Sauvage

"Sobaju" is a creative ramen shop opened in June 2023 by French chef Horikoshi, incorporating French culinary techniques. Located on the 1st floor of Castle Kobayashi in Minami-Ikebukuro 2-chome, just a 3-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station. Food critic Masuhiro Yamamoto has highly praised it in his "Masuhiro Yamamoto's Ramen Revolution" series in LEON magazine, visiting the establishment six times. The signature Shio Ramen (salt ramen) is a Japanese-French fusion dish, featuring "Jus de Volaille" (French-style chicken broth) meticulously prepared from three types of Kagoshima local chickens (Kuro Satsuma-dori, Aka Satsuma-dori, and Hinata-dori) along with mirepoix (aromatic vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery), further enhanced with toribushi (dried chicken flakes). It offers a light yet profoundly deep umami, crafted to a perfection that makes you want to drink every last drop. Opting for the Tokusei (special/deluxe) version provides four kinds of chashu (braised meats): seared duck thigh confit, low-temperature smoked duck breast, chicken thigh (with crispy skin and tender meat), and moist chicken breast. The exceptional cooking technique for perfectly crispy skin and astonishingly tender interiors truly shines. The "Special" option, with three slices of duck loin and seared duck pieces, is a must-try for duck enthusiasts. The standard noodles are medium-thin, straight, and contain whole wheat flour, while limited-edition ramen sometimes feature flat, thick, straight noodles reminiscent of pasta tagliatelle, allowing guests to enjoy different noodle types with monthly specials. The ever-changing monthly limited ramen are a major draw, with creative dishes unique to a French chef appearing one after another, such as "Sea Bream Soup with Clam and Asari Jus," venison bolognese, niboshi ramen (dried sardine ramen), and Hiyashi Chuka (chilled ramen, also highly praised by Masuhiro Yamamoto). A wide variety of enjoyable options beyond ramen are also available, including side dishes like Aburi Chashu Gohan (seared chashu rice) for 500 yen, TKG (Tamago Kake Gohan - raw egg over rice) for 350 yen, Khao Man Gai for 450 yen, and Nougat Glacé.