Chisomen Mamiana

Found a five-minute walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro Station, this one is easy to find at dinner time: there's practically always a queue in front of the shop. Even in Ikebukuro, known as the 'holy ground' of tsukemen, Mamiana stands out as a top contender. The addictive triple soup, made with pork, chicken and fish, is served with an ample helping of thick and chewy whole-wheat noodles, while toppings include tender chashu pork, bamboo shoots, naruto (pasted fish) and green onion. In addition to the regular Noko Tsukemen (from ¥780), the menu includes choices like spicy (from ¥880) and special (from ¥980) tsukemen. Large-size servings are available at no extra cost.