Even after sampling Ikebukuro ramen the previous evening at Tairyuken Tokyo Ebisu, I did not give up on my hopes of sampling Kohmen ramen. It took some walking in the cold and drafty evening, and some disorientation, but I had my eureka moment and immediately set about having a taste.
Kohmen claims to be a “genuine Chinese noodle (ramen) shop”. It comes highly recommended, and even the Ikebukuro guide book I picked up at the Ticket Center at JR Ikebukuro Station said so. There are several Kohmen branches all over Tokyo, including one in Harajuku and also in Akihabara. In Ikebukuro, however, there are two: the one on the East Exit, and another on the West Exit.
The Ikebukuro East Exit branch – as I talked about in a previous post – was a total fail since I did not find it (and largely because I did not put much effort into finding it). This time, however, I was determined: I am not going back to the hotel without finding Kohmen.
So I took the West Exit. And wandered around. It was a literal maze of streets, and I was going by block numbers. At first I had a good feeling; I’m on the right track. The block number was correct, too! But I could not seem to find the shop. Sure, there were ramen shops and izakayas all lined up next to each other. But where on earth is Kohmen?
So I retraced my steps, recrossed some crosswalks, and looked for the street map. Then went round again.
Then I saw it.
Funny. I saw it earlier. Even stopped in front of it.
What gave it away this time around were the photos on the menu outside the shop. They looked just like the ones I saw on the website.
And when I looked up, I saw the facade that was plastered on the guidebook. That, right there, was a facepalm moment for me.
So I went in.
Disclaimer: Again, this is not a proper review as I only sampled one dish.
Already, upon sitting down, I gave two points for the place. They had an English menu, and the staff taking the order speaks passable English. (And Mandarin, as evidenced by the way he communicated with the two ladies who came in after me.)
The place was slightly larger, and had a more modern-looking interior. No rustic wooden surfaces here; they are mostly chrome, glass and steel, or wood with a glossy finish. There were no tables, but it had a counter-style setup. It was said to have a second-floor, too, but I didn’t really pay much attention to it.
I only managed to get crappy shots of the interior, because I did not want to “intrude” on the other diners.
Placing an order is done the old-fashioned way: telling it to the staff. Haha! No vending machine to take your orders here, no, sirreee.
I immediately ordered the house special and their bestseller: the Jyukusei Kohmen, or their Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen, or the “Pork Bone Broth Soy Sauce Noodle”. It costs 780 yen (Php 300.00 or USD6.50) per bowl.
Along with the order, you can take your pick from a selection of add-ons: boiled egg, a bowl of rice, a serving of Chinese-style almond milk jelly, or you could change your noodles to large size. I opted for the almond milk jelly.
I also ordered a side dish: two pieces of basil pork gyoza.
Again, it didn’t take long for them to whip it up and bring it to me.
Tada~~~
The serving may not have been as huuuuuge as the vegetable ramen I had the night before, but it was still generous. The broth has a creamy consistency, and mix that with the soft-boiled egg…. winner! The pork was soooo tender, too! And have I mentioned before how much of a nori fan I am? Now you know.
Don’t you just love the color? It totally reminds me of matcha, which I love. I would have ordered the full order (4 pcs) but considering how filling the ramen already is, I’m glad I just had the half-order. I was also making room for the dessert…
I’ll be honest and say that I am no expert in almond jelly, or anything almond milk jelly, so I don’t really know what makes it “Chinese-style”. I liked the consistency, though. It’s not as watery as most almond jellies I’ve had in the past were. It’s almost like pudding. But you know how some almond jellies are overpoweringly sweet? This one isn’t. Just right for the non-sweet-toothed me.
All in all, I was soooooooooo glad I took the time out and searched for this place. Had I made the effort on my first day in Tokyo, I may have ended up having dinner here three nights in a row. 🙂
(This shop is located at 1-22-6 1F, 2F West Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo.)
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