This post was written in 2010. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
I’d had way too much to drink the night before, so there was no way I was skipping ramen. Off I went to the ramen spot at Tokyo Station I’d been to last time. I meant to go to Rokurinsha, legendary for its two-hour queues, but the friend I was with couldn’t be bothered to line up -_- so we ended up somewhere else. It’s a place called Hirugao, whose shio ramen I once described as top-notch. It’s a sister shop of Setagaya, a famous ramen shop known for its seafood-based broth.
The signature shio ramen
But it wasn’t the flavor I remembered. Sure, they say every branch varies a bit, but it was a long way from what I remembered. It looked much the same, but it had turned into a very ordinary shio ramen. Felt a bit bittersweet.
The noodles
Well… even so, when it comes to curing a hangover in Japan, nothing beats shio ramen. I polished off a bowl and more or less got myself back to normal.
The shop front
I think Tokyo Ramen Street at Tokyo Station is going to be a regular haunt of mine from now on. It’s really convenient to get to, too. Next time I’ll try the place right next door ^_^
That day I bought some of Rokurinsha’s fresh ramen to take home as souvenirs, ready for my trip back to Korea next week. It’ll probably go on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you want some, call dibs quickly..
Other visits to this place