About food in Japan

Recommendations from local Ramen Lovers

At the end of our monthly feature seriese for November 2012 "Ramen", we asked help of a Ramen-lover group for their recommendation from our food lovers network in Tokyo.

 

The group of some very enthusiastic Ramen lovers is actually a team working for another interest, not food or Ramen. But the team members love ramen so much that they always hold their meeting at a Ramen shop. The group is called "Cinema Colors creative team" which introduces the latest information of films in Japan through their website (http://eigairo.com).

We found the team's catch phrase on the official　site....,

"Our meeting is always held at a Ramen shop.

We deeply love both cinema and Ramen.

Cinema Colors creative team "

( ミーティングはいつもラーメン屋。映画とラーメンをこよなく愛する、シネマカラーズ編集部) 

You see how much the cinema site creative team loves Ramen too?

As per our request, several restaurants are kindly listed by Cinema Colors creative team as their recommendation for international tourists.

From the list, we visited 3 Ramen restaurants. Here are the report of our experiences at these three Ramen restaurants recommended by the Ramen lovers team.

Stagaya (せたが屋) at Shinatatsu (品達) in Shinagawa

Characteristic: The first option is basic or general type of Ramen. 

Setagaya is one of the most popular Ramen restaurants in Tokyo. The name "Setagaya" comes from the district of same name (but different letters, 世田谷) where the flagship restaurant is located.

Location: "Shinatatsu (品達)", where one of Setagaya units is accommodated, is another ramen restaurant collection site along a street, like Tokyo Ramen Street near JR Tokyo station, which we introduced on another post. It is a few minutes away from JR Shinagawa station.
If your accommodation is in Shinagawa area, it will be the easiest dining spot to enjoy Japanese casual local foods.

Recommendation comment from the local Ramen lovers' team:  Enjoy very-Japanese taste stock soup made from fish powder and dried bonite

Our visiting...

When we visited at around 9 p.m., most of seats and tables are already taken mainly by Japanese businessmen. It was a bit late as dinner time in Japan. The fact already showed us how much the restaurant is popular. We can imagine people waiting for the ramen if we visited earlier.

Our order definitely "Setagaya Ramen"(せたが屋ラーメン) that includes all toppings, even though it is a bit more expensive than others.

The restaurant is international tourist-friendly

as the menu in 4 languages, Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

Some ramen restaurants ask us some questions for how much to cook noodle, to put galic etc upon ordering a bowl of Ramen. At Setagaya, that sort of adjustment leave on the chef.

While waiting my ordered Setagaya ramen, we enjoyed the chef and the team were working in the kitchen over there.

This is Setagaya Ramen!!

The toppings include

char siu (braised pork slices), Menma (メンマ, bamboo shoot pickles),

Nori (のり, seaweed), Tamago (玉子, boiled egg)

and Aosa-nori (青さのり, special salty dried seaweed from Shimanto-River). 

The soup referred by the Ramen Lovers team is rich and fish-origin flavor. But it is never too strong and that must be liked even by most of non-Japanese people who are less familiar with fish flavor.

If you wish more fish flavor like some Japanese locals, add the original special sauce "Gatsun-shiru"(ガツン汁) placed on your table.

The size of char siu is significantly thick. We were so happy to bite the melting piece.

Restaurant name: Setagaya (せたが屋) Shinagawa branch

Address: 3-26-20 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Official website (in Japanese) : http://setaga-ya.com

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The Ramen chain operator also has an unit in New Jersy in U.S.A. 

Lucky for you, New Jersyite! You can enjoy one of the best ramen taste in your place.

Restaurant name: Ramen Setagaya

Address: 243 Main street, Fort Lee, NJ 07024

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TETSU, Roppongi Hills North Tower

Characteristic: The speciality of TETSU is "tsukemen" (つけ麺, dipping style soup) as Rokurinsha on our previous post. The restaurant is accommodated in Roppongi Hills North Tower,  a luxury shopping complex. TETSU is recognized as one of the best Tsukemen restaurants in Tokyo, as it has been awarded by some Japanese medias.

The Tsukemen soup is profound mix of thick fish stock and chicken stock cooked for 2days.     

