This post was written in 2007. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
I think I’ve said before that there really isn’t much to eat in Shibuya. Most places target dating couples or young people who aren’t fussy about food, so it’s mostly fast-food chains and izakaya rather than good restaurants. Lately, though, the good places seem to be slowly multiplying. Prices are still a bit high, mind you. I had some business in Shibuya this time, so I asked a local if there was a decent place nearby, and they pointed me to Yasubee. Apparently it’s one of the hottest tsukemen shops in Tokyo right now. Well… it’s not that popular purely because the food is amazing; there are a few reasons combined…
For the record, tsukemen is dipping ramen. The broth and the noodles come separately, and you dip the noodles into the broth. It’s a style made popular in the ’80s by Taishoken in Ikebukuro.
The sign.
Being black, it doesn’t really stand out.
The entrance.
True to its popularity, there was a line even though I went outside mealtimes.
Complimentary bean sprouts
They’re raw. Koreans might find that a bit odd. You can eat them as they are or put them in your ramen.
Broth + Yasubee special toppings
The chashu wasn’t my favorite style, but the quality isn’t bad. The other toppings are generous too. Worth the 300 yen. The broth is tangy and a little spicy. It really whets your appetite.
The house pride, the noodles: an oomori (large).
The oomori is 440 grams. That’s one of the reasons this place is popular: regular, medium and large all cost the same, 680 yen. The person I went with said since we were there anyway we should get the oomori, so I agreed and ordered it, but partway through I was flagging. The noodles themselves are delicious. Thick and springy, they reminded me of Sanuki udon. So I enjoyed them a lot up to about halfway, but the oomori plus the special toppings was a formidable combo, and in the end I left a little.
Another reason the place is popular is that it stays open until the small hours. For the night owls who live in the city center, it’s indispensable. It’s definitely a good place, but the oomori really is a lot of food. I should at least have skipped the toppings. They say a normal eater gets just the right amount with a medium without toppings, or a regular with toppings. Keep that in mind if you go…