Tori no Ana

Tori no Ana, a specialty shop for tori-paitan (chicken broth ramen), is located on the 1st floor of Keita Building in Higashi Ikebukuro 1-chome, just a 5-minute walk from the East Exit of JR Ikebukuro Station. Its convenient location near TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro makes it ideal for a meal before or after a movie, establishing it as a top choice when you think of tori-paitan in Ikebukuro. The signature Shiro-tori Ramen (White Chicken Ramen) (860-960 yen) features a thick, rich, potage-like tori-paitan soup with concentrated chicken umami. Praised for being "not too salty," "easy to drink," and "making you want to drink it all to the end," it offers a well-balanced flavor that is approachable even for those who don't frequently eat ramen. Unlike many tori-paitan shops that use thin noodles, Tori no Ana's medium-thick, chewy, straight egg noodles stand out. They pair exceptionally well with the rich soup, allowing the wheat flavor and soup to intertwine with every chew. The chicken chashu is melt-in-your-mouth tender, boasting the moist texture characteristic of chicken thigh. Minced chicken, known as "ogata," sinks to the bottom, adding to the enjoyment until the last bite when mixed with the noodles. The Akatori Ramen (Red Chicken Ramen) (990 yen) is a punchy bowl with a tori-paitan base enhanced by spiciness and richness, where the savory chicken umami is clearly discernible even amidst the heat. It's an excellent choice for those who enjoy savory-spicy dishes similar to Tan-Tanmen. Side dishes include tori-meshi (chicken rice), mugi-meshi (barley rice), and chicken chashu don (chicken chashu rice bowl). A popular practice among regulars is to add tori-meshi or mugi-meshi to the leftover soup, transforming it into a delicious risotto-style dish. Monthly limited menus, such as combinations of chicken, curry, and chili oil, or niboshi (dried sardine) and tori-paitan, are also offered, allowing patrons to discover new flavors each season. The tori-paitan tsukemen (dipping noodles) (500g 1020 yen, etc.) boasts a strong richness and umami from the chiyu (chicken oil), and the final soup-wari (diluting broth) is a perfectly concentrated essence of chicken umami.