Location: Roppongi Hills North Tower is a part of the high-end commercial complex Roppongi Hills. The building is the closest to Roppongi subway station on Hibiya line. If you get off from Exit 1b, Roppongi station, the building is just a few meters away from the station gate. TETSU is on the Basement 1 floor, which is directly connected from the subway station and where many other casual restaurants gather on a floor.  The ground floor is occupied by Banana Republic on one side of Roppongi Street.

Recommendation comment from the local Ramen lovers' team:

The location, Roopongi, is easily accessible even by international tourists. The biggest feature at TETSU is a hot stone to be put into the tsukemen soup in order to re-heat the soup along the way. It must be fun for everyone to look at the Ramen soup heated by a stone. 

Our visiting...

Like many other Ramen restaurants, first thing we have to buy a ticket for a Ramen bowl to order, before taking a seat. The restaurant's staff came to greet and will be happy to help a new guest for the automatic ticket machine. 

The restaurant's walls are decorated with red bricks and iron-looked black plates. With the pop BGM, none can recognize it as a Ramen restaurant but could believe that it is a Western style restaurant like "American style diner" where hamburger is often provided. We observed that this Ramen restaurant is fun and a bit different from typical ones.

The restaurant asks all guests to wait for over 10 minutes until he/she get a bowl of noodle. The noodle is another feature of TETSU's Ramen. It is very thick like Udon Japanese noodle.

The restaurant offers a choice from hot or cold noodle depending on your taste. 

After 10 minutes or around from our order, we got our Tsukemen noodle.

The thick noodle is resilient and the texture is also like Udon noodle.

It is better match also with creamy tsukemen soup.

   

It is also interesting to have cold noodle dipped in hot soup. The cold and hot food are mixed in the mouth. 

"Ajitama" (cooked half-boild egg) is an optional ordered with supplement Yen 100. The value to enjoy the cooked egg is much more than a coin, Yen 100. Try it!!

One thing we regretted.... the tsukemen was so good to make us keep enjoying the noodle without a break and forget to order a hot stone to re-heat the soup, as recommended.

So we cannot show the stone and how the soup is heated visually.

Sorry, you can try it by own at Roppongi TETSU!

Restaurant name: Tsukemen TETSU 

Address: B1 floor, 6-2-31 Roppongi Hills North Tower

Official website: http://www.tetsu102.com

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Tsukumo Ramen (Ebisu Honten) (九十九ラーメン　恵比寿本店)

Characteristic:  Tsukumo Ramen (九十九ラーメン) seems to be a typical independent small Ramen restaurant at a glance. It has only two units in Greater Tokyo area.

It is a menu that makes Tsukumo Ramen differentiate from all other Ramen restaurants. 

We will of course talk further about the interesting food later. 

   

Location: Tsukumo Ramen is in Ebisu (恵比寿) for which JR Yamanote line serves and it is next to Shibuya. Some people may know Westin Hotel and Ebisu Garden Place with Michelin 3-star French restaurant, Joel Robuchon, as major spots in Ebisu.

The town is not known so much by international tourists but for Tokyoite it is one of the most attractive gourmet spots where we can find some small independent but very nice restaurants from casual standing bars to some Michelin-star-awarded. Tsukumo Ramen and its innovative menu may be appropriate for the town, we believe.

Recommendation comment from the local Ramen lovers' team:

Tsukumo Ramen's specialty, "Ganso Marukyu cheese Ramen" (元祖○究チーズラーメン) has a very strong visual impact and is served in the rich soup made from miso and cheese. The unique menu must attract international tourists too. 

Our visiting...

Tsukumo Ramen is about 5 minutes walk from JR Ebisu station which is one stop from Shibuya. It is located on a main street stretching away from the train station. As long as you hold a map for the direction, it won't be difficult to reach to the restaurant, going through a pedestrian bridge. 

The shop is enough big easily to find it from the exterior with a red "chochin"(Japanese lantern) lamp and a set of wooden table appropriate for family guests when the weather is fine. From the entrance, you will find the kitchen with a long counter table and some tables.

