Shinjuku’s Ramen Takahashi

I managed to get from Okinawa to my hotel in Tokyo with little to no hiccups. My first trial came when I was looking for Ramen Takahashi. I must have walked by it ten times, so be warned! Unless I never actually ended up at the correct place, or the storefront name just doesn’t match (there is a sign in English that says ‘Ramen and Rice’), the slurpy ramen here was delicious. You order and pay at a machine that only has three options in English. Basic, Plus, and Supreme, the rest are in Japanese. I pushed ‘Plus’. It dispenses your coin change, and you take a seat at a little cubicle. Then you choose whether you want thin or thick noodles, and a large or a small serving. 

The vibe is very chill, dim lit, and serves nothing but ramen/soba bowls and their accompaniments. I don’t even think they serve any beverages other than water. They don’t mess around. The speakers play American pop music, but other than that it’s quite quiet. Speaking is replaced with slurping. In front of every seat is a carafe of water, a bowl of stacked uncooked white eggs, soy sauce in a spray bottle, two pepper dispensers, a bamboo box filled with seaweed sheets, and a garnish of green onion and red peppers. Like much of Tokyo dining, you’re left to your own devices. 

After a full day of travel and no food, I was so pleased to have that bowl set in front of me, to warm my hands on it and inhale the intoxicating warmth of broth. Those who know me, know that I am obsessed with broth and soup. Nothing cures me like brothy, noodly soup. I’m not just exaggerating my writing. I mean intoxicating.  What struck me first is how the silky fat on the surface flowed around beautifully when I placed my spoon in. The broth– amazing. The fat coating my lips warmly. This was a clearer broth, which tells me shio (salt) or shoyu (soy sauce) based. But by no means lighter in flavor and depth than the rich tonkatsu’s.