Best Dishes at Dame na Rinjin

This is the signature creation from an ex-French bistro chef, and it shows in the technique. The broth is a honjozo soy sauce base (traditionally brewed) married with vegetable broth, then finished with ginger confit oil that adds an aromtic, slightly peppery note. The hand-kneaded whole wheat noodles from Kanno Seimen are thin and absorb the broth perfectly. It's lighter than tonkotsu, more refined than standard shoyu, and the ginger sets it apart from every other ramen in Shinjuku. First-time visitors should order thin noodles (not thick) - they're the chef's preferred pairing.

The 'supreme' (tokusei) version of the ginger shoyu ramen comes with additional toppings: more chashu pork, an extra marinated egg, and possibly fresh menma. It's designed for those wanting a more substantial bowl without ordering a separate side. The broth and noodles remain the star, but the enhanced toppings make it a complete meal. At ¥1,250, it's a bargain for the quality.

This is the wild card - a ¥1,800 set that pairs the signature ramen with a separate dish of A5 Kuroge Wagyu served seared on top of rice in a traditional seiro (bamboo tray). The wagyu is sliced thin, barely seared, and melts on the tongue. Eating high-quality wagyu, then alternating back to ginger shoyu ramen is an unusual flavor journey that somehow works - the richness of the beef, the aromatic ginger broth, the contrast of hot and slightly cool rice. It's fusion done thoughtfully.

Abura-soba (literally 'oil noodles') is a noodle dish without broth - instead, thick noodles are tossed with a mixture of oils, garlic, vinegar, and spices. Dame na Rinjin makes this with their proprietary blend, adding ginger notes. It's a soup-less ramen that's heavy, addictive, and different from their signature. Good for those wanting something distinct or less soup-focused. The thick noodles hold up better to the oily, garlicky sauce.

For warm months or those wanting a different experience, Dame na Rinjin offers their signature ginger shoyu as a tsukemen (dipping noodles). The concentrated broth sits in a small bowl, and you dip each bite of noodle. This format highlights the intensity of the ginger oil and allows you to taste the broth separately from the noodles. The noodle texture remains the star - hand-kneaded, slightly al dente, wheat-forward.