King Seimen (キング製麺) truly is king. This Oji ramen shop's precisely crafted, award-winning dumpling ramen is recommended by Michelin.
Oji Ramen – THE KING
King Seimen is located in Oji, Kita City (North Tokyo). If you’re in South or even central Tokyo, it is a bit out of the way. But it’s so worth the trek.
King Seimen is from the same group as celebrated ramen restaurants Ramen Koike and Chukasoba Nishino. They don’t mess around. King Seimen was crowned the no. 2 new Tokyo ramen shop by magazine Ramen Walker this year (2020).
The ramen that garnered attention is pictured. It’s shiro shoyu (white soy sauce) seasoned, which gives it an airy but bold enough base. The soup is only fish (niboshi, flakes, Manila clams) and kelp. But these flavors of the sea are decidedly soft.
All toppings are all incredible, from the sous-vide style pork chashu, to the deliberately extra runny egg. But the juicy shrimp and pork dumplings stand out the most.
Lastly, the takasui (containing a lot of water) noodles are a 5 wheat flour blend. They stun like no other. Overall, this bowl is a work of art.
Some Points
Oji doesn’t get as crowded as other Tokyo areas. This said, King Seimen normally doesn’t either. But this is not to say King Seimen won’t get crowded – be sure to visit for a late lunch.
The interior is a little swankier than the group’s other shops. When you enter, the ticket machine is on the right. If you want to enjoy the pictured bowl, press the top left button on the ticket machine.
They also serve a sansho ramen, with a numbing pepper oil. But I would go for the dumpling ramen on your first visit. In summary, for outstanding dumpling ramen, King Seimen is a kingly leader. They're even listed in Michelin's Tokyo guide.