おおぜき中華そば Ozeki: smokin' aces

Ebisu isn't necessarily a ramen destination, but they are known for having a few high-quality ramen options. Afuri is probably the most well known, but there are also classic options like Tsukumo, Miharu, and Kiwa (an Ebisu outpost of Sapporo Junren also opened recently).

Ozeki Chukasoba is one of the highest-ranked in the area. They serve a classic shoyu chukasoba…

...a similar bowl heavy with niboshi…

...and a tori-paitan chicken broth. Will have to go back for that last one. Menma, naruto, and torched chashu round out the toppings. This bowl was simple but very carefully composed; an aerial view is necessary to capture Ozeki's attention to ramen composition.

The shoyu gets a clean bill of health. Deep broth matched by thin noodles. This isn't a hearty bowl, and it's probably not complex enough to rank with the best shoyu in town, but the devotion is definitely there.

For those not afraid of something richer, the niboshi bowl might be the more solid option. It has that kick missing from the shoyu, supplied by hundreds of liquified sardines. There isn't any fishiness here, just smoky richness. Depending on your tolerance for niboshi, this might be too dense, but I think Ozeki achieves a creamy balance with this one.

Regardless of what you order, the ingredients and presentation excel. There's a care taken by the two dudes who work on each bowl together that is almost serene.

A quality option for a quality part of Tokyo.

Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Ebisu 1-9-4
Closest stn: Ebisu

Open from 1130am-10pm (closed Sundays)

Hearts