There would be times where we crave for a piping hot ramen soup. Could be due to a cold weather, the familiar settings of the store, the chef himself, the broth and ingredients used, the texture of the ramen itself and so on. We have our go-to ramen place to fill our stomach and to warm our heart.
I have relocated to Japan for close to 1.5 years now. And in Tokyo, there is this particular ramen store I frequent. I would visit it on a random winter day, at times with my friends, at times after a basketball game or after my dance sessions.
A notable restaurant opened in the fiercely competitive ramen area along Setagaya Dori on 1st June last year. Tanaka Lobo serves a soup stock made from niboshi sea bream. Dried sardines, horse mackerels, and mackerels are standard ingredients for ramen soup stock, but it is rare to find a restaurant that uses dried sea bream for its soup stock. They take their time to soak up the flavor over two days and nights (48 hours) to bring out all the mellow aroma and high quality flavor unique to sea bream.
The owner of the ramen store used to be a professional photographer. Due to his profession, he has taken several food images for his job. He has eaten at more than 5000 ramen restaurants all over the country and even made his own ramen.
And the main reason why he chose to be a ramen chef is because he was thinking to have a second life after he turns 50, he felt that there is nothing better than to become a ramen chef.
Tanaka Lobo is located at: 3 Chome-8-15 Sakura, Setagaya City, Tokyo 156-0053, Japan