Mutekiya is one of those famous shops that always ranks near the top among Ikebukuro’s ramen places. These days I’m working my way through pretty much every ramen shop in Tokyo that’s worth a visit, so I stopped by this one too.
The sign
This place is super easy to find. Come out of the East Exit, head right and keep walking, and you’ll run into a long line.
I ordered the house signature ramen.
It’s tonkotsu-based, with a whole lot of fat in it. The broth is smooth and the noodles are nicely cooked. With this style of ramen you have to eat it before it cools down to really get the flavor. It was so good I dug right in, but after a while it started to feel a bit greasy.
For moments like that,
they have spicy takana (pickled mustard greens) and garlic ready for you. Adding them in makes it really good. It’s free, but go easy on the garlic..
Other condiments
They sit on a shelf. Nice use of space. Besides the basic ramen, they also have a bunch of creative shoyu and shio ramen, so it’s great that a group can go and everyone can order what they like. That said, I don’t think it’s worth lining up that long for. And eating ramen this fatty at night isn’t great either.. my stomach often feels heavy the next day.
Of the ramen shops I’ve been to in Ikebukuro, Kissui was the most satisfying. I’ll have to keep exploring.. there seem to be a few more left.