Jiho Picks

Tag: tsukemen

  • Menya Musashi Kosho in Roppongi: The #1 Rich Tsukemen and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Flame-Grilled Chashu

    Menya Musashi Kosho in Roppongi: The #1 Rich Tsukemen and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Flame-Grilled Chashu

    My husband loves tsukemen (dipping noodles), so we try a lot of tsukemen shops together. This time we went to Menya Musashi Kosho (麺屋武蔵 虎嘯) in Roppongi. One of my business partners is nearby, which is how we found it. It’s a well-known spot, so expect a line at both lunch and dinner. We arrived a little before the lunch rush and still waited about 15 minutes.

    Rich seafood broth and thick noodles

    The dipping broth is a rich gyokai (seafood) style, with a deep fish flavor up front. To match it, the noodles are thick and slightly flat, so they carry plenty of that heavy broth in every bite.

    The star: flame-grilled chashu

    The kitchen grills a thick slab of chashu (braised pork) to order before it goes on your plate. It’s smoky, and it melts in your mouth. Honestly, the chashu alone is worth the trip.

    Order the #1 bestseller

    We ordered the shop’s #1 most popular dish, the Rich Kosho Tsukemen (濃厚虎嘯つけ麺, ¥1,690). It comes with a thick slab of flame-grilled chashu and a seasoned soft-boiled egg. You can get more noodles for the same price, but the portions are already generous, so I went with the regular size and was plenty full.

    Order the #1 bestseller

    We ordered the shop’s #1 most popular dish, the Rich Kosho Tsukemen (濃厚虎嘯つけ麺, ¥1,690). It comes with a thick slab of flame-grilled chashu and a seasoned soft-boiled egg. You can get more noodles for the same price, but the portions are already generous, so I went with the regular size and was plenty full.

    [Photo: 03_tsukemen-plate] [Photo: 04_chashu-and-egg]

    You can choose from 9 noodle sizes, and everything up to 3.5x costs the same.

    SizeBefore boilingAfter boilingExtra
    Regular (並)180g280gnone
    Medium (中)235g370gnone
    Large (大)285g450gnone
    2x360g570gnone
    2.5x450g710gnone
    3x540g850gnone
    3.5x630g1kgnone
    4x850g1,350g+¥100
    5x1kg1,580g+¥150

    The regular size (280g after boiling) was already plenty for me, so I’d recommend it for a first visit.

    The plates are decorated with Miyamoto Musashi, the famous swordsman, and drawings of swords, which makes the meal fun to look at too.

    My take

    • Good: Melt-in-your-mouth smoky chashu, thick noodles that match the rich broth, and the same price up to 3.5x noodles
    • Not so good: There’s a line day and night. Even if you arrive before the lunch rush, plan on waiting around 15 minutes
    • Best for: Fans of rich tsukemen, anyone looking for a hearty meal in Roppongi

    Info

    Prices are as of my visit and may change.

    Name: Menya Musashi Kosho (麺屋武蔵 虎嘯), Roppongi

    Location: [1 min walk from Roppongi Station]

    Hours: [check Google Maps before you go]

  • Yasubee Tsukemen in Takadanobaba: A 15-Year Regular’s Guide (Same Price for Any Size!)

    My husband and I are both noodle lovers, so we eat tsukemen (dipping noodles) a lot. But there’s one place I’ve been going to since my student days in Tokyo, more than 15 years ago: Tsukemen-ya Yasubee in Takadanobaba.

    Why I love Yasubee

    Tsukemen dipping broth is usually rich and salty, but Yasubee’s is lighter in saltiness. That means you can dunk the noodles deep into the broth without it getting too salty. The noodles are thick and chewy, so they pick up the broth nicely.

    Why I love Yasubee

    Tsukemen dipping broth is usually rich and salty, but Yasubee’s is lighter in saltiness. That means you can dunk the noodles deep into the broth without it getting too salty. The noodles are thick and chewy, so they pick up the broth nicely.

    [Photo: 06_noodle-dip]

    Huge portions, and every size costs the same

    At Yasubee, small, regular, medium, and large all cost the same price. The portions are so big that even the small size (180g) is sometimes too much for me.

    SizeNoodlesPrice
    Small (小盛り)180g¥1,080
    Regular (並盛り)220g¥1,080
    Medium (中盛り)330g¥1,080
    Large (大盛り)440g¥1,080
    Extra large (特盛り)550g+¥200

    Tip: Order the small size and you get one topping for free. Choose from a seasoned soft-boiled egg, boiled dumplings, bamboo shoots, vegetables, nori, green onion, or sesame. It’s the perfect amount for a first visit.

    How to order: the ticket machine

    Buy a meal ticket from the machine by the entrance and hand it to the staff. It takes cash and IC cards like PASMO and Suica. The main options are classic tsukemen (¥1,080), miso tsukemen (¥1,180), and spicy tsukemen (¥1,080). You can make it double spicy or MAX spicy for free.

    I ordered the small and picked the ajitsuke tamago (soy-marinated soft-boiled egg) as my free topping. I also highly recommend the vegetable topping. The bean sprouts stay crunchy and delicious. Here’s my trick: drop the vegetables into the dipping broth early so they soak up the flavor. Everything tastes better when it’s seasoned just right!

    Free toppings on the table

    Every seat comes with chopped onion. Add a big spoonful to your broth for a fresh, crunchy bite. It’s my favorite part. There are also free bonito flakes, vinegar, and black pepper. Bonito flakes add a deeper fish flavor, and a little vinegar makes the broth lighter.

    Finish with soup-wari

    When you’re done with the noodles, ask the staff for “soup-wari, onegaishimasu.” They’ll add hot broth to your leftover dipping sauce so you can drink it like soup. It’s free too.

    My take

    • Good: Light broth that’s great for dunking, and a free topping with the small size
    • Not so good: Portions are big, so first-timers should start with small
    • Best for: Tsukemen beginners, anyone who finds rich broth too heavy, big noodle eaters

    Info

    • Name: Tsukemen-ya Yasubee, Takadanobaba (つけ麺屋やすべえ)
    • Location: Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo, [3 min walk from Takadanobaba Station]
    • Payment: ticket machine (cash and IC cards)
    • Takeout and Uber Eats available
    • Hours: [check Google Maps before you go]