After an 11+ hour flight and a 1+ hour train ride from Narita, we were exhausted when we got to our hotel in Roppongi. We didn't want to think too much about what to eat so headed to nearby Ippudo Roppongi for a quick bowl of ramen before crashing. Our first bowl of ramen in Japan nearly three years ago was at Ippudo Ginza. Since then, Ippudo has setup shop in Berkeley and San Francisco so we are well acquainted with what they have to offer.
I will say that there is a vast difference in the quality of Ippudo here versus the US. One major point is that the shops in Berkeley and San Francisco no longer offer soft boiled eggs (only hard boiled eggs or poached eggs). When I asked one of the waitresses in San Francisco, she told me it was due to the amount of time it took to get perfectly peeled soft boiled eggs for every bowl. Doesn't seem to be an issue for the shops in Japan! The other thing I noticed is that it's less expensive for a bowl of ramen in Japan versus the US. I got the Akamaru Special meal set which came with a good helping of gyozas for 1,500 Yen (about $13.50 USD). In the US, the Akamaru Special by itself is about $19 USD!
Delicious ramen with zero problems and for an affordable price. A great start to our trip.
