Kuroki - Michelin-starred Akihabara Ramen [Salt Soba, Soy Sauce Soba]

Have you heard of Akihabara's famous ramen restaurant, Kyo Kuroki?
This restaurant is known for its delicious, light ramen, and has even been featured in the Michelin Guide!
As a ramen lover, I couldn't help but be curious, so I went to investigate!!
I hope this article will be helpful to ramen lovers in Akihabara.
[box02 title="This article is recommended for these people!"] ・Looking for famous ramen in Akihabara
・I want to eat ramen that is highly rated in gourmet guides
・I like light ramen such as salt ramen or soy sauce ramen
・I want to eat delicious ramen even if I have to wait in line at a restaurant
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Let's go to Akihabara's famous restaurant "Kuro-ki", which has been recognized by Michelin!!

Kuroki is located halfway between Akihabara Station and Asakusabashi Station.

The ramen restaurant I went to this time was "Motenashi Kuroki"!!
From Akihabara Station, exit the JR Showa-dori ticket gate and go straight, passing under the elevated Shuto Expressway Ueno Line.
After walking for about 5 minutes, you will come to a main road. Turn left there and walk for about 2 minutes to arrive.

It's also located exactly halfway between Asakusabashi Station and Akihabara Station, so you can get there from there too!

There is usually a line during business hours, so use that as a landmark to find the place!

A famous restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2017

"Kuro-ki" is a well-known gourmet guidemichelin guideIt is a famous restaurant that has even been featured in the magazine!!
The Michelin Guide mainly covers high-end restaurants, so some people may be wondering whether ramen shops are included.
The Michelin Guide has been running since 2014.Bib GourmandThe selection criteria are as follows, and restaurants with good cost performance, mainly priced under 5000 yen, are selected.
Kuroki is ranked in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2017Bib GourmandIt will be published in.

By the way, TabelogTop 100 Ramen ShopsIt is also selected every year!!

The customer service is top notch! Wait in line to enter the store!

Long lines for famous restaurant specialties

As I walked towards the store, I could see a long line even from a distance.
That's no surprise, as there is a line stretching about 50 meters in front of the store.
The author conducted the interview around 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday, right around lunchtime, so the line may have been longer than usual that day.

The shop is on the far left, and the queue is so long it's impossible to fit it all in one photo!

When lining up, be sure to read the instructions posted in front of the store.
The sidewalk in front of the store is particularly narrow, so please be careful not to get in the way of passersby.

In the end, I ended up waiting for about an hour, so it's probably best to go when you have the time.

Pleasant staff and a beautiful interior

As you wait in line, staff will call out to you in order and ask you to purchase your meal tickets in advance.
The staff member had a gentle manner, like a staff member at a high-end restaurant, yet he spoke clearly and with a loud voice.
In these places too, you can feel the spirit of hospitality that is in the name of the restaurant.
At this point, the noodlesThin noodlesとHand-kneaded noodlesYou will be asked which one you prefer, so choose the one you like.

There are eight counter seats inside the restaurant, and the atmosphere is more Japanese and calm, reminiscent of a soba restaurant rather than a ramen shop.
In addition to partitions, each seat is individually equipped with alcohol disinfectant and containers for drinking water, indicating that thorough coronavirus prevention measures are being taken.

Tasting the special salt soba and special soy sauce soba - Characterized by a delicate and deep flavor -

This time we went as a group of two, so we each ordered something different!
We tried two dishes: special salt soba (thin noodles) and special soy sauce soba (hand-kneaded noodles)!

Special salt soba noodles (thin noodles) -Clear salty soup-

The special ramen, which comes with plenty of toppings, costs 1,350 yen for either salt or soy sauce.
Once seated, the ramen arrives promptly.

The clear soup is beautifully topped with a variety of toppings.
When you sip the soup, a delicate, elegant, and light salty flavor spreads in your mouth.
The saltiness is well-balanced, just enough so as not to overpower the mild flavor of the chicken broth.
It seems like I could easily drink up a whole bowl of rice.Light and gentle soupis!!

I ordered the special salt soba with thin noodles, so the noodles looked like this.

The thin noodles soaked up the light soup well, so the flavor never felt bland.
Despite being thin noodles, they had a firm, chewy texture, and the subtle wheat flavor was just enough to not overpower the flavor of the soup, creating an exquisite balance.

Special soy sauce soba (hand-kneaded noodles) - A delicate soup that makes the most of the richness of soy sauce -

The special soy sauce soba is ordered with hand-kneaded noodles!

The color gives the impression of being a dark soy sauce color.
However, contrary to its appearance, the tasteJust like the salt soup, it has a light and delicate taste.It is.
The richness of the soy sauce is well-balanced with the chicken stock.
It's also served as a topping, and the subtle fragrant ginger accent is also very good!!

The hand-kneaded noodles are medium-thick, flat noodles with a chewy and firm texture, and the curly noodles help to scoop up the noodles nicely.
Naturally, hand-kneaded noodles do not cling to the soup as well as thin noodles, but if you like a chewy texture, hand-kneaded noodles might be the best choice...

Special menu toppings that complement the delicate soup

The toppings for the special salt soba and the special soy sauce soba were almost the same.

On top of the lightly seasoned chicken char siu are pieces of ginger and fresh pepper!!
After eating about half of it, you can add some ginger to the soup or some crispy pepper to add a bit of flavor, which will give it a more intensive taste.
The peppercorns weren't too spicy and had a mild spiciness, so even people who don't like spicy food will be fine!

The chicken meatballs have ginger kneaded into them, giving them a distinctive, spicy ginger flavor.
The seasoned egg was cooked just right with the yolk half-cooked.

The yolk is barely solidified, so it feels a little soft.

The low-temperature cooked pork char siu is light pink in color.The more you chew, the more the flavor of the meat comes out..

It comes with two wontons and a wide variety of toppings to keep you from getting bored.

A sophisticated bowl with a perfect balance of flavors from the soup and noodles

This time, I went to "Kuro-ki," a famous restaurant located between Akihabara and Asakusabashi.
The light soup had such a refined taste that it didn't feel at all heavy like ramen usually does.
Even in the light soup, you can taste the deep flavors of chicken stock, soy sauce, and salt, which maintain a perfect balance without being too assertive or canceling each other out.
The prices are a little high for a ramen shop, and it takes a while to wait in line, but it's still a restaurant I can confidently recommend everyone to try at least once.

Finally, a general review★I have expressed it as follows, so please use it as a reference.