Japan: Fuunji
The upside to leaving Nikko earlier than originally planned was that we got to squeeze in another meal in Tokyo. Fuunji is proclaimed by many to have the best tsukemen in all of Tokyo. And judging by the number of people in line, there must be some truth to that claim:
It took us a good long while to finally touch the sliding door. Once we made it in, the first order of business was to decide what we wanted and to pay at the ticket vending machine right by the door:
Then the wait continued along the wall of the tiny interior:
Seating was very limited, however service was very quick and efficient. It was fascinating just watching the kitchen staff work their magic. Every person had a designated job and worked together seamlessly in the narrow space.
It was a little awkward waiting directly behind dining customers, but in general patrons didn't dilly dally. Most ate quickly and moved on out.
Soon it was our turn to be waved to a counter seat. We handed over our order tickets and were asked whether we wanted a medium portion of noodles or a large. Once we made our selection, noodles magically appeared before us within seconds.
Fuunji only has two things on its menu. There's ramen and then there's tsukemen. For each option, you can choose to get it regular or special. The special version includes an egg and pork belly. I went with the special tsukemen (¥1100 / $10.19) with a medium portion of noodles:
Even though the cost was the same regardless of the noodle portion size, I still decided on medium because I didn't want to overestimate my abilities. Thank goodness I chose to be conservative. A petite Japanese lady seated next to me ordered a large and it looked humongous! I finished my noodles fairly easily (because they were so freakin' delicious) and probably could have had a bit more, but I certainly would have had trouble with a large.
Fuunji's hot dipping sauce was thick, fatty, and oh-so-rich. There was a distinctly seafood-y flavor that added just a hint of funk to make it utterly addicting. It's definitely on the salty side, so make sure to hydrate! The highlight for me, however, was the noodles. That noodle texture was insane. So chewy and perfect and I loved it so much.
Oh wait, I forgot to talk about the egg. That egg! I wish I had taken a photo of the gloriously creamy yolk. Egg yolk is my weakness and Fuunji's egg is a masterpiece all on its own.
I could go on and on about Fuunji, so I'm going to stop here. Definitely go if you're in Tokyo. You won't regret the wait. Make sure to bring cash and your appetite! Maybe leave the entourage behind though. It's not exactly the kind of place to go with a large group or to hang out in.
風雲児
東京都渋谷区代々木2-14-3 北斗第一ビルB1F
03-6413-8480
http://www.fu-unji.com/
It took us a good long while to finally touch the sliding door. Once we made it in, the first order of business was to decide what we wanted and to pay at the ticket vending machine right by the door:
Then the wait continued along the wall of the tiny interior:
Seating was very limited, however service was very quick and efficient. It was fascinating just watching the kitchen staff work their magic. Every person had a designated job and worked together seamlessly in the narrow space.
It was a little awkward waiting directly behind dining customers, but in general patrons didn't dilly dally. Most ate quickly and moved on out.
Soon it was our turn to be waved to a counter seat. We handed over our order tickets and were asked whether we wanted a medium portion of noodles or a large. Once we made our selection, noodles magically appeared before us within seconds.
Fuunji only has two things on its menu. There's ramen and then there's tsukemen. For each option, you can choose to get it regular or special. The special version includes an egg and pork belly. I went with the special tsukemen (¥1100 / $10.19) with a medium portion of noodles:
Even though the cost was the same regardless of the noodle portion size, I still decided on medium because I didn't want to overestimate my abilities. Thank goodness I chose to be conservative. A petite Japanese lady seated next to me ordered a large and it looked humongous! I finished my noodles fairly easily (because they were so freakin' delicious) and probably could have had a bit more, but I certainly would have had trouble with a large.
Fuunji's hot dipping sauce was thick, fatty, and oh-so-rich. There was a distinctly seafood-y flavor that added just a hint of funk to make it utterly addicting. It's definitely on the salty side, so make sure to hydrate! The highlight for me, however, was the noodles. That noodle texture was insane. So chewy and perfect and I loved it so much.
Oh wait, I forgot to talk about the egg. That egg! I wish I had taken a photo of the gloriously creamy yolk. Egg yolk is my weakness and Fuunji's egg is a masterpiece all on its own.
I could go on and on about Fuunji, so I'm going to stop here. Definitely go if you're in Tokyo. You won't regret the wait. Make sure to bring cash and your appetite! Maybe leave the entourage behind though. It's not exactly the kind of place to go with a large group or to hang out in.
風雲児
東京都渋谷区代々木2-14-3 北斗第一ビルB1F
03-6413-8480
http://www.fu-unji.com/
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