Kanda Ramen Waizu - Heavy-Hitting But Tasty

Kanda Ramen Waizu (神田ラーメン わいず) slings one of the heaviest-hitting, grungiest bowls out there. Their Ie-kei inspired ramen uses kilos upon kilos of pork bone.

Kanda Ramen Waizu and Kilos of Pork Bones

Their top ramen looks like a bowl of Yokohama style tonkotsu shoyu (pork bone and soy sauce). But it's cranked up in terms of heaviness.  

Waizu is known for having a special garbage collector dispose the mountains of pork bones they go through. Regular city garbage collectors can’t handle it. 

In the kitchen, you can really see how labor-intensive their ramen making process is. Whoever is on the pot stirs it vigorously. This is done like a sea captain trying to right his ship through a pork bone storm. 

As a result, it's like each bowl went through five pigs. The broth is a salty, garlicky shoyu when sipped it by itself. But with the noodles, the creaminess from the pork bones is more apparent.

The seaweed with its brininess wonderfully balances out the heaviness. The sweet and spicy touban paste condiment also helps cuts through this porky malestrom. 

Soft slabs of fatty pork chashu are the final reminder of the cholesterol amount...that and the pork bone fattiness that clings to your lips. 

Impressive Taiwan Maze Soba 

Waizu also makes a mean Taiwan Maze Soba (a soupless ramen style). This is actually the dish I order most often here. 

It’s thick across the board—thick noodles, bold flavor, and a good amount of spice (sometimes this style can get more fishy).

Before you know it, you’re sweating. But unlike the ramen, it doesn’t leave you needing a full detox afterward. 

That said, they don’t hold back on the garlic in this one either. You might want to cancel any meetings you’ve got lined up after this bowl. Still, it’s delicious—and one of my favorite Taiwan Maze Soba bowls in Tokyo. 

Hallowed Ground

Both these ramen dishes hit hard and without remorse. In Kanda, Ramen Waizu is considered ramen hallowed ground.

But not for those who want a light snack.