Motenashi Kuroki

A renowned ramen shop located in an alley just a 2-minute walk from Asakusabashi Station in Tokyo, boasting a history of being featured in the Michelin Bib Gourmand and selected for Ramen TOKYO Hyakumeiten (Top 100 Ramen Shops in Tokyo) for five consecutive years. After relocating from Kanda-Izumicho to Asakusabashi, its sophisticated interior, reminiscent of a high-end kappo restaurant with a long counter, and its carefully crafted ramen, served like a course meal, have garnered significant acclaim. The signature dishes are Shoyu Soba (soy sauce ramen) and Shio Soba (salt ramen), with a choice of homemade hand-kneaded noodles (te-momi-men) or thin noodles (hosomen). The hand-kneaded noodles are characterized by their chewy texture and smooth swallowability, allowing them to glide down effortlessly. The multi-layered soup, crafted from chicken and pork, seafood, and aromatic vegetables, stands out for its mellow, well-rounded flavor and the rich umami of its dashi. For the Shio Soba, the dried tomato, marinated onion, and fresh peppercorns placed in the center act as a flavor-changing gimmick; when dissolved towards the end, the dish transforms to an Italian-like profile. The luxurious toppings, including several types of chashu, tsukune (chicken meatballs), and wontons, are all exceptionally well-made. The seasonal "Drinkable Hiyashi Chuka Soba" (cold ramen) is famous for its astonishingly smooth flat noodles, and the shop also offers a rich selection of side dishes like its renowned shumai (steamed dumplings) and "Hon-maguro Nouten Sashimi-meshi" (rice bowl with bluefin tuna head sashimi).