Like other popular Ramen restaurants, Tsukumo Ramen opens from lunch to dinner time (and much later until 5A.M. in the morning) without a break. 

Taking a seat on the counter table, we found three pots as condiments. 

They will be put into Ramen bowl to make the taste change a bit. 

Here we do not have to think over about what we should take.

We ordered "Cheese Ramen" as already decided.

Just keep in mind that  "Cheese Ramen" is available only for 200 bowls per day, maybe because of limited availability of the special cheese. 

As per the shop staff, the menu is likely to be run out on early evening around between 6 to 7 P.M. If you won't miss it, it is better to arrive there before 6 P.M. for early dinner or lunch.

Finally it is arrived!!!

The cheese is high quality award-wining, hand-made Tom cheese produced by Hanabatake Bokujo (花畑牧場) in Hokkaido.

It must be appreciated even if it is served only with a piece of cheese. But Tsukumo Ramen provides the cheese shredded and put on a bowl of Ramen.

The volume of cheese is impressively large like a full portion of Camembert cheese. 

For those who love both cheese and Ramen independently, Marukyu Cheese Ramen must be a dream combination.

Well, let's try.... when we try to have the first bite, cheese flavor struck us.

The way to enjoy the cheese the most, as per the restaurant's staff, is to make the cheese melt in the thick miso soup little by little. 

Actually it is interesting to have the Ramen in different way, just take a spoonful of cheese, enjoy mix of soup and cheese or have noodle with melted cheese.

We never thought Ramen with a mount of cheese until we came to know this Tsukumo Ramen. The combination is fantastic.

We could come here in a week...and are also a bit curious about other menu listed, Tsukumo Ramen with Tonkotsu soup, miso or shoyu Ramens.

 

Cheese Ramen at Tsukumo Ramen will become unforgettable meal for you too! 

Restaurant name: Tsukumo Tonkotsu Ramen (Ebisu Honten) (九十九ラーメン　恵比寿本店)

Address: 1-1-36 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Website:http://www.tukumo.com

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We got some other Ramen restaurants recommended by Cinema Colors team.

We will keep trying to visit them and report that on this blog continuously even from next month!

Great thanks to the Ramen lovers' team, Cinema Colors!!!

Website of Cinema Colors (in Japanese and not mainly about food though):

http://eigairo.com 

The MONOCLE cafe, Yurakucho, Tokyo

Some of you may know an English magazine published from London, MONOCLE. In Ginza, Tokyo, we can find the first cafe in the world produced by the chef editor of MONOCLE.  

THE MONOCLE CAFE is on the underground floor of Hankyu Men's Tokyo, which is a department complex focusing on upper scale brands of male fashion. In one of the busies shopping areas of Japan, situated a few minutes walk from Yurakucho station, the cafe is a stylish and peaceful place to take a rest or to read a book, of course for all including ladies.

The cafe is thoughtfully created by the chef editor of MONOCLE magazine, payed attentions to detail in design and the concept, as exactly same with the magazine. The interior decoration is simple but warm with natural touch. Seat style varies from sofa for a small group of around 3 to 5 to desk-hight counter suit for nomad workers.

  

The lamps hung from ceiling there are same model with what is used in the MONOCLE's office in UK. Snow (not cotton!!) is decorated on top of lamp shades for Winter season.

Bookshelf and posters on the wall create the unique stylish and intellectual atmosphere.

The food on the menu list is known as favorites of the MONOCLE chef editor who has a lot of traveling experiences around the world. 

For example, MONOCLE curry (as below photo) and Pork cutlet sandwich are the chef editor's favorite Japanese menu. 

    

Coffee is also one of the exclusive selections, from OMOTESANDO KOFFEE, a small but high quality independent coffee stand by skilled baristas.

The cube shape sweet is also produced by the highly-reputated coffee shop, aiming at the best match with their coffee. It will surely give us a peaceful coffee break time. 

   

Not only above, various choices from the list of sandwich, sweets, deli-snacks and alcohol drinks are available from noon to early evening.

