Shisen Tantanmen Aun Asakusa

"Sichuan Tantanmen A-Un Asakusa" is a specialist restaurant for Sichuan tantanmen (担々麺 - spicy sesame ramen) located in Nishiasakusa 1-chome, right near Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. Opened in 2015 as the second branch of a popular tantanmen specialist from Yushima, it has been a beloved establishment supporting the tantanmen scene in the Asakusa area for over 10 years. The signature offerings are two types: White Sesame Tantanmen and Black Sesame Tantanmen. Both are available with soup (thin noodles) or without soup (chewy medium-thick noodles). The biggest feature is the ability to freely customize the levels of spiciness (ラー油 - chili oil) and numbness (花椒 - Sichuan peppercorns) across 7 stages, from 0 to 6. The restaurant's recommendation is spice level 3 and numbness level 2; this combination is a classic starting point for guests to explore their preferred levels. The White Sesame Tantanmen offers a clear finish, allowing the sweetness of sesame and the sharpness of spice to be directly experienced. The Black Sesame Tantanmen provides a rich finish, where the depth and richness of sesame gently envelop the spice and numbness, resulting in a different sensation even at the same spice level. Toppings include minced meat, dried shrimp, nuts, mizuna, kaiware sprouts, and shredded white negi, offering a rich variety of textural accents. For the soup-less variants, the operation follows the staff's guidance of "Please mix well before eating," ensuring the ingredients are thoroughly combined before enjoying. A popular finishing style is to add a complimentary small serving of rice to the rich sauce and ingredients remaining after finishing the noodles; combining this with the "Soft-boiled Egg & Half Rice Set" (250 yen) significantly enhances satisfaction. The "Extreme Spice 6" (+100 yen) is a separate option that goes beyond the standard maximum. The interior features a small seating capacity of less than 10 counter seats, and paper aprons are provided at the tables as a countermeasure against splashes during noodle draining. Limited-time offerings such as cold tantanmen (冷やし担々麺) and miso tantanmen (味噌担々麺) also appear, ensuring repeat customers are always engaged.