Old school ramen: Sabuchan

Eating at Sabuchan (2024 Kandajinbocho, Chiyoda-ku. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm & 4:20pm-7:30pm, closed Sun. Tel: 03-3230-1252) is like taking a time machine to a Showa-era eatery. Opened in 1967, we wouldn’t be surprised if they were still using the same pots and pans. One thing is for sure—the ramen master, Mr. Sabuchan, is like a character out of an old black-and-white movie, noir-ishly chain-smoking out the back door between filling ramen bowls and frying rice. The concept of a bowl of simple shoyu ramen with fried rice on the side? Invented here. The half-fried rice with ramen is ¥720.