銀座 朧月 Oborotsuki: one man, two bowls

There are few ramen culinary pleasures like stumbling across a gem. Oborotsuki hasn't been in Ginza too long, but it wasn't on our radar. Just walked past and in.

Great impulse slurp. Run by one guy and his trusty assistant, the shop is distinguished by the low, limited counter seating and the hushed atmosphere. This might have been a sushi shop back in the day. The silence is cut by the steam from the vats of soup. There are two bowls here - a chuka soba and a tsukemen.

Chashumen (1000yen)

Definitely opt for the extra chashu. For only a couple hundred yen more, you get fifteen slices of pork! They aren't huge, but that is a great value, and the fat on each slice is pristine.

The curly egg noodles go well with the shoyu broth. This is a very solid bowl and what one would assume to be the highlight of the shop.

But the tsukemen might be even better. 

Tsukemen (800yen)

A typical tonkotsu-gyokai pork and fish stock blend is unusually sweet, topped with burnt garlic oil, and flavorful down to the last slurp.

One reason might be the noodles, which have extra bite. 

You can't go wrong with either bowl here. This is an unassuming shop run by a silent master, preparing two bowls filled with high-quality ingredients. Go now.

Tokyo, Chuo-ku, Ginza 6-3-5

Closest stn: Ginza

Open from 1130am-330pm and 530-10pm (closed Sundays)

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