It takes a little effort, says Alan Brown, but even in spiffed-up Japan, you
can still find street food worthy of writing about.
RECIPE:
Chicken and Scallion Skewers
Omoide Yokocho, the official name for Shonben Yokocho, is just west of Shinjuku Station. The areas east and north of the station, especially the entertainment district Kabuki-cho, are great for wandering and eating.
Many Tokyoites think the best ramen in town is served at Koya (8 Saneicho; 03-3351-1756), an unusually spacious and very lively Shinjuku restaurant opened by a former yatai owner. A short stroll from Yotsuya Station, and always noisy with college students and unwinding office workers, Koya specializes in shina-soba, ramen served in an incredibly rich broth that bubbles endlessly in a huge cauldron behind the long counter; and sara wonton (boiled wontons), served with a soy and rice-vinegar dipping sauce (it's a dish I've never found anywhere else). The jellyfish salad, the stir-fried oysters, and the Chinese-style pitan dofu tofu salad are also excellent. It sounds hokey, but the Shinyokohama Raumen Museum (2-14-21 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa; 045-471-0503), a pleasant commuter-train ride from Tokyo, is a real treat for ramen lovers. The bottom two floors are a charming movie-set-like mock-up of 1950s Japan, complete with ramen shops serving different styles of noodles from all around the country.