 

Cafe name: THE MONOCLE CAFE

Address: 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (in Yurakucho Marion マリオン)

Official website of Hankyu Men's Tokyo: http://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/mens-tokyo/

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The easiest way to find the best Ramen in Tokyo - Tokyo Ramen Street

Following the unusual Ramen restaurant, Ichiran on our last post, today we will introduce a group of Ramen restaurants that could make you feel more comfortable in term of location easily accessible even by international tourists. 

Tokyo Ramen Street (東京ラーメンストリート) is located on one of the largest underground shopping streets in Japan, Yaesu underground path (八重洲地下街) area which is directly connected from JR Tokyo station on the basement floor. Along an underground street, 8 Ramen restaurants gather and compete for authentic ramen, as the street's catch copy "Champion's League of Ramen." 

It is said that the developer of Tokyo Ramen Street tried 100 to 200 ramen restaurants in Tokyo to select the Champions of Ramen. Yes, looking at the names, we can find that they are already very popular for their authentic ramen with the chefs' passion. Some are located in residential areas a bit far away from central. So the location, just next to JR Tokyo station where even Shinkansen stop, is the biggest advantage of Tokyo Ramen Street for tourists. It is easily and comfortably accessible even on a rainy day and allows you to select one (or even two) from several Ramen restaurants with the quality for sure.

We found an interesting movie on the official website. The video briefly shows you what is authentic ramen, how noodles  and soup are different by restaurants and how it is prepared by chef with skill and passion, even you do not understand Japanese language.

So we share the link here before we introduce restaurants there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MZ8KrErViI 

  

You can search your Ramen dining easily on the site as each ramen restaurant shows the menu with photos in front.

Here we listed up two examples from Tokyo Ramen Street.

     

Rokurinsha (六厘舎)

Obviously it is the most popular one for which people make a long queue throughout a day. It has a legend that its first and former main unit in residential area had to be closed because the long queue by hundreds of people for the ramen had disturbed neighbor residents. The story tells us how much the ramen attracts locals. 

Rokurihsha's specialty ramen is "dipping" style (tsuke-men, つけ麺). The dipping soup is cooked so long time to make all ingredients melted and transformed into smooth liquid.

 

An option to avoid a looooong line of Rokurinsha is to arrive in the restaurant at the opening time 7h30a.m. or around in the morning.

For morning time, it also provides special menu with lighter soup suitable as your first meal of the day.

Shichisai(七彩)/Edoama(江戸甘)

The restaurant offers two different types of menu by time lunch or dinner. Until 17h00, it provides ramen with soy sauce flavor, Kitakata Ramen (喜多方ラーメン), local specialty from Fukushima prefecture. For dinner time after 17h00, it does main product with miso flavor. Ramen with soy sauce flavor (醤油ラーメン) has clear soup in most case and it will bring you fresher and lighter taste compared with other types of ramen. Soup of ramen with miso flavor(味噌ラーメン) is normally brown and muddy. Miso flavor soup will wam your body and it is more suitable to be taken in cold weather. Miso ramen can be often found in Hokkaido, the most north region of Japan.

Specialty of dinner time,

"Edoama Tokyo Miso Ramen"(江戸甘　東京味噌ラーメン)

The soup is made with Edoama Miso which is a traditional ingredient in Tokyo and has been loved by locals for centuries since Edo period.      

Toppings for the special miso ramen include not only such traditional one but also Western type of ingredient, grated cheese.

 

Let's try one of the best ramen at Tokyo Ramen Street on the way of your transportation even after or before excursion outside Tokyo. 

We hope that you won't have to wait for long time at least!

Name of place: Tokyo Ramen Street

Official website (in Japanese) : http://www.tokyoeki-1bangai.co.jp/ramenstreet/

Will be easy to access to the site if you get off from Yaesu Central Underground Exit of JR Tokyo station (八重洲地下中央口). 

Large Map

Ichiran (一蘭) - unusual but best environment to enjoy tonkotsu ramen

Ichiran (一蘭), providing tonkotsu ramen, is one of the most popular ramen operators originated from Hataka (Fukuoka), Kyushu region which is proud of tonkotsu (pork-flavor) ramen, as its local specialty.

