from the end of the line |
Nakiryu 鳴龍 got their Michelin star last year in 2016.
From Yamanote Line's Otsuka Station 大塚駅, take the South Exit & go left. Turn right at UFJ Bank then go straight down the main street. Make a left one side street before Mini Stop convenience store. It'll be on your right on the ground floor of a gray building. I got there just after it opened at 11:30 and there was already a very long queue spilling down the block to the park - about 30 people ahead in line for this small restaurant with maybe 10 counter seats. There are fences on the side of the road you can sit on while waiting and the staff handed out umbrellas when the sun came out - just make sure you have something to drink/do. We were told it would be 1.5-2 hours and I finally got seated after almost 2 hours. By the time i got in at 1:20, there were still 20 people behind me and a few more when I left. |
|
The shop closes at 3 pm and reopens for dinner at 6 pm until 9 pm, except for Mondays. It closes on Tuesdays.
Once you get in, use the machine to buy tickets for your order like at most ramen joints. Limit of 1 bowl of noodles per person. Nice & clean inside. Took only a few minutes to get my tantan noodles 担担麵 (850 yen) with an extra order of thick cut pork チャーシュー(厚切り炙り焼き) for 500 yen. |
|
staff handed out sunbrellas when the sun came out |
the menu, some items only available at night |
|
Can't say it's the best tantan noodles I've ever had but it's got a very sophisticated, slightly spicy flavor. The noodles are very thin, like Ichiran's kyushu style noodles. The pork is very tender and eats like a steak. The special pepper on the side really enhances the flavor.
Perhaps it's lame to say this, but honestly after trying two reasonably-priced 1-Michelin-star places this month, maybe Michelin star restaurants' flavors are too "adult" for me. The food's "nice" and "sophisticated" but wouldn't say it's better than just loads of random restaurants in Tokyo that don't require any waiting. Try it for yourself! |
| other affordable Michelin-star restaurants in Tokyo |
 Michelin star sardines |
 Michelin star ramen |
