Aoba is one of Nakano’s long-established famous shops. I kept meaning to go but never found the time, so I just hadn’t made it. Then I heard there’s an Aoba branch in Ikebukuro, so I dropped by late at night.
The entrance
It’s in the basement of the Sunshine 60 building. Compared to the main shop, it’s super clean.
The sign again
The menu
There are basically only two things on the menu: tsukemen and ramen. And no side dishes either. Simplicity at its finest. It’s the opposite of the current trend, but hey, if the ramen is good, all is forgiven.
The ramen, finally
Rather than a modern take on traditional chuka soba, it struck me as a traditional flavor that still holds up today. Inoue is traditional chuka soba too, but where its style is simply light, Aoba weaves clean and rich together in layers. So rather than making a big impact, it left a neat, delicate impression. I suspect the main shop is even better, so I’ll stop by next time I’m in Nakano. It feels a bit tame to survive in Ikebukuro, a ramen battleground, but the location is good, so I think it’ll last a long time. If you have business nearby, it’s worth dropping in once.