Among Numerous Ramen Restaurants in Tokyo, Which Offers Ramen Dishes That Will Please Our Palate Best? Ozeki Chinese Soba (Ozeki Chuka Soba) Definitely Comes Thoroughly Recommended!

If I were asked, “if only one of the ramen restaurants in Tokyo may be chosen for enjoying ramen dishes, which is the best”, I would answer instantly, “Ozeki Chinese Soba is unquestionably the choice!”

Three reasons for the recommendation:

Leave the Ebisu Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line from West Exit, cross the street (a KFC is across the street), walk along Komazawa Street (Komazawa-dori) for about 2 minutes, and walk into the alley on your right (the sight of a mobile phone shop means that you should make a turn), and get to the restaurant within about 1 minute.

It is highly probable that you have to line up in front of the restaurant at lunchtimes (11:30-13:00); while after 14:00, you need not wait outside! If you are to have supper at it, you’d better get to it before 17:00 as there normally is a perpetual line after 20:30.

Maybe, this is the 50th times that I have been here. I arrive here at 14:30 and as expected, there is no line.♪

The restaurant’s interior seems very ordinary and not different from other ramen restaurants. There are only 10 seats at bar tables, so if you visit here with your friend, you two might have to sit shoulder by shoulder. Dishes are ordered with a ticket machine.

Unlike other popular ramen restaurants, Ozeki Chinese Soba has many dishes on its menu. It offers four types of ramen, with each type including four options. The photo below is clear at a glance.

Regular customers, of course, are delighted at so many options; however, new customers might hesitate. Here niboshi ramen, the signature dish of Ozeki, never disappoints customers. I order niboshi ramen with char siu (1030 yen) plus char siu rice (270 yen).

Generally speaking, for those engaging in the ramen trade in Japan, making of niboshi ramen requires considerable culinary skills as over 10 types of dried fishes, for example, geruo, hirako, shirokuchi and ibuki, are cooked on a low heat constantly to make the broth, thus imparting their goodness and flavor to the dish!

The noodles are medium-thin noodles by Daiei Food. They, also used by many other popular ramen restaurants, are chewy and easily coated with palatable broth.

On the top of the noodles are three pieces of char siu chicken and char siu pork each (a common niboshi dish is topped with one piece of char siu chicken and char siu pork each).
The thick slices of char siu chicken are especially nice: they are very chewy and a good match for the broth!

Char siu rice is also a must-eat. It is priced at only 270 yen, while char siu and nori fully cover the rice! (smile)

All slices of char siu are thick ones with high cost performance! But only limited amount of char siu is served each day, so it might have sold out if you fail to arrive at the restaurant in its peak period.

The broth is so savory that I drink it up again, although I have visited here for around 50 times!
In Japan, restaurant operators are always glad that there are no leftovers in customers’ bowls, so if you like the taste, just eat the dish up!

Besides, if you are not used to niboshi ramen, tsukemen is recommended. It’s also a dish you must savor!

On exiting the restaurant, you can see Ebisu Shrine to the right. Surprisingly, there is such an ancient building near the station of bustling Ebisu. This might be a feature of Japan, I think. (Smile)
Why not pay a visit to it!