- Ramen
In Indonesia, there are several ramen restaurants such as Ippudo ramen, Ikkudo Ichi, and ramen sanpachi. All of it is delicious, I like ramen in Ikkudo Ichi the most. Particularly, Ikkudo’s tori kara with curly noodle with half boiled egg, sooo delicious. When in Japan, I have tried ramen in Otaru, Sapporo, and ramen in Shibuya, and ramen in Odaiba Tokyo. The ramens I tried in Japan are way more delicious than my favorite Ikkudo’s tori kara. The soup is thicker and the flavor is so rich.
In Otaru Sapporo I tried the ramen in To Kai Ya, a small ramen shop, but a lot of people are queuing inside.
In Odaiba, I visit Aqua City Odaiba mall and inside the mall, there is this place called “Tokyo Ramen Kokugikan Mai”. An area that is full of ramen restaurants. Each of the ramen restaurants has its own specialty. Another unique thing about this “Tokyo Ramen Kokugikan Mai” is all the order are using a vending machine. It is something new for me, but a common thing in Japan.
You can choose the saltiness level of the soup, what kind of additional topping you like and also side dish like gyoza. The noodle portion itself is pretty big, so I order 1 bowl of ramen for the two of us. We choose the chicken ramen from this restaurant.
My favorite one is the ramen we tried in Shibuya. There are lots of ramen places in Shibuya, I just randomly enter one of the ramen restaurants. It is nearby Shibuya station exit 5. Same as the ramen place in Odaiba, in Shibuya, I also order the ramen first through the vending machine before I seated. This time I order spicy ramen. I order non-spicy ramen for my son. Both ramens are delicious.
Even though I can find ramen restaurant in Jakarta, the Ramen in Japan is way more rich and flavourful. Whether it is in a small store or at the mall, all the ramen I have tried so far in Japan are never dissapoint.
- Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki
Okonomiyaki and takoyaki are a must try when you are in Japan. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing various kinds of ingredients. Additionally, takoyaki is a Japanese snack that made out of wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a ball-shaped, with topping choices like a diced octopus, prawn, or cheese, sprinkle with scraps of tempura then topped with mayonnaise.
Some say, the best Okonomiyaki and takoyaki to try is in Osaka. But, you can try it everywhere else and taste just as good. You can find this yummy snack in a food stall, street food, and restaurant. There even a restaurant where you can cook your own okonomiyaki which I tried in Tokyo, you can read it in this post Cooking Your Own Okonomiyaki in Shinjuku.
- Taiyaki
Another yummy Japanese snack. It is a fish-shaped cake filled with red bean paste, custard, vanilla, cheese or chocolate. For me, custard filling is the best. I like the Taiyaki store in Asakusa area.
- Soft Serve Ice Cream
Japan soft serve ice cream is just creamy yet light, not too sweet and has a silky smooth texture. I try some soft serve ice cream while in Japan. Soft serve ice cream flavor I have tried so far are original (milk), cheese, and matcha. If you like a sweet ice cream chose the original one but if you prefer a not so sweet ice cream then opt for the matcha flavor.
- Omurice
I love good omurice. You may think it is just rice and egg, but wait! there is something special in that egg. The egg is half cooked, it is creamy and soft put on top of rice. I like an omurice with curry sauce.
- Kushi Soba Gonpachi
I do not really like soba, because it is usually served cold. In my mind, noodle has to be served hot or warm. A few soba I tried is just meh. Until my friend takes me to Gonpachi and suggests me to try out their Kushi Soba. And I love it. The noodle is served on zaru and the broth is just delicious.
If you happen to be in Shibuya, you should try the gonpachi’s kushi soba. You can find this restaurant in 〒150-0044 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Maruyamacho, 3−6 Ｅ・スペースタワ １４Ｆ.
The ambiance of this restaurant is really suitable for hang out with friends or family.
ND PASSION 