Among Sengawa ramen shops, Chukasoba Shibata (中華そば しば田) takes the cake. Since its grand opening in 2013, Shibata has been held in the highest regard by Tokyo ramenheads.
Refined Classics
Think of their ramen as refined classics. Choose from chukasoba or niboshi ramen. Their niboshi (dried sardine) ramen is on the fishier side, especially if you haven’t tried niboshi before.
You can smell the chicken bones cooking as soon as you walk in. This chicken flavor is radiant and omnipresent in the broth, its stickiness clinging to your lips. The chickens breeds they use include Hinai (Akita), Syamorock (Aomori), and Tanpaku Black (Kyoto).
There’s also a bit of duck in the broth…because why not?
The seasoning is a blend of 8 shoyu (soy sauce). EIGHT! They’re from around the country, including Gunma. It’s light and salty, but not too salty. It’s meat galore with if you order all toppings – chicken and pork breast slices with just the right amount of fat. The dumplings are equally impressive.
Wait Time
Since Shibata is one of the top ranked ramen restaurants in the country, expect to wait. This could be as little as 15 min or as long as an hour+.
You likely won’t find yourself in the Sengawa / Chofu City area on a whim. If you are, stop by Shibata for a high-level bowl of Sengawa ramen.