Ramen-ya Shima is a highly-acclaimed ramen restaurant that has been voted as the number one ramen restaurant by top Japanese restaurant review platforms. Located near Nishi-Shinjuku Gochome Station, the restaurant only has six counter seats available for customers. The concept is to use the best possible ingredient for every aspect of the ramen and balance them together for a harmonious bowl.
The restaurant is run by a former Shina Sobaya disciple who was trained by the originator of this style. The restaurant has won numerous awards and was crowned TRY magazine's newcomer of the year. The broth is made using whole chicken supplemented with extra chicken carcass, pork bones, a variety of dried seafood, and some dried tomatoes for an extra umami kick. The resulting broth is mind-blowing, and the flavor complexities keeps your taste buds guessing with each sip of the soup.
The restaurant's noodles are brought in from Shina Sobaya and are just the right thickness to give it a satisfying slurp, but let the soup be the main attraction. The restaurant's chashu slices are charbroiled before serving and add a fantastic aroma and another level of flavor to the dish. The wonton is the highlight of the dish, and the plump shrimp filling is out of this world. The restaurant's ajitama egg is cooked to an oozy tee, and the menma bamboo shoots and thinly sliced negi top it off nicely. The only downside is that the restaurant is quite popular and fills up quickly, so it's best to go early to sign up for your seat and be patient.
