After finishing dessert at Robuchon, I headed to Akihabara to check out Pentax’s newest camera. Those who know me know that the camera I’ve used for about six years now is a Pentax *istDS with a 31mm lens. Using a piece of electronics for more than five years these days is a bit absurd. I’ve pretty much run it to its mechanical limits, so it was long past time for a replacement, but I didn’t much like the K-7 that came out last year, so I’d been stubbornly holding out. I was going to buy one if a decent model came out this time… or rather, I’ve already splurged on it..
Gundam Cafe
It’s opened up near Akihabara Station. It was on the way from Suehirocho Station on the Tokyo Metro toward Yodobashi Camera. It looked unusual as I walked past, so I just snapped a photo. The line was really long, though. Apart from the Gundam theme, it doesn’t look like there’s much to it. (Maybe that’s the big deal..)
I took a quick stroll around Akihabara, and famous Tokyo ramen shops are opening one after another. Yasubee, famous for tsukemen; Menya Musashi, a leader of the new-wave ramen scene; Bankara, a chain but a high-quality one, and so on.. I spotted ramen shops everywhere with food anyone would be happy with. Given how busy this area is, it’s actually strange that until now there was only Kyushu Jangara. I’m glad that from now on, when someone tells me they’re going to Akihabara, I’ll have places I can confidently recommend.
Of these, today I stopped by a ramen shop called Bankara. I’d only heard the name of this chain; this was my first visit. It’s not a place with some fresh new concept, but it’s solid on the basics. It’s right in front of the Akihabara UDX building, so it’s not hard to find.
The ticket machine at the entrance
There’s no separate door; you walk straight in. I thought about taking a photo of the sign, but it was raining, so just the ticket machine.. The shop’s recommended dish is the plain Bankara ramen. I ordered the manager’s recommendation, the 980-yen Kakuni Bankara, but it’s 300 yen more than the Bankara ramen and I’m not sure it’s worth the extra.
Sui-gyoza (boiled dumplings)
This is a side dish my companion ordered. The person I went with is Korean, and said it feels kind of odd without a side dish -_-, so they ordered one. I’ve been to plenty of ramen shops, but I’d never found one that does good boiled dumplings rather than regular gyoza; this place’s are tasty, though. A passing grade as a side dish. With these, it’d be a perfect spot to drop into for a beer on the way home in the evening. Give them a try if you’re interested.
Ninniku, garlic
A ramen shop that puts garlic out on the table is almost always (nearly 100%) one that prides itself on a rich, heavily oily broth. Nothing cuts the greasiness like garlic. I added about two cloves myself.
Kakuni Bankara
It’s a rich Tokyo-style shoyu tonkotsu ramen; the fat is bobbing all over the surface, but the taste is killer. It gets worse as it cools, so I ate it quickly.
The noodles are really good too.
They’re nicely thick and chewy, so they go well with the shoyu tonkotsu. You could almost call it a combination that can’t fail..
The much-talked-about kakuni..
Kakuni is pork braised in soy sauce, and I ordered it because it was the manager’s recommendation. It tasted good and went well with the soy-based broth, but 300 yen for this alone feels a bit pricey, and the chashu that comes on top anyway is just as tasty as the kakuni, so I don’t think there was any need to order it extra.. I suppose that’s personal taste..
Coming back to Akiba after a long while, I was struck by how much has changed, with so many more places worth eating at. Until now, once I finished shopping in Akiba I had to move to another area to eat, which was a real pain. I hope more places like this keep opening.