Takenoya

Today I had chashumen at the 中華そば / chuuka soba* / “Chinese noodle” shop 竹の家 Takenoya.

When my father-in-law's father brought him to eat here in 1954, it was the latest thing and very popular. They used a newfangled automated noodle-boiling system that remains in operation now.

I have taken my kids several times, and love that our family is four generations into eating here. Old folks say the taste is unchanged since the beginning. The shop is rare among ramen shops for having a lot of older people in the seats, many of whom order extra-large helpings. The noodles, broth, and toppings are all excellent. I think the menma are the best on Earth.

When I see the clientele and their enthusiasm for Takenoya, it reminds me of how at the age of 44 I have a set of several dozen favorite places to eat, and a waning willingness to try new places that emerge. The risk-reward gets worse and worse when you know that trying a new place is much more likely to result in disappointment than an old favorite. Comfort over discovery.

Here’s some more info about the place (in Japanese).

*Chuuka soba (and 支那そば / shina soba and any of the other synonyms) is just ramen, but what people more commonly called it in a different generation.