The word of "Tonkotsu"(豚骨) means "pork bone" in Japanese. Soup of tonkotsu ramen is made with stock soup from "pork bone" cooked for long hours. The stock of pork bone is richer than chicken or fish, with collagen. The soup of tonkotsu ramen has white color in most cases and it can be easily recognized by the color from other flavors such as miso and soy sauce in brown color.

Some people do not like the strong flavor. But especially the best ramen restaurants, like Ichiran, have made efforts to remove the strong uncomfortable smell from a bowl served to their clients. Then it becomes the best Tonkotsu ramen.

Well, speak more about Ichiran ramen restaurant, the biggest feature is the table. Ichiran has obtained a patent for the table style, which they call "aji shuchu counter" (味集中カウンター = "Concentrate on the flavor" counter). At Ichiran's counter table, unusually each seat is surrounded by walls in three dimension so that each guest can concentrate on enjoying the flavor of ramen. You won't be seen or disturbed by the restaurant staff, nor by neighbor diners, while you are enjoying your bowl of ramen. The high counter with walls seriously reminds us a "voting station"!!

Yes, Ichiran is not a place to enjoy chatting with your accompanying friend/family or partner, while you have a meal. All guests at Ichiran are expected simply to enjoy the flavor of ramen and the restaurant provides the best environment and system to do so.

Make sense ? as long as you know the rule.

Ichiran is also eager to promote tonkotsu ramen in the world and welcomes non-Japanese guests. It has a unit in New York, U.S.A. (Check the address at the bottom of this page). The official home page has an English version, which is rare as a non-large ramen restaurant chain and it tells you the restaurant's system in detail.

Steps to your Ichiran's experiences...

 http://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/html/oshokuji.html

 Roughly as steps to enjoy ramen at Ichiran,

first buy a ticket for your meal from an automatic machine at the entrance.

Then check the seat availability board and take a vacant seat.

At your "Concentrate on flavor"counter table, fill out a form there for your taste customized, such as taste (mild, strong, soft or rich), volume of seasoning and ingredient (garlic, leek, original hot pepper sauce etc), noddle (how much cooked, hard or soft).

Water tap is equipped at each seat with glasses.

Help yourself for a glass of water!

The wall in front is actually bamboo blind which will be opened by a staff working behind, only when your order is passed and ramen is served.

After your oder is arrived,

just CONCENTRATE ON the flavor

at the BEST environment to do so!!!

 The taste of ramen at Ichiran, authentic tonkotsu ramen, may be needless to say how much it is good. It will be natural that Ichiran attracts many people, considering that the restaurant owner makes huge and unusual effort to provide the best ramen. As per the official homepage, the ramen is made from collaboration works by over 40 cooking professionals dedicated exclusively to Ichiran's products.

If you like the tonkotsu soup and have extra space in stomach, you can order refill of noodle by a bottom on the counter to call a staff. Ichiran's space is quiet as a ramen restaurant, because it is made to communicate through a paper form with their staff, rather than oral communication. That is also for allowing guests to concentrate on the flavor.  

As an optional, Ichiran offers a boild egg. As per their explanation, boild egg can clear flavor remain in your mouth. So it suggests that we have a boild egg for refreshing and being more sensitive to the coming flavor before you have the ramen.

Egg was served with a reflet of explanation, while ramen was cooked.  I added it into the ramen, even though I am not sure if it is recommendable by the restauran or not.      

  

Don't have to think about so much after you knew with what kind of system it works,

just try and enjoy the unusual ramen restaurant!!

 

 

Restaurant name: Ichiran (一蘭)

Official website (with perfect information in English): http://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/ 

 < Major units in central Tokyo >

Shinjuku Chuo Higashiguchi

Address: Peace bld. B1 floor, 3-34-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

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Shibuya

 Address: Iwamoto bld. B1 floor, 1-22-7 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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Roppongi

Address: Roppongi GM Bld. 2nd floor, 4-11-11 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo

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For more locations including the flagship restaurant (the First One)  and others in Fukuoka, please visit the official site in English.

http://www.ichiran.co.jp/english/html/map.html

 

< New York Branch >

Address:1013 Manhattan Avenue,Brooklyn,NY 11222 U.S.A.

