It’s no secret that Tokyo is one of the greatest food cities in the world. Apparently, the reviewers at Michelin agree, since it’s said that Tokyo holds the most Michelin Star restaurants of any city in the world. We’ve dined at some famous ones, like Narisawa, which consistently is ranked as one of the best restaurants in the world. However, this last trip, we were excited to try at least one of the notable ramen restaurants in Tokyo, and opted for Nakiryu.
Nakiryu is Famous for Dan Dan Noodles
Nakiryu is one of only a couple of ramen shops in Tokyo that have received Michelin stars. One of their specialties at Nakiryu is the ‘dan dan’ noodles. Dan dan noodles originated in the Sichuan province of China, and we had a popular version in Taiwan as well. These noodles are characterized by their spiciness and the use of sesame seeds. There’s conjecture that the soy sauce ramen is what earned Nakiryu its Michelin star, but every post and article we’ve read said you can’t miss the spicy dan dan noodles.
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What Ramen to Order at Nakiryu?
You have plenty of time while waiting in line to peruse the menu that gets passed around, and since there were two of us, we tried two different spicy ramen options. The first is the Tantanmen, which are the dan dan noodles. The second ramen we tried was the Sanramen, which is a sour and hot ramen. This one is the only option that you can’t add extra noodles to.
There are add-on options as well. Coriander is available for the spicy noodles (if there are two of you, I recommend just one order as it’s quite a bit). Other options include slices of braised pork, soy-dipped egg, shrimp and pork wonton, Kujo leek, shredded white leek, seaweed, and bamboo shoots.
We ordered the Tantanmen with coriander, soy egg, and three thin slices of braised pork. The thin noodles are served in a red pepper and sesame soup. It was spicy, but not as spicy as I was imagining. If you really like your ramen extra hot, there is also a very spicy version for 50 yen more! The soy egg’s yolk was still slightly runny, and added an extra bit of richness. The thinly sliced pork definitely made the dish, possessing a buttery consistency that practically melts in your mouth.
- Tantanmen Ramen 850 yen
- Coriander 100 yen
- Soy-dipped egg 200 yen
- Braised pork (3 thin slices) 200 yen
- Total: 1350 yen (under $12 US with current exchange rate)
The Sanramen was an unexpected hit. Aside from its gorgeous appearance, the flavor was an explosive mix of sour and spicy. We added the pork slices to this one as well.
- Sanramen 900 yen
- Pork slices 200 yen
- Total: 1100 yen (under $10 US with current exchange rates)
In addition to the Tantanmen and Sanramen, we split one order of diced braised pork on a smaller serving of rice, which is only available at lunch (150 yen). This was the thicker braised pork, and the fatty char taste was the perfect addition to the ramen.
How to Order at Nakiryu
When you are called inside, they show you where you are sitting and then you place your order. Ordering is done by receiving tickets through a vending machine, and each item comes on an individual ticket. There is no English on the vending machine, so it’s helpful to memorize your numbers beforehand or take a photo of the menu like I did in case you forget.
Each person is only allowed to order one bowl of ramen, but most of the menu items allow you to order a bigger portion of noodles if you are really hungry. A regular serving was more than enough for me, but I saw plenty of people who had the extra serving.
Tip: Bring cash as you must pay with cash in the vending machine!
Once you’ve ordered, you will hand your tickets to the chef as you sit down. You can watch them as they prepare everyone’s ramen and side dishes.
Getting to Nakiryu and Waiting in Line
Waiting in line at Nakiryu is the only way to get in. Unlike Tsuta, the other Michelin Star ramen shop in Tokyo, Nakiryu doesn’t use a number pick-up system where you come back at an assigned time. If you get there after noon, you can expect the line to be up to a couple hours long in some cases. It’s only a 10-seat shop, so it does take a while, especially considering almost everyone in line is not local. Someone comes out regularly to monitor the line and they will cut it off when they’ve reached capacity for lunch. If you come after that, there will be a sign that directs you to come back at dinnertime.
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