There are a variety of really good ramen restaurants in Kyoto. One such place that is particularly crowded with such powerhouses is Ichijyoji, Kyoto. In such a fierce battleground, there is one restaurant that continues to win the “Michelin Bib Gourmand” award. That is the “Ra-men Tohichi” introduced here.
Outline of the restaurant
The restaurant is located in Ichijoji, Kyoto.
This restaurant is located in Ichijyoji, Kyoto’s most competitive ramen district. There are many ramen shops such as Tentenyu, Masutani, and Chinyu. This is not just a place where many different ramen shops are crammed together, it is a battle zone where many famous stores stand side by side, and where ramen shops call for ramen shops. It is a mysterious area where ramen shops are proliferating one after another, regardless of the amateur’s idea that they would be popular if they opened more stores in other places.
The store is located along the street in front of Shugakuin Station, north of the main street Higashioji Dori in the Ichijyoji neighborhood.
In front of the restaurant is a sign proudly displaying the Michelin Bib Gourmand award. The restaurant has an amazing record of winning this award, which is difficult to win just once, for seven consecutive years since 2017.
Access, etc.
- Business hours: 11:00 am – 2:30 pm, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
- Closed: Tuesday
- Parking: Available
- Address: 1F Keifuku Shugakuin Mansion, 8-6 Yamahata Ichimachida-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8007, Japan
For some reason, coin-operated parking is very expensive in the Ichijyoji area, and we are very grateful that they have their own parking lot.
The location of the restaurant is a bit confusing, so you may need to learn about it beforehand.
Menu & Flavor
Five kinds of noodles
Here is the menu. Ordering is by meal ticket. There are three types of ramen: basic chicken shoyu ramen, chicken shiratsuyu, and boiled dried seafood. Tsuke-soba and mazesoba are added to the lineup.
Tsuke-soba with four levels of use
While all of the ramen are appealing, the tsuke-soba is the one that stands out the most.
At first glance, it looks like water, but it is noodles soaked in kelp broth, three kinds of condiments, and dipping sauce, which is served in an unusual style. The way to eat it is also appropriate. First, taste the noodles with the aroma of kelp broth as it is.
Next, you can enjoy the noodles with the aroma of kelp broth, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), and salt to taste.
Then, the noodles are served in a relatively light tsukemoto (dipping sauce). In the latter half of the meal, you can add more condiments to change the taste.
The last part of the meal is the dipping soup, which is made of kombu dashi (kelp soup stock) in which the noodle was soaked. It was a dish that kept me going until the very end.
Mazesoba with half the flavor of chicken oil
Compared to mazesoba and tsuke-soba, this dish is simpler. However, even before you eat it, the savory smell emanating from the bowl makes you feel that something special is going on.
The mazesoba is usually filled with minced meat, condiments, vegetables, and other ingredients, which may give the impression that it is not enough, but this is only due to its appearance.
The more you mix it, the more the chicken oil gets mixed in with the noodles and ingredients, giving the dish a richness that is contrary to its simple appearance.
Chicken rice, or rather, a bowl of rice topped with chicken chashu
Chicken rice is a dish that many Kagoshima gourmets imagine when they hear the word “chicken rice,” and if anything, it should be called chicken chashu-don.
The slightly burnt smell of the meat, which is seared on a burner just before serving, and the relatively simple seasoning make this bowl a perfect side dish to ramen, while the main course is ramen.
Conclusion
That’s all for this article.
Recently, I have had many opportunities to eat Michelin-style gourmet food, and while I had the impression that it was a bit expensive, the fact that this restaurant is priced at 850 yen, which is no different from other ramen shops, gave me a good impression of friendliness. I am sure to repeat my visit to this restaurant.
The YouTube version of our visit to “Ramen Tohichi” has been uploaded.
The youtube version of our visit to “Ramen Tohichi” has been uploaded. Please check it out as well.