Information (Exterior photo and Google map) 

http://www.ichiran.co.jp/html/kg_gaiyou3.html

 

 

Ramen Zero Plus, Omotesando (表参道), Tokyo

We feature Ramen this month!!

Finally the time has come. On November 2012, we are going to focus on our recommendable Ramen restaurants in central Tokyo.

We know Ramen(ラーメン) becomes more popular year by year as food in Japan among international travelers, while local Japaneses are likely to consider that Ramen is categorized in Chinese meal, rather than Japanese. 

The noodle of Ramen is surely originated from China and in general Ramen is provided at Chinese, often casual, restaurants. So Ramen is also called "Chuka-soba"(Chinese noodle, 中華そば). At least we understand that the noodle in thick soup and bowl is Japanese style. In China and other countries, similar noodle is often taken with sauce or seasoned but not in soup. From that point, it can be said that Ramen is Japanese food.

From around 1970's, ramen has been independently focused from Chinese meal and casual restaurants specialized in ramen were emerged and have been developed until today. Now we can find a ramen restaurant everywhere, as you know if you travel in Japan. It is one of the most popular menu for quick lunch but with sufficient volume. 

Some ramen restaurant chefs are very stick to the quality of their products and take many hours to produce their noodle and soup. For those restaurants, some people make a queue to have a bowl of ramen, waiting for a hour sometimes. In many cases, such restaurants provide modest space as a dining; narrow counter or stainless tables with back-less chairs. But they are so attractive for these people, even if no-Michelin star, no wonderful service. Simply the ramen taste filled with passion of the chefs is great!!

Their profound soup is thick and rich in taste. We believe that it exceeds your imagination, if  you try a real good one. Noodle, barbecued pork "char siu" and cooked eggs, all other ingredients are also carefully selected and well-considered to harmonize with the soup and all together. We understand the profound and rich flavored soup with noodle attacts even people around the world.

We highly recommend that you try a real good Ramen restaurant, while you are traveling in  Tokyo and other cities. It only costs around Yen 800 - 1000 per person. 

Ramen can be categorized mainly by the flavor and ingredient of soup, such as miso (soy beans paste), soy sauce, salt or stock soup from pork bone (tonkotsu) and from dried fish powder etc. Tonkotsu (pork bone) soup is seen more in Kyushu region, while miso and soy sauce soup are often used in north like Tohoku and Hokkaido. Some restaurant offers variation in taste as well as topping such as boild egg, barbecued pork "char siu", garlic and vegetables.

  

Well, our first recommendation is for those who feel uncomfortable with the casual food at a casual local restaurant, even if you know that the food is nice.

Ramen Zero Plus is located in one of the most luxury shopping complex, Omotesando Hills. Omotesando Hills, which is close to Harajuku, accommodates collections of high-end global jewelry and fashion brands such as DOLCE&GABBANA, HARRY WINSTON, Yves Saint Laurent. Even locals cannot imagine a Ramen shop is in such luxury shopping complex. It is same that you won't find McDonald in such places. So Ramen Zero Plus is unusual in that point. 

The interior is not like an ordinary ramen restaurant but is like a chic modern cafe, matching with other tenants in Omotesando Hills. Anyone will feel comfortable with the clean and modern atmosphere. 

However the ramen' taste and quality are never away from others at Ramen Zero Plus operated by "Setagaya" (せたが屋), one of the most popular ramen restaurant operators in Tokyo. Zero "0" implies that their meal prepared without any seasoning, but only with stock soup taken from various food ingredients. We cannot imagine how many hours required to cook the soup.

The specialty menu "Ramen Zeo" includes typical ramen condiments such as boiled egg, shredded leeks, a few slices of barbecued pork and nori dried seaweed.

The soup flavor is mild and never be too strong. 

That is another reason that we recommend Ramen Zero Plus for ramen beginner! in addition to the comfortable location.

Restaurant name: Ramen Zero Plus (ラーメンゼロ　プラス)

Address: 3rd floor Omotesando Hills, 4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Website (in Japanese): http://www.setaga-ya.com/shop/ramen_zero_plus.html

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