. They had chairs set up outside the shop, which was greatly appreciated. I ordered the Oyster Salt Tsukemen 300 and Corotcha Rice, along with the Aosa Salt. Oh, and I also ordered a lemon sour haha The cup was chilled and had a double layer to keep it from warming up quickly. The menma appetizer was delicious! The food arrived in about 5-6 minutes. The noodles were medium thickness and firm, and the dipping sauce was clear, with the green of the Aosa Salt standing out. I started with the noodles. I love the firm texture with the umami of kelp-infused water. Then, I tried it with the Aosa Salt. It seemed like I could finish just with that. However, I couldn't resist trying the Oyster Salt dipping sauce, which was fragrant and amazing. I also finished with salt, dipping sauce, just as is, more salt... in that rotation. Finally, I enjoyed the soup with the remaining dipping sauce. When considering the amount to add, it was a bit salty for me, so I added more kelp-infused water. Overall, it was very delicious. I look forward to visiting again if I have the chance!

Visited on a Tuesday at 2:15 PM, no waiting time. Jackpot! No waiting at a popular restaurant with 100 seats is great. Had tsukemen with 300g of soy sauce broth, added chicken oil, special toppings, seaweed salt with wasabi, and a bottle of beer, total cost 2300 yen. The taste is quite tricky to evaluate. Can understand why some might find the seaweed salt overwhelming. Personally, enjoyed the combination of noodles, kelp water, and seaweed salt, but found the toppings and soup a bit weak. While the soup itself is good, the intense kelp water overpowers it, almost a waste to dip the soup in it. Ended up eating 200g of noodles with salt and wasabi, then used the remaining pool for soup dipping. The soup dipping style is like a duck-nanban flavor, could easily be served at a soba shop. Must try other options next time. Note that even though they close at 3 PM, they were still seating customers at 2:50 PM, so arriving a bit later might be better.

I was able to be seated without waiting for long, which is unusual! (Usually there's a line of about 4-5 groups waiting). Ordered menu: ------------------------------------------ ○ Tsukemen 200g Shoyu (Chicken oil) ¥1,200 ○ Seaweed salt + Sudachi ¥50 ○ Seasoned egg ¥150 ------------------------------------------ Both the shoyu ramen and salt ramen were delicious, but the tsukemen was also really tasty... this is it. Trying the kombu water tsukemen was so worth it... the texture that makes you want to finish the noodles in one go and the refreshing feeling in your throat are the best. Huh? Even though I haven't dipped it in the broth, it's disappearing already? Topping with seaweed salt + Sudachi makes it more enjoyable, I could easily eat 300g of this in one go. Next time, I'll try changing the oil to something like Sansho pepper.

Arrived at 11:45 on Saturday, waited with 10 people in front of me, got the food ticket, seated at 12:19, and received the bowl of dipping noodles (200g, limited edition Tom Yum Kung) at 12:30 for 1,200 yen. I visited for the limited edition Tom Yum Kung and it was worth it. There was always a line of about 10 people due to the lunch hour rush. The noodles were firm with a chewy texture, and the standard deliciousness was there! Adding the spicy sauce from a separate dish midway through made it even more delicious. There was also cilantro this time, which wasn't there last time, doubling the deliciousness! I walked back and forth to Ueno (3.5km), so it balanced out! Thank you for the meal! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I've been to this place many times and always had tsukemen, so today I tried the basic? Ajitama shoyu ramen (1,250 yen). Huh? It seems a bit expensive... I saw on Twitter (now it's X...) that they had a price change on 9/4... Oh no... well, it can't be helped... feeling a bit disappointed. Since the ticket machine was nearby, I took a picture and ordered the ajitama shoyu ramen. The soup is clear~ First, I tried a mouthful of noodles and green onions with the soup. The soup is not too strong, it's shoyu-based but doesn't overpower, and the green onions add a nice accent. Delicious... Lately, I've been feeling that ramen is overly salty, but the ramen at Suzuharu is really delicious...! The pork chashu on top of the ramen adds flavor, especially when it's warm and the oil blends well. The chicken chashu is still moist and delicious, and the ajitama was a pleasant surprise. Firstly, it's warm. Really warm. And even though it's soaked in shoyu ramen, it has a gentle flavor that doesn't get lost in the soup. It's not overtly sweet or a completely different taste, but it has a unique flavor that complements the shoyu soup and was delicious...! Personally, I prefer tsukemen for its impact, but since it's getting colder, I think I'll come back next time for the ajitama shio ramen!

