麺や庄の ゴツボ gotsubo: ramen ladies set

Girls' night out at a ramen shop is unique, isn't it? I heard from a little bird - i.e. the Ramen Creator Shono's blog - that Gotsubo in Shinjuku provides a special ladies ramen course. Gotsubo is Shono-san's special veggie-tsukemen shop, So I did the smart thing and booked a reservation and invited some close friends from college. I would be the only ramen maniac in the group, but we were all excited about getting together to eat special ladies ramen. We had no idea what would be in store.

First up was a petite tomato with bonito jelly. Like a French starter, but the concept is still ramen-based.

Next came a bonito tartar with cream cheese and colorful dried vegetables. The plating was beautiful, like a flower field.

Finally, the main course: a vegetable tsukemen.

Doesn't it look like an elaborate pasta? Have you ever seen fancy bubbles on noodles? Why am I asking so many questions? Because this is an amazing-looking bowl.

I always trust Shono-san's sense of taste. The noodles are extremely elastic as tapioca is kneaded into the dough. They pair beautifully with the veggies, broth, and chashu. This is marvelous health food!

Any ladies' set also comes with a dessert. A petite corn parfait on a soup spoon, containing shiro dashi, or a mix of seaweed broth and bonito.

All of these plates are made from the same basic ramen concept inherent to Gotsubo and all of Shono-san's shops: seeing is as fun as eating. Shono always surprises in the best ways, and his ladies' set really knocks it out of the park.

Photo courtesy of Menya Shono gotsubo (http://menya-shono.com/gotsubo/)

Tokyo, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 1-32-15
Closest stn: Shinjuku-Gyoenmae

Open from 11am-3pm and 5-10pm (closed Sundays)
RSVP necessary for the Ladies' Set (3000 yen for the set and all you can drink)

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