On my last trip I went to Kagari, the famous ramen shop in Ginza, and this time the route worked out so well that I dropped by Mugi to Olive. It sits right on the way if you head straight from BiG GINZA toward Tsukiji, so it is very easy to find. Go a little further past Mugi to Olive and there is also the Yamaya in Ginza, so if you have time it is worth stopping there too.
The front entrance
Not as long as at Kagari, but there was still a line. Best to avoid mealtimes, and if it looks empty, get in line right away.
The table
Upscale ramen shops these days are clean and have a nice atmosphere.
Even the water..
Prices are in the 1,000-yen range, but it is worth the visit.
The menu
The clam SOBA seems to be the famous one, but I tried the special Triple SOBA for 1,180 yen.
Since it is the special version, the toppings come on a separate plate.
You can tell the quality just by looking at it.
The ramen
Hmm.. the broth is tasty, but being a triple, it feels like a lot of things mixed together. Next time I will order the clam one.
The noodles
In great shape.
The streets of Ginza
Mugi to Olive is on my hangover-cure route when I go out to buy liquor, so in a way it looks like a place I will end up visiting often. “Mugi” means barley, but in cases like this it often refers to wheat flour or pasta flour. I suspect the name means something like Italian-style ramen, and it is indeed that clean and refined, but it lacks the punch of a regular ramen, so keep that in mind when you visit. Kagari and Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta are in a similar style, and maybe this is the current trend in Tokyo.
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