The restaurant area of Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro Main Store has been completely renewed for the first time in 25 years. Following the first opening in October 2015, the second opening was held on January 14th today. The following month, February 26th, all restaurant floors will be grand-opened.

By the way, from the restaurants on the 13th floor that opened this time, here is the one that the editorial department noticed. The popular Tonkotsu ramen shop "Tatsunoya" where you can line up, and the "Okamado Rice Torafuku" shop where you can refill all-you-can-eat hot rice cooked in a kettle. Both are the first new stores in the Ikebukuro area, so everyone at Ikebukuro who knows all about Ikebukuro gourmet should check it out!

[1] Ramen Ryu no Ie (Tatsuya)

A ramen shop from Fukuoka where you can line up. The refreshing customer service is also popular, and the Shinjuku Otakibashi-dori store, which is the first store in Tokyo, is a popular store that has been selected as one of the top 5000 tabelogs. Actually, I have opened a limited-time store in Ikebukuro Tobu in the past, but this time I am fully prepared to open a permanent store.


● The first thing you should eat is the most popular "Tonkotsu Kokumi"

The signature menu is the ramen "Tonkotsu Kokumi" (780 yen, tax included, same below), which is a combination of rich tonkotsu soup with garlic and charred onion flavors and specially made extra-fine straight noodles. It is topped with wood ear, char siu, bean sprouts, green onions, and spicy miso.


Although it is thick and thick, it has no odor and is a light soup. The reason is that the soup is boiled using only the bones of the pig's head and carefully removed. The tonkotsu-based soup seasoned with soy sauce is rich but has a good aftertaste, so you can eat it smoothly. If you dissolve the spicy spicy miso little by little, the taste will change again, and you will not get tired of it and you will be able to drink it.


Char siu is also simmering! The fat is sweet and melts in your mouth without chewing. It seems that you will ascend to the sky without thinking of the best mouthfeel.


By the way, you can choose the hardness of the noodles from 6 levels, but the author's recommendation is "Barikata", which is the second hardest. The moderately chewy noodles are chewy and go great with the thick soup that is entwined with the thick texture!

● When you visit the store for the second time, try the Tokyo-only “Tsukemen”

The Tokyo store-limited menu "Tsukemen Offal" (normal and medium-sized 780 yen) is also a noteworthy dish. This is a rare tsukemen with tonkotsu base mixed with charred soy sauce and "broiled offal". Topped with char siu, menma, seaweed and green onions.


The soup is just fragrant! The scent of the whole soup, which looks like charcoal-grilled, tickles your nose and stimulates your appetite. If you pass the chewy medium-thick noodles through it and stretch it, the rich aroma, rich tonkotsu richness, and umami of the offal will spread throughout your mouth.


The offal contained in the soup is not the kind of offal that you would eat at a yakiniku restaurant, but rather a firm and slightly hard texture. It is not greasy, and the more you chew it like dried squid, the more delicious it becomes.


In addition, " porridge " is attached to the shime. Instead of rice, the porridge is used to break the remaining soup. You don't see much elsewhere, right?


When you put the porridge in the soup and bring it to your mouth, it is delicious enough to make you feel guilty again. You can enjoy the fragrance like rice porridge, which is entwined with thick porridge. By the way, according to the store manager, the reason for using porridge instead of rice is that it is easier to get entangled with the soup. Convinced!


● Desserts you should definitely eat

sorry it took so long. There is only one menu that you definitely want to eat when you visit the store. That is "melting pudding" (300 yen). Topped with coconut milk and tapioca.


When you scoop it with a spoon, it feels firm, but when you put it in your mouth, it disappears surprisingly ephemeral. What should I call this without calling it a miracle!

Contrary to the rich taste of the egg, it melts into a fluffy pudding the moment you put it on your tongue. The refreshing scent of coconut remains in the mouth. Even if you are full with ramen, you can afford it.


By the way, if you want to taste both tonkotsu kokumi and pudding, it is a good idea to order the "kokumi pudding set" (980 yen), which is a set of both. It is 100 yen cheaper than buying them separately.

[2] Large Kamado Rice Torafuku

It is a shop that offers Japanese "Ofukuro no Taste" that is nostalgic for everyone. The main character is the fluffy "rice" cooked in a large iron kettle. The side dishes that firmly set the sides are Japanese side dishes that further enhance the deliciousness of the rice.


● Three types of rice are free to refill

There are three types of rice that are milled daily from Niigata and Nagaoka, including white rice, seasonal cooked rice, and millet rice. You can refill as many as you like. I want to eat at least one cup each!


It seems that rice is cooked many times little by little so that it can always be served in a state close to freshly cooked. The rice cooked in an iron kettle and a stone kamado has a slightly hard finish. The more you chew, the sweeter the rice is. The slightly fragrant aroma of sardines also accentuates the deliciousness.


● Sprinkle on white rice

You can eat the rice as it is or sprinkle it with side dishes, or you can enjoy the best taste by sprinkling the original sprinkle on the table.


Sprinkle bonito flakes to taste plenty of umami with your tongue and nose. The crispy texture and moderate saltiness enhance the sweetness of the chewy rice.

● For the lunch menu, we recommend the "two kinds of selectable set meals"

The recommended lunch menu is the "two kinds of selectable set meals" (1,580 yen plus tax). You can choose your favorite two side dishes from "Today's grilled fish", "Today's fried food", "Japanese-style pork ginger grilled", and "Fried tofu and grated seasonal vegetables".

This time, I chose "Japanese-style pork ginger" and "Grated fried tofu and seasonal vegetables." This is a set of rice, miso soup, and 3 kinds of side dishes in a small bowl.


In every dish, the gentle soup stock will slowly soak into your body. It's simple, but it has a delicious and safe taste that makes you want to eat it every day. The side dishes at the time of the interview were "Kiriboshi radish," "spinach," and "new incense," but the content seems to change regularly.


At night, you can enjoy sake with a single dish or a set. It's perfect for stopping by at the end of the day when you want to drink a little and go home. Also, as an extra information, the view from the window is insanely good, so if it's available, be sure to get a seat by the window. If the weather is nice, you can see Mt. Fuji!


Both Ryu no Ie and Torafuku are located on the 13th floor of Ikebukuro Tobu Restaurant Street Spice, 1-1-25 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo. Business hours are from 11:00 to 22:00 (common to stores on the 11th to 13th floors).