The Obon week is over, but my brain is still in a sleep mode. While searching for a lunch that would wake me up, I came across information about a restaurant in Ginza that serves " mizu-ramen" (water ramen ). Oh, water?


I was curious, so I immediately went to "Pour cafe" where they serve water ramen! The store is located at Ginza 1-chome station, less than a minute's walk from the nearest ticket gate exit.


Be careful, because it is so stylish that you might pass by it without noticing it for a moment if you are walking around with your head full of ramen, ramen, ramen. It is a cafe, not a ramen shop!



When you enter the restaurant, order at the counter first. The "water ramen" is apparently Yamagata mizu-ramen, a cold ramen dish that originated in Yamagata! I see, because in Yamagata there is also a dish called "mizukake gohan" (rice with water on top)! Incidentally, the restaurant's mizu-ramen is finished with original flavors such as olive oil flavoring oil.


I paid my bill with great anticipation. The lunch price is 950 yen with a drink.

As soon as we were seated, the water ramen was brought to us! Oh, there is no soup? It looks like only noodles and toppings are in the bowl...


...no! If you look closely, there is something in the middle! Surrounded by boiled eggs, bamboo shoots, green onions, and chashu pork, there is a little face... Ice!


But this is just the tip of the iceberg. When you flip the noodle over, you will find that the bottom of the noodle is filled with even thicker "dashi ices"! Yamagata mizu-ramen" is eaten while melting this dashi ice.


Pepper and chili pepper are added to taste, and the noodles and ingredients are mixed together while the dashi ice is dissolving.

At first, the soup is not very thick, but as the ice gradually melts, the soup becomes a good consistency. The broth is thickly seasoned with seafood flavor and goes well with the chewy, medium-thick noodles. Both the soup and the noodles are cool and refreshing, and the heat will cool down your body!


Other than being cold, there is no major difference from standard ramen, but I feel that the flavor of each ingredient stands out and has a distinct flavor profile because the soup is cool. The fatty chashu pork, the boiled egg with a melting yolk, the crunchy green onions, and the crunchy bamboo shoots are all part of this wonderful work of art called ramen. I am reminded of the beauty of ramen as a work of art.

August is still hot. How about a "cold lunch" to get you through the lingering summer heat? You will wake up refreshed after the Bon vacation!