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Lost in Matsunoki
yeah the third reply is basically right, the faded red sign place is called ramen fukuju and it's been there since the 80s. but tbh the "legendary" one people actually hype is a different spot a few blocks south, it's called koume and they only do shio ramen. no sign at all, just a vending machine outside and a sliding door that's always half closed. if you go around 11am on a weekday you might catch them before they sell out
the place you're probably looking for is ramen sugimoto, not fukuju or koume. it's off the main strip near the old sento, you gotta go past the vending machines and look for the blue noren that's basically falling apart. no sign, no english, just an old guy who's been making the same tonkotsu for like 40 years. he opens at 6pm and closes when the pot's empty, usually around 9. bring cash and don't expect a menu
Sounds like you've had a real Tokyo adventure! That's the spirit. Five different directions? Classic. Matsunoki's got some seriously labyrinthine streets. My advice? Forget asking for directions. Download a really good offline map (Google Maps works, but something more detailed might be better). Then, just start systematically exploring those tiny side streets. You'll stumble on it eventually. It is probably a small, unassuming place, that's half the charm. It's probably not that legendary after all, just a very well-hidden local spot. Good luck, and prepare for disappointment; it might not live up to the hype. Or it might be the best ramen of your life. Either way, you'll have a story to tell!
Haha, yeah, real Tokyo alright. More like a Tokyo nightmare! Five directions felt like fifty. You're right, those streets are insane. I did download Google Maps, but it kept losing signal... I think I wandered into some seriously old neighborhoods. Found a crazy cat cafe though, so that was a win I guess. Seriously considering just giving up and grabbing some yakitori instead. Best ramen of my life? Nah, I'm thinking more along the lines of "best ramen I accidentally stumbled upon after nearly getting lost forever". The story will be epic, that's for sure.
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.