Hey, Ramen lovers!

I have written TOP5 Ramen in SHINJUKU by LOCALS 2017 and this is 2018 version! It’s not like I don’t like my top 5 in 2017. Of course, I still love them but I just wanted to introduced to you guys the new spots that I discovered in 2018 that I came to love.

5. MENSHO SAN FRANCISCO

A Michelin star restaurant, Mensho San Francisco, was originally opened in SF by Japanese Chef Tomoharu Shono, and was later reverse-imported to Tokyo. It’s hidden away on the 7th floor of Myload (mirodo) which is directly connected to the south exit of JR Shinjuku station. The shop presents a stylish cafe like interior attracting a larger female audience when compared to most ramen shops.

So what I recommend the most at this shop is A5 Black-hair Wagyu Beef Shoyu Ramen (¥1950). The beef on top is from Kagoshima, silky smooth and extremely tender. The soup was made from Beef Genkotsu and Bonito flakes, creating a strong yet light flavor. Delicately placed on top of the beef, you can see soy sauce powder, yuzu, and garlic. Noodles are a medium thickness with crimped-style mixed distinctively with quinoa.

The most popular and basic menu, Paitan Chicken Ramen (¥860) and egg on rice on the side. This ramen is infused with a rare soy foam covering the top, a tender pork chasu, half egg, mizuna leaves and walnuts which adds a nice crunchy texture.

The white soup is created using chicken and soy milk and is finished with a strong yuzu citrus blast. The black powder is in fact a soy sauce powder made with a special Kamebishi Soy Sauce which requires a 3-year fermentation process to produce.

Restaurant Info

Nakagin Otowa Mansion 1F, 1-17-16 Otowa Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
03-6902-2878
http://menya-shono.com/mensho

4. HOSENKA

Hosenka is a ramen shop produced by the owners Hayashida Ramen, which is another popular ramen shop in Shinjuku.

Menu is simple, either ramen or tsukemen (dipping style ramen), nothing crazy that you have no idea what it is. I like their Tokusei Ramen (Special Ramen in English) ¥1000. Their golden dashi soup is mainly made with a premium sea bream called Kinmedai, with a rare pork shoulder chashu, loosened pieces of kinmedai, bamboo sprouts, chopped red onions, green onions and a half-boiled marinated egg. The whole wheat straight noodles helps accentuate the deep fish flavors.

To finish it off, don’t hesitate in ordering the Kimmedai chazuke which is eaten afterwards with your leftover ramen soup. You just need to tell them when you are done with ramen and they’ll come over and serve you an additional bowl of rice & soup topped with 2 small pieces of fish chunks and mild wasabi on the side.

Restaurant Info

1-24-6 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
050-5596-6005
https://twitter.com/RamenHousenka

3. MISOYA HACHIRO SHOTEN

This shop is under the famous Ramen shop group, Nantsuttei which is famously known for its creamy tonkotsu (pork) broth soup. Without missing any flavorful notes, Misoya Hachiro Shoten’s also implements a creamy tonkotsu broth but in the miso variety. The shop uses special blend of miso from Hokkaido to create its own special richness.

This is the spicy miso ramen (¥900) and it’s complete fire. The black oil on top is made from the shop’s special burnt garlic oil, made by taking garlic chips and frying them in 7 different cooking times and then combined with a sesame oil. Thick straight noodles goes perfectly with rich miso soup.

I also love how they add ground meat in addition to melty chashu.

Restaurant Info

Tokyo-to Shinjuku-ku Nishishinjuku 7 Chome−5−５
050-5594-3927
https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13093862/

2. ORENOSORA

Ore no Sora is a well-known ramen shop in Takadanobaba and this is their second shop. This shop always has a long line duing the lunch time. As of menu, you can choose from 3 types - Kake buta soba, Tsuke buta soba, and Ae buta soba.

This is OREANO Kake buta soba, literally translated to poured pork noodle, which is their regular standard ramen. Do you see how beautiful it looks!? It’s expertly combined with beautiful duck chashu, marinated egg, bamboo shoots and nori seaweed. Its flavorful fish broth soup goes perfectly with thin straight noodles.

And this is Aesoba. It doesn’t come with a soup, but rather the noodles are pre-lathered with a their luciscous thick creamy sauce, almost pasta-like. For those seeking a bit more acit, they provide a lemon juice to round out the flavors. We didn’t order tsuke soba but it’s a dipping style ramen you’ve probably already seen in my Top 5 Shibuya Ramen video.

Restaurant Info

1 Chome-3-13 Nishishinjuku Shinjuku-ku Tokyo-to
03-6302-0677
https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1304/A130401/13156913/

MANRAI

Manrai has been in business since 1961. I love the chic interior, reminds me of nice soba shop. It looks new but that’s because they moved location a few years back. I always notice that more male customers are in this ramen shop probably because of its size and volume.

This is their standard bowl, Chashu Ramen (¥1550). The clear shoyu soup appears light and mild, but its deceptively strong flavored and has a deep umami taste. Their flat wrinkly noodles a perfect compliment to their broth and most impactful, are these 3 insanely large pieces of pork mixed in with nori seaweed, and green onions.

If you are into Natto, then you can’t sleep on their Natto Zaru (¥1150). The dipping soup is also a shoyu-based broth but has a welcomed tangy sourness and covered in a beautiful yellow foam which is produce of whipping egg and natto in the broth. All, laden with several tender pieces of pork and bamboo shoots.