麺処 井の庄 Inosho: hot fuzz

My cousin from Nagoya - land of miso katsu, Toriyama Akira, and thousands of cram schools - was staying with me for the weekend, demanding I take him to something special and exclusive to Tokyo. I had to go to the legendary Toei Animation Studio in Ooizumi-Gakuen that day, so I made it a point to visit the equally legendary Ibuki, a shop run by a maniacal master that only serves an ultra-simple niboshi ramen for a couple hours a day, and only if the broth is just right.

The Conductor (Galaxy Express 999) greets all visitors to Ooizumi Gakuen

But lo and behold, the shop was closed. Or, at least what we thought was the shop. We asked neighbors if they had seen the master, and why the shop wasn't open today. Little did I know that Ibuki had packed up and moved to goddamn Shimura Sakagami, no doubt a godless location far, far away.

My cousin was visibly upset, shaking uncontrollably. I promised him ramen, so we took a leisurely stroll to Shakujikoen for Inosho, a ramen outpost located inside a deserted underground shopping mall.

This is another popular place known for their gyokai-tonkotsu tsukemen, a style that I have grown to loathe due to its ubiquity in the Tokyo tsukemen scene. Think thick pork broth topped with ground bonito powder. Don't think too hard.

Tsukemen (780yen) 

Inosho's is...just like any other bowl of this kind. Good at first bite, dull and a chore to eat by the end. You'd be better served by getting their "spicy spicy" version, which my cousin opted for.

Kara Kara Gyo Ramen (880yen)

Japanese idea of spice tends to be like the picture above. Dump a mound of ground chili powder into the bowl and mix it up. It's good, but not as deep or flavorful as other bowls, and this stuff just tends to mask the flavor of the broth, but in this case, it gave the bowl a much needed kick. I can't eat this stuff because they taste like burning, but this red death is definitely the main attraction at the shop.

My cousin handled his business. I finished my girly bowl. He was satisfied, and doesn't hate Tokyo. I still want to go to Ibuki.

Tokyo, Nerima-ku, Shakujii-cho 3-25-21
Closest stn: Shakujii-koen

Open from 11am-3pm and 530-1130pm (11am-1130pm on the weekend)

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