Ramen shop Sapporo Kamui in Ebisu, Tokyo offers superb miso ramen and miso tsukemen. They’re both prepared in the heavy-hitting Sapporo style that’s both appetizing and somewhat unique.
Added Note: Is it with a heavy heart that I announce that Sapporo Kamui will be closing its doors on July 27, 2018. So grab a bite before then! This is due to extensive renovations on the building. During the renovation period, they do not yet know where their new home will be.
Like something out of Studio Ghibli
A Local Experience
Note that you’ll get to indulge in a local, quaint experience at Sapporo Kamui. The cave-like ramen shop has only counter seats and rarely has non-Japanese. I’ve also never seen any English menu (Japanese vending machine). But this all adds to the charm.
Sapporo-Style Miso Ramen
Their miso ramen or tsukemen broth is made primarily from pork bone and miso. What makes the broth somewhat unique is the thick layer of oil at the very top. This is common to Sapporo style miso ramen.
Sapporo city in Hokkaido prefecture can get as cold as -15 C in the winter. This layer of oil helps preserve the hot temperature of the broth below. It’s more of a novelty in warmer Tokyo but it’s still fun to experience. Just make sure you’re cooling down your broth before sipping it.
Miso Ramen: ¥800
If you want to upgrade your Miso Ramen, you can add an egg, butter and corn, seaweed, egg, or extra pork. For some visitors I’ve taken here, butter and corn have proved popular. The butter adds a nice richness and the corn, a sweetness.
Orange Miso Tsukemen?
First of all, it’s quite unusual to find tsukemen like this, let alone miso tsukemen. It’s thick and rich and almost orange in color. They also interestingly place seasoned vegetables on top of the tsukemen noodles (instead of serving them separately). THe miso tsukemne almost looks like yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles).
Miso Tsukemen: ¥950 (300g of noodles)
You can choose 150, 300 or 450 grams of noodles.
For both the miso ramen and miso tsukemen, the noodles are medium-thick and wavy. They’re also shipped all the way from Hokkaido, making the long journey from the frozen North to your bowl in Ebisu.
Good Variety
You can get the miso ramen or miso tsukemen spicy for just an extra ¥100. If you don’t mind sweating a little bit, I personally think the spicy versions are better. They add a lovely layer of lava-red hot sauce on the toppings.
Spicy Miso Ramen with Butter and Corn: ¥1,050
Sapporo Kamui also has shio (salt) or shoyu (soy sauce) ramen with the same pork bone base. I’ve tried their shio ramen and it’s surprisingly good. But if you’re going to Sapporo Kamui for the first-time, you MUST order the miso ramen or miso tsukemen. You won’t regret it.