Craving a refreshing ramen with a delightful seafood twist instead of the traditional salty and oily broth? Look no further than Takahashi Ramen Ginza, where they specialize in their signature Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen (焼きあご塩らー麺). With multiple branches across Tokyo’s bustling districts, this ramen joint is a must-visit. The broth is not only delicious but also carries a subtle smoky flavor that adds an extra layer of complexity. The best part? You won’t have to endure long queues like at Michelin-starred ramen shops. It’s currently one of my top recommendations for ramen in Tokyo!
Where is Takahashi Ramen Ginza located?
- Address: 5-10-10 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
- Business hours: 11:00~04:20
- Official website
Kaohsiung-style Salted Flying Fish Ramen by Takahashi is located in Shinjuku, with branches in Kabukicho, Ueno, Ginza, Ebisu, and Shibuya. This time, Piaor visited the “Ginza branch” located in Higashi-Ginza, just a 2-minute walk from the Tokyo Metro “Higashi-Ginza Station”. The best shopping mall in Ginza, “GINZA SIX“, is just across the street, making it super convenient to go shopping after a satisfying meal.
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As the post-pandemic era arrives, I was scared by the long queues outside Tokyo’s famous restaurants that often take hours to wait. So, I arrived at Takahashi’s Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen half an hour before the opening time. Surprisingly, there was no one there, and passersby kept staring at me, wondering why I was queuing up. However, as soon as the clock struck 11:00, the opening time, the queue started to grow longer and longer. Luckily, we were the first group of customers, or else those who arrived after the opening time would have to wait for about 15 minutes to be seated.
Grilled flying fish salt ramen. Takahashi’s signature dish is a soup base made from grilled flying fish, and we stared at the grilled flying fish at the door while waiting in line.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】Menu
As soon as the opening time arrives, the staff will come to unlock the ticket machine outside the restaurant. Like all Japanese ramen shops, customers purchase tickets from the machine themselves, give them to the staff, and the meal will be served after being seated.
The signature dish at Takahashi’s front row is the grilled flying fish salt-flavored ramen. It is served with different side dishes from left to right, as follows:
- 【Most Popular】Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen + Rice Bowl Set: Signature grilled flying fish salt ramen + one bowl of rice
- 【2nd Most Popular】Special Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen: Signature grilled flying fish salt ramen + one egg
- 【Classic】Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen: Signature grilled flying fish salt ramen
The second row is “Back Fat Soy Sauce Ramen”, the third row was the spring limited edition “Clam Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen” when we went, and the fourth row is various “Salted Noodle Dishes”.
For the first time trying “Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi”, you must order the must-have “Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen (焼きあご塩ら一麵)” in the first row. I wanted to try their egg and tea rice, so I ordered the popular No.2 “Special Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen” with an egg and added a bowl of rice.
Piao Er chose the elegant seasonal limited edition “Clam and Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen (ハマグリ と 焼きあご塩ら一麵)”.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】Dining Environment
The dining environment at “Kou Fei Yu Salt Flavored Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store” is not very spacious, but it is considered medium-sized among Tokyo ramen shops, with a total of 13 seats gathered around the L-shaped counter.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】Japanese Bonito Broth
After being seated, the waiter brought their own Japanese bonito soup, which tasted great with a subtle seafood sweetness.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】Weidoudou
When eating ramen, the biggest fear is getting soup on your clothes. For the salted grilled flying fish ramen, Takahashi thoughtfully provided a bib.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】Special Grilled Saury Salt Ramen
Soon after, the signature dish “Special Grilled Flying Fish Salted Egg Ramen” was served. In fact, it was just a regular grilled flying fish salted egg ramen with an extra egg, so we simply called it “Flavored Egg Grilled Flying Fish Salted Egg Ramen” for easier understanding.
The grilled flying fish salt flavor ramen from Takahashi has a soup base made from simmering pork bones, combined with stewed and grilled flying fish, giving it a fresh seafood taste and a smoky aroma. The soup is rich and hearty, yet refreshing and not greasy. I think it’s so delicious that it’s explosive, and it’s even safe to say that it’s my favorite soup base that I’ve had in Japan. If you’re a seafood lover like me, you really have to give it a try.
The salted grilled flying fish ramen comes with two types of char siu. The one at the bottom is the common roasted char siu, while the pinker one on top is like a ham-like char siu. I prefer the thin slices of the top one, which are soft and juicy like eating European ham.
The noodle part is slightly curled, and it has a chewy and firm texture when eaten.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen at Takahashi Ginza Store】Clam and Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen
Next up is the “Clam and Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen” recommended by Piaor, which is a seasonal dish, so you may not be able to try it. The flavor is very light, similar to the low-salt Taiwanese-style ramen. I think it’s delicious, but the “Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen” really steals the show, making the Clam and Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen seem a bit lackluster in comparison.
The other ingredients for the char siu are the same, except for an additional clam.
Noodles in grilled flying fish salt ramen are different from regular ramen. I prefer the noodles in grilled flying fish salt ramen, as the ones in clam grilled flying fish salt ramen are not as elastic.
【Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi Ginza Store】How to Eat Tea-Infused Rice
The extra white rice is used to make tea-infused rice. Leftover ramen broth can be poured over the white rice to make tea-infused rice. The soup made from roasted flying fish is also delicious when used to make tea-infused rice.
Adding seasoning on the table will make it more flavorful.
【Summary】Is the Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen at Takahashi Ginza Store Delicious?
Everyone has different tastes, especially when it comes to Japanese ramen. The differences between each restaurant are huge, making it difficult to judge which one is really suitable for you. However, because Flore loves seafood and hates the traditional Japanese ramen that is salty, greasy, and smelly with pork flavor, Tokyo has opened many of these refreshing soup-based ramen shops in the past decade. Each one has received Michelin stars and often requires a wait of 1-2 hours. If you want to enjoy a refreshing and easy-to-drink soup-based ramen, my current number one choice is “Grilled Flying Fish Salt Ramen Takahashi”.
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Other Recommended Tokyo Ramen
- It’s no wonder that it’s recommended by Michelin and super delicious! [Tokyo Ginza Food] Ginza Kagari Truffle Chicken White Soup Ramen
- Five consecutive years of Michelin one-star ramen shop in Tokyo: Creative Noodle Workshop Narikura: Dan Dan Noodles, Soy Sauce Ramen, Shrimp Wonton are all must-try
- Popular ramen shop listed in the Michelin Guide: [Tokyo Roppongi Hills] AFURI Yuzu Salt Ramen
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