Ramen Montana Akihabara

"Ramen Montana Akihabara" opened in June 2024 as the Akihabara branch of "Ramen Montana," an Iekei (pork bone soy sauce based) ramen shop with its main store in Kagurazaka. It boasts a prime location, just a 1-2 minute walk from the Showa-dori Exit of JR Akihabara Station. The interior, vibrant with the energy characteristic of Iekei style, offers a spacious layout with 6 counter seats and 7 two-person tables, totaling 20 seats. The soup is a pork bone shoyu (soy sauce) base, typical of the Iekei style, but it follows the lineage of the Kagurazaka main store with a mild style that is not excessively rich. Its hallmark is an easy-to-drink quality without overly strong saltiness. While many contemporary Iekei shops tend towards a saltier profile, this ramen offers a gentle seasoning that allows you to enjoy the soup to the last drop, making it a welcoming bowl for those exploring Iekei ramen. The noodles are standard Iekei medium-thick noodles. Customization options, known as "Iekei Call" (Iekei kooru), for noodle firmness (katame/hard, futsuu/regular, yawame/soft), flavor richness (koime/strong, futsuu/regular, usume/light), and oil amount (oome/more, futsuu/regular, sukuname/less) are communicated verbally after being seated. The Chashu-men (ramen with sliced pork) for 1300 yen, featuring three thick, hand-sliced pork chashu (braised pork belly) slices, is also popular. This is a rare offering in the Iekei industry, where thinly sliced chashu, cut by machine, has become standard. Among the table condiments such as grated garlic, ginger, and karashi takana (spicy pickled mustard greens), the impressively generous quantity of karashi takana stands out. The pungent kick of karashi takana, when eaten with rice, is quite spicy, so it is advisable to start with a small amount. Payment options include cards, e-money, and various QR payment services (including Alipay/WeChat Pay), ensuring convenience for international visitors.