Nakajima (麺飯食堂なかじま) in Shibuya is loved by locals for its tasty cold ramen AND hot ramen. Its big menu, BIG ramen and reasonable prices are a huge draw.
Nakajima in Shibuya - Refreshing Cold Ramen
With record-breaking temperatures every summer, piping hot ramen might not be the first thing you crave. Nakajima has plenty of satisfying cold ramen dishes to help cool you down in the insane heat.
Hiyashi Chuuka Meaning “chilled Chinese cuisine”, hiyashu chuuka makes a grand appearance every summer in Japan. The seasoning is often made up of sesame oil or soy sauce and can include other ingredients like sugar, vinegar or raiyu (spicy oil).
Vinegar and sugar often make for a sweeter broth. Nakajima’s version is no different. Thick egg noodles are topped with sliced cucumbers, ham, chicken in a sesame sauce, bean sprouts, and benishouga (red pickled ginger).
Hiyashi Tantanmen
Compared to hiyashi chuuka, the hiyashi tantanmen is less sweet and more savory. This is a meaty tantanmen, with a creamy sesame base. The noodles are plentiful and there’s a good amount of broth for them to rest in.
There’s even a bit of numbing pepper at the bottom – so make sure to mix well. In a unique twist, Nakajima throws in some okra and daikon (Japanese radish) to provide a crunch.
Hot Ramen Dishes for Winter
Nakajima has 2 hot tantanmen dishes – spicy (karame) or creamy (maroyaka).
Spicy Tantanmen The spicy version is shoyu (soy sauce) based. It’s rich and creamy but has a spicy buzz to it. Minced pork, spinach, negi, and wonderful menma (marinated bamboo shoots) create a lovely mountain the middle.
Creamy Tantanmen
This version is creamier of course. It’s like the spicy tantanmen, but only after removing any spices and adding milk. This one is shio (salt) based.
Even though it’s not spicy, every so often you’ll get a slight jolt from a floating pepper. They don't use that much sansho (numbing pepper) though.
Other Ramen Dishes
At Nakajima, there’s plenty of other ramen to dive into. But they also have other Chinese-Japanese dishes, including fried rice and double-cooked pork stir-fry.
If you’re taking the subway from Shibuya station, use the newly built Exit 16B. The road will lead you right to Nakajima. Pay Nakajima in Shibuya a visit for some wonderful cold AND hot ramen!
