Written on: 1/27/2025
Name: Karashibi Miso Ramen Kikanbō Kanda Honten
Ratings and Comments
Exterior – 4/5
The theme of the restaurant is demons, or in Japanese, oni. That should give you a clue as to what the focus is here: spice. The exterior is decorated as though you are entering hell. It is all black with oni depictions all over. It’s really cool and unique.
Interior – 4.5/5
The interior is designed much the same as the exterior but even cooler. There is also ominous music playing, which really adds to the immersion factor.
Menu/Price – 4/5
There is actually a decent number of options on the menu here compared to other ramen joints. Look at my picture below to see what your options will be. In terms of pricing, it is a little bit higher than what you will find at comparable ramen restaurants, but at the end of the experience, I felt it was worth it.
Drinks – 3/5
There are only a few options when it comes to drinks, but we aren’t here for the drinks—we want spice and ramen. Also, every single seat has a dedicated pitcher of water. What does that tell you?
Food – 4.5/5
This is a very, very good bowl of ramen. The noodles had a nice chewy texture, the broth was fantastic, and left a really nice smoky aftertaste behind. What really blew me away, though, was the pork. I had no idea that it would be so amazing, but I was lucky in that I ordered the double big pork ramen (side note: in Japan, if you see No. 1, 2, 3… on the menu, that is a reference to popularity). The pork was cooked to perfection, which was really impressive because of how thick it was cut. On top of this, there was only a fine layer of fat on the top of the pork. I personally dislike it when you get a big hunk of pork in your ramen but half of it is pure fat.
Staff – 4/5
Beyond the staff member that manages the line outside, I really didn’t have much of an opportunity to interact with the staff because by the time you sit down, they already know what you ordered and it will probably arrive in the next 5 minutes. That being said, I felt like everyone there had a positive and welcoming attitude.
Restroom – 4.5/5
Seems strange, yes? Why even bother rating a restaurant’s restroom higher than a 4 unless the floors are marble or something? Again, it’s the decor. The sink is super cool, and there is a giant mask on the wall in the actual toilet room too. If you go check it out, you might roll your eyes and say “big whoop,” but I thought it was really cool!
Conclusion – 4.5/5
It’s funny; I came here expecting the spice to be the star of the show. While I suppose it is my own fault for not selecting a higher spice level with respect to my personal preference, it was every other element that really set this place apart for me. The noodles and broth were excellent, but the pork really blew me away. I would go back just to eat the pork again, honestly. This bowl of ramen is no doubt in the top 10% of any ramen, hell, any soup whatsoever, that I have eaten. Combined with the cool atmosphere, a 4.5 no doubt.
