The Ramenhead Munny is the best customized Munny ever. Not only can you eat Ramen from it, but it holds your can of beer too! If you want to see it upclose, it’ll be showcased tomorrow night at Vinylmore III.

If you’re wondering about the lack of updates the past few days, it’s because we’re in Tokyo! Our first stop after dropping off our bags at the hotel was a trip back to our favorite ramen shop in Shibuya.

It’s been over a year since we last visited and it’s good to see that it’s still here. Everything about the place looked the same except the owner upgraded the dated ordering machine to an all new touch screen with snazzy photos.

The place was packed with business men as usual, but the locals don’t play when it comes to finishing their ramen. They’re in and out usually in less than 20 minutes, so we got a seat fairly quickly. Tami and I both ordered miso ramen with pork tenderloin and a side of gyoza.

What else can I say but damn… yummy in my tummy baby! Packed with flavor and just the right amount of salt. We’ll definitely be back again before our trip is over.

(The owner doesn’t speak a word of English, but he’s super nice!)

Our friends have been telling us about a new ramen joint called Santouka Ramen that opened up at Mitsuwa Marketplace in San Jose, CA. We’re always on the hunt for good ramen places as you guys know, so we decided to give this place a try today. Since Santouka Ramen in located inside of Mitsuwa’s “food court,” the hours are a bit weird. I asked the cashier, and she said there’s no official hours but only that they usually open around 11am and close around 7:30pm. This definitely isn’t a late night ramen run kind of place.

Since the place is still rather new, there’s of course a line waiting to get in. We stood in it for roughly 20 minutes and then waited another 30 minutes for our food.

So how do we rate it? It’s a bit of a mixed liking. The Toroniku (special pork) was quite yummy, but the noodles and Salt Flavor broth were only alright. Tami’s Miso Flavor ramen was much tastier than mine, but the regular pork that came with it was only alright as well.

I’d say give it a try if you happen to be in the area, but I definitely wouldn’t make a special trip out for it. Ippudo in NY and Suzu in SF are still my favs!

Just got back from New York last night and had the most amazing ramen ever! April marks the one year anniversary of Ippudo NY, where they serve up an “Anniversary Special” ($15) made from a sinful mix of silky chicken and tonkatsu broth. It’s then topped off with slices of smoked pork, gobo chips, hard boiled egg, kikurage, and scallions.

This bowl of pure ramen delight blew away anything I’ve ever had in San Francisco or Tokyo. Ippudo should seriously consider making this a permanent item on their menu.

Tami had miso ramen which was also very good, but definitely not as rich and tasty as their Annivesary Special.

We also tried their pork bun appetizer plate which was excellent — rich in flavor without being extremely fatty, topped with house bbq sauce and wrapped in a steamed white bun.

The ambiance reminded me of modern Tokyo ramen houses with friendly Japanese waiters and waitresses at your service. If you’re a ramen lover and ever in New York City, you must try Ippudo located at 65 4th Avenue between 9th and 10th street.

There’s always a line, so be sure to show up early before the doors open to avoid a long wait.

Ippudo NY – Additional Photos

Ramen shops in Tokyo are a beautiful thing. Huge bowls of yummy tonkatsu (my fav) and miso ramen (tam’s fav) for 600 yen or roughly 7 U.S. dollars. What more could a guy ask for?

The lovely thing about it all is that you order and pay straight at ticket vending machine. No need to wait for a waiter or waitress to take your order or having to thumb through some old menu.

They really should do this back home!