Among Machida ramen restaurants, Ichiban Ichiban (一番いちばん) is ranked number one. Their Shirakawa style ramen is close to flawless, with astounding handmade noodles.
Best Machida Ramen? Perhaps
Ichiban Ichiban serves superb chuukasoba (old-school ramen). However, it’s chuukasoba that’s been beefed up. Bespoke soy sauce from Wakayama is the bowl’s conductor. This and a complex broth deliver a deep flavor.
The broth is primarily chicken. On top of this, it has genkotsu (pork knuckles), green spring onions, onions, and kelp. This is all boiled for 6-7 hours.
But let’s talk about the noodles – they’re special. Just like with classic Shirakawa ramen, they’re handmade and pounded with a bamboo stick. This is not exactly common nowadays. The noodles have a lot of water in them and are fantastically chewy.
It’s no wonder that their ramen has Shirakawa written all over it. Owner and masterchef Kanehara-san trained at Tora Shokudo, the ramen restaurant credited with starting Shirakawa style ramen.
Lastly, the chuukasoba with all toppings includes sweet and juicy wonton dumplings, egg, and both pork and chicken chashu. Komatsuna greens are a nice touch.
Enjoy the Show
Anywhere from the wooden counter provides a grand vista to watch everything. This is all the old-school prep. Kanehara-san uses a hirazaru, a noodle strainer you don’t see as much these days.
For Machida ramen, and ramen in general, you have to put Ichiban Ichiban at the top of your list.
Check out the video below for a quick review.
Here another’s delicious Machida ramen shop – some believe it has the best shio ramen in Tokyo.