O Sora

Today's Asahi newspaper in Japanese has an article on an izakaya with about twenty pictures. Andy's or Shin Hinomoto under the elevated tracks of JR lines near Yurakucho Station. It has 70-year history and the current owner is Andy, who was born in UK. He's got married to the daughter of the previous owner. Every day, he goes to Tsukiji Fish Market and buys fresh fish. He sometimes takes his customers to the market in the morning and cooks the fish he has bought with them in the evening. No wonder this place is loved by expats.

http://www.asahi.com/and_M/interest/...033108861.html
http://www.asahi.com/and_M/interest/...20150409bravo/

Japanese gourmet site, tabelog has more pictures.
http://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1301/A1301...otolst/1/smp2/

NewbieRunner

An FTer held a birthday dinner with 17 other FTers (all travelling from outside Japan for the occasion) at Shin Hinomoto a few years ago.

Pickles

Andy's has been there for decades. First time I went there was in 1992, as the nijikai from the Kaisha Society meetings at the FCCJ was held there.

AlwaysAisle

I know this will be off topic, sorry O Sora…

The little known Ramen noodle shop in Setagaya, closest train station is Hachimanyama or Rokakoen on Keio Line out of Shinjuku, called Ivan Ramen.

Story of Ivan Ramen

He was featured in Japanese press more than few times so this place is not really unknown. However, now can have Ivan Ramen at New York City!? Did not know that…

O Sora

Oh, really? 17. Amazing. I checked the forum log and found that this place was mentioned only a few times years ago. So I decided to start a new thread.

No problem, AlwaysAisle. I am interested in the ramen shop, too, and I have read some of those articles. His book has got good reviews on amazon.com. By the way, how much does a bowl of ramen cost in NY? $15? In Japan typical bowls cost only 700- 850 yen($6-7).

NewbieRunner

No problem starting a new thread here. You should have looked in the official get-together forum of FT. BTW, the izakaya is much closer to Yurakucho than Shimbashi.

AlwaysAisle

Yes, I think that is about the price of ramen in New York City. I understand that ramen in Japan is more like a neighborhood corner small joint to have something inexpensive. I think least in New York City ramen has come about as something you pay $15. I am sure rent at New York City may have something to do with, but I do think many New Yorkers will not associate ramen on the same level as having burger or hot dog at a corner