Mendokoro Honda Akihabara

Mendokoro Honda Akihabara, originally founded in Higashijujo, Kita-ku in 2009 and relocated to its current location, just a 0-minute walk from Akihabara Station, in 2020, is a renowned Tokyo representative of shoyu ramen (soy sauce ramen). It is known as a popular restaurant that consistently maintains a Tabelog score of around 3.80, frequently appears on Tabelog's "Ramen Hyakumeiten" (Top 100 Ramen Shops), and always has a line outside, day and night. The shop features a stoic black exterior resembling a research facility, and a quiet, minimalist interior. The soup is a "Triple Chintan" (clear broth), combining animal-based broth from chicken and pork, Japanese-style dashi from bonito flakes, dried ingredients, and niboshi (dried sardines), and shellfish broth from clams and oysters. This is then paired with a shoyu dare (soy sauce seasoning) blended from five types of soy sauce, including three kinds of nama-shoyu (raw soy sauce), creating a delicate yet distinctly defined bowl. The noodles are homemade, medium-thin and straight, made with an in-house noodle machine, blending three types of wheat: "Haruyo Koi," "Haruyutaka," and "Men Seiryu." They are crafted to be well-integrated with the soup while allowing the aroma of wheat to stand out. Each topping makes a strong statement. The "Tokusei" (special) option features three types of chashu: chicken thigh, pork thigh, and either hanging-roasted pork shoulder loin or fried and seared pork belly. The menu also includes limited offerings such as variations with a prominent niboshi (dried sardine) flavor, cold ramen specialties like summer "Nibocon Shoyu," shio tsukemen (salt dipping noodles), and wontons. The shio tsukemen is particularly unique: the noodles are coated in kombusui (kelp water), and the classic way to enjoy them is in three stages – first plain, then with a touch of the accompanying sea salt, and finally by dipping them into the soup tare.