RAMEN

EBISU HAS FOUR EXCELLENT RAMEN HOUSES WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE EBISU JR STATION AND THE EBISU STOP ON THE HIBYA LINE.

GIAJIN* NOTE: You shouldn't be put off by the way the HOSTS in these shops treat you. The HOSTS are the guys who greet you and ask you what you want to eat. They ask you ahead of time so your dish will be prepared for you when you sit down.
These are very busy restaurants and they will do their best to seat you and your guests together. However, this can be a little difficult at times. You should assume that you will be seated as soon as possible.
Also, expect to spend 1,000 to 1,200 yen for your dish, depending on the goodies you order.
*Giajin = foreigner

KAZUKI is always busy. They serve many styles of RAMEN and if it is busy at the counter, you might be able to get a seat upstairs, where they have table service. They remodeled their downstairs kitchen last June (1997), and have added GYOZA and other items to the menu. This place was highly recommended by my Japanese colleagues and I became an ardent fan. Returning to Tokyo and to KAZUKI after a six month absence, the staff remembered me and my favourite MISO CHARSHU!

SANTOKA SAN TO KA is the smallest of the popular RAMEN houses in EBISU. They are also rather new but word has spread about their SHIO RAMEN and their TORO NIKU which is not to be missed! As with most great RAMEN shops, this one normally has a waiting line. But, they are very fast and the short wait is well worth the taste!
I expect they will outgrow their small shop soon. They also serve a wonderful cold RAMEN in the summer time. If you have a small number of people in your group, I heartily recommend this restaurant.
They do close early so if you can't get a seat here, you can go by the park, to the little bridge over the EBISU river, to MEJI DORI and the next place IPPU-DOH . But you might have to wait here too!

IPPU-DOH is a real classic! I found this place on the NET when I was doing research into RAMEN prior to my first trip to Tokyo. It was listed as the RAMEN MASTER'S and I couldn't resist. My GAIJIN colleagues and I stumbled around EBISU until we finally figured out where it was. The style is TONKOTSU or pork bone base soup. It is really quite distinctive. I normally order RAMEN NIKUIRI which is with roasted pork. You can order NIKUIRI AKAMARU which would, for one who doesn't speak Japanese, deliver up a bowl with extra pork. A true marvel! (and a thought to the kindness of the staff!)
IPPU-DOH also serves beer and sake and has a number of other dishes on the menu which, of course, I COULD NEVER READ!. My Japanese colleagues always seemed to order the same thing I did. The GYOZA are fabulous!

EBISU RAMEN is one place I couldn't get to on my last trip to take a photo. You will just have to find it up the street from KAZUKI in EBISU . It too is worth the trouble. You can use your expertise gathered from these other fine restaurants to order your RAMEN just the way you like it!

For a receipe for TONKOTSU RAMEN or for SHOYU RAMEN.
Telephone Numbers:
San To Ka: 03-5421-0336
Ippu Doh : 03-5420-2225
Kazuki : 03-3496-6885
Link to the World Ramen Net: http://www.worldramen.net/index.html

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