I visited on a weekday. Arrived a little after 11 o'clock. Managed to buy a meal ticket, but had to wait. Waited for about 20 minutes. Be cautious of the strong sunlight and ordered the 200g noodle with choices of salt or soy sauce, and also chose extra oil. It seems to be the season for adding oysters. The person next to me asked, "Do you have scallops?" After entering the shop, the noodles were served in about 10 minutes, soaked in trendy kelp water. The noodles soaked in this broth were delicious. I could just eat this alone. They also brought the soup base at the beginning. Everything was delicious and refreshing. The noodles were not as heavy as I thought. That was good. There are many variations, so I want to try various options!

First visit. Last night, Typhoon No. 13 made landfall in Shizuoka Prefecture and wreaked havoc. The Tokaido Line was also suspended? Unnecessary outings... as reported by various stations, I sadly wasted my long-awaited Tokyo Dome Giants game ticket and stayed home. Later, the typhoon turned into a tropical depression, the rain barely fell, and the trains ran on time. Today, during my Saturday walk, the majestic Sagami Bay viewed from the clinic I visited for a check-up after 6 weeks, showed a calm expression. I got off at Ochanomizu, walked north on Seibashi towards the store along Route 17, and found 17 people lined up at 12:45, as expected. I joined the end of the line, feeling a bit old. The weather was cloudy, the temperature was low after the typhoon passed, and I waited stress-free for 55 minutes before entering. I bought "ramen soy sauce and salt" from the ticket machine, told the female employee my preference for soy sauce, and was seated at a table for one. After about 5 minutes of surfing, the ramen arrived. The impact of the char siu covering the noodles in pitch-black soup, along with kaiware and menma, and the simple presentation of the ingredients were pleasing. First, I picked up the noodles and slurped them. The highly hydrated thin straight noodles danced gracefully in my mouth, chewy with a satisfying texture and smooth on the throat. They were enveloped in a rich animal-based soup. The soup, in my preferred pitch-black color, had a slightly strong salty taste with a sharpness from the soy sauce that suppressed acidity and sweetness, delivering a wonderful umami taste. Thank you for the meal, I finished it all! Now, it's time to resume my Saturday walk while scouting nearby stores!

Featured in the 2782nd episode of "【Food Temptation】SUSURU TV. - 【Extra Large Noodles】Is this even allowed? I found a super cost-effective tsukemen shop where the more noodles you add, the more dipping sauce you get." (Premiered on 07/17/2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn3a87-fDbE. I visited to celebrate their auspicious 3rd anniversary on 9/2/2023. Arrived around 13:00 due to prior commitments, had to wait for about 50 minutes before being seated as there were around 20 people ahead. Ordered the "Chicken-Pork-Fish Tsukemen (300g)" (¥1300) + "Butajima Chicken Mince Bowl" (¥200) + "Algae Salt & Sudachi" (¥50). This was my third time having the rich and sweet dipping sauce with the noodles since April, and it was delicious with the sauce poured over the Butajima chicken mince bowl as well.

Located near Hongo-sanchome Station, "Suzuharu" opened in 2020. The owner previously worked at the renowned chicken broth dipping noodle shop "Menya Itto" before starting this restaurant. In this area, you can find other famous dipping noodle shops like "Kinryu," "Kachimoto," and "Gonokami Suisan." Among them, "Suzuharu" is highly praised for its delicious noodles. The dipping noodles with soy sauce and Cochin oil cost 1,200 yen for 200g. The glass is served chilled. You can choose between soy sauce or salt for the signature kelp water dipping noodles. Additionally, you can select from various oils of the day. You can also add 300g of noodles for an extra 100 yen. The noodles have a fantastic chewiness. Since it's kelp water, you can enjoy it as it is. It's delicious on its own, with a gentle umami and sweetness from the kelp. With seaweed salt and vinegar available, you can keep eating the noodles without getting tired. Toppings are served separately, allowing you to fully enjoy the sharpness and umami of the soy sauce without any mix-ins. The aroma of Nagoya Cochin chicken oil enhances the soy sauce soup multiple times over. Two types of rare chashu pork, thinly sliced pork loin (made from Chiba Prefecture's famous brand pork, Kanbayashi SPF Pork), chicken breast meat, all cooked carefully to be tender and delicious. The extra soup is also delicious! Made with carefully prepared broth of black back fish, horse mackerel, and bonito flakes, it further enhances the soup's umami! With the noodles, kelp water, main soup, and final soup addition, you can enjoy this incredibly delicious dipping noodle in four stages! Thank you for the meal!

I had the sansho soy dipping noodles. The soup had a strong scent and flavor of sansho, and the noodles in the dipping sauce were delicious. They also gave me some soup to mix in at the end. Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.

This time, I visited Menya Suzuharu! It's my first time at this ramen shop. I heard that it's a shop opened by a former apprentice of the famous Ichito in Shin-Koiwa, so I had high expectations. Although I was tempted by the tsukemen, this time I ordered the special soy sauce ramen simply. I wanted to order the Chashu-don with lots of Chashu, but it was unexpectedly sold out, so I ordered the minced meat bowl instead. It was my first time trying the special soy sauce ramen, and it was incredibly delicious! The soup seems to be chicken-based. The toppings include two types of Chashu, seasoned egg, seaweed, and bamboo shoots. The chicken Chashu was moist and tasty. The pork Chashu was thin but quite large in size. This pork Chashu was incredibly delicious! I wanted to eat more of it. The noodles are thin noodles. It's a bit pricey at 1500 yen per bowl, but I think it's worth the value. The minced meat bowl is quite cheap at 150 yen. The minced meat is very fine, so it feels like you're eating tofu rather than minced meat. It's tasty, but I probably won't order it again next time. I'll try the tsukemen next time!

In the midst of the continued intense heat in September, I waited in line for 35 minutes during lunchtime and finally made it inside the restaurant. I ordered the salt tsukemen 300g (1,300 yen) with an additional serving of chashu (500 yen). The noodles soaked in kelp broth were neatly arranged and had an appetizing appearance. The dipping sauce had a rich umami flavor. While I usually prefer my noodles to be firm, I felt that they could have been cooked a bit more. They were cooked to a fairly firm texture.

- Soy sauce tsukemen with 200g of large leaf oil (1,200 yen) It had been 3.762 months since my last visit. I had once visited around 8 p.m. during Obon season and had to give up due to a line of 8 people outside, so it's been a while. Visited on a weekday at 7:30 p.m. There were 2 empty seats inside. Served at 7:41 p.m. Left around 7:50 p.m. and it was almost full inside with no line outside. I tried the newly added distinctive large leaf oil. The large leaves were floating in the dipping sauce, and it had the most impactful fragrance of oil I've ever had. The richness of the soy sauce matched well with the freshness of the large leaves, giving it an ethnic-like finish. People who enjoy strong greens like cilantro would likely enjoy this. The noodles were still smooth and firm, delicious as always. I liked it after chicken oil. Currently, the best-performing tsukemen in terms of time. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. Personal preference notes (for when you can't decide what to order): - Soy sauce ramen (4.0) - Salt ramen (4.1) - Miso ramen (4.2) - Soy sauce tsukemen with chicken oil (4.3) - Soy sauce tsukemen with bonito oil (X) - Soy sauce tsukemen with sansho pepper oil (3.8) - Soy sauce tsukemen with large leaf oil (4.2) - Salt tsukemen with oyster oil (3.8) - Salt tsukemen with shrimp oil (X) - Salt tsukemen with clam oil (3.8) - Salt tsukemen with scallop oil (3.9) - Chicken mazesoba (X)

【Menu】Tsukemen (500) + Special Soy Sauce (Cochin) & Salt (Shrimp) Finally made it here! Adding 200 grams of noodles to the tsukemen results in a broth with both soy sauce and salt, which is excellent service! The noodles are smooth and chewy, with a fantastic texture! The special soy sauce (Cochin) is rich and satisfying! The salt (Shrimp) is light but has a strong shrimp flavor! Alternating between soy sauce and salt, the noodles disappeared in an instant. (Mysterious) I thought I could easily handle 600 grams next time, but I also want to try the rice dishes, so maybe I'll order the Gorochadon next time. Looking forward to my next visit already!

[Wait Time & Order] - Visited before 7:00 PM on a weekday. Joined the line and became the 5th person. Took about 20 minutes until the food was served. - Ordered 200g of Tsukemen with soy sauce (1050 yen), special toppings (450 yen), and added sudachi citrus and seaweed salt (50 yen). - Payment is made through food tickets. First, line up and join, then purchase food tickets when seated. [Impressions] The noodles are incredibly delicious, ranking among the top of all the Tsukemen I've ever had. They are chewy and firm, cooked perfectly. Just the noodles alone are enough to keep you going. The kelp-infused water has a strong kelp flavor. While it's not too salty, the balance of kelp water and noodles is just right. The additional toppings like seaweed salt and sudachi are a must, enhancing the flavor of the noodles. The chicken breast chashu is outstanding, possibly the best chicken chashu I've ever had. It may not be obvious at first glance, but it's seasoned perfectly with a hint of saltiness. When dipped about halfway into the dipping sauce and eaten, it was incredibly delicious. It's flavorful even without dipping. The pork shoulder chashu is also delicious. I dipped all of it before eating. The sharpness of the soy sauce in the dipping sauce complements the rich flavor of the meat, which is well-seasoned. Personally, I prefer the chicken breast chashu. The dipping soup has a seafood flavor and transforms into a soup that can be enjoyed even after the meal, thanks to the sharp soy sauce taste. Adding the leftover kelp-infused water gradually makes it even more refreshing and wonderful. It was so good that I almost finished it all, haha. Thank you, Suzuharu, for the fantastic meal. Personally, I value the deliciousness of the noodles more than the dipping soup in Tsukemen, and this dish was truly a perfect match for my taste. Next time, I plan to order 300g of noodles with salt dipping soup.

New discovery. Soy sauce (cochin oil) tsukemen 300g (with kombu water), seasoned egg, seaweed salt + sudachi, seaweed salt + lemon noodles - thick noodles with a firm texture, delicious. Soup - just the right amount at 300g, very tasty with a strong soy sauce flavor. Chashu - on the rarer side, average, a bit dry. The noodles are delicious, each dipping option - kombu water only, seaweed salt only, dipping in the soup - offers a different deliciousness. Will definitely come back. With this soy sauce, soy sauce ramen is also something to look forward to. There are 6 chairs outside the restaurant. Arrived on Monday at 13:49, waited with 2 people, entered at 14:09, served at 14:20, left the restaurant at 14:33 with 3 empty seats. Maybe timing was a bit off. A 3-minute walk from Hongo-sanchome Station. Menya Suzuharu 03-6801-5233, 1F Fukushige Building, 2-26-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. [Link to the restaurant's Tabelog page]

Menya Suzuharu's tsukemen has thick noodles with a great texture, and the broth is fantastic! I chose the salt option for the dipping sauce. The pork used is Lin SPF pork, which is definitely high-quality pork. For the salt dipping sauce, you can choose from three types of oils: oyster, clam, or shrimp. I chose clam oil. I ordered 200g, but I could have probably eaten 300g as well.

It's an image of lining up with about 15-20 people constantly after starting to line up under the scorching sun for about an hour. Even though it was scorching hot, they were very considerate as they provide parasols and free water. When I went thinking it was just a ramen shop, I was surprised to find that the popular item was tsukemen, not ramen. I was quite indecisive between tsukemen and ramen, especially since you can choose from several types of dipping sauce for the tsukemen. It was a place that made indecisive people like me struggle. I ordered a beer, tsukemen (shoyu broth), and wasabi with salt. The beer comes with menma as a snack, and it's quite delicious, so there's no reason not to order it. The noodles were also delicious and slurp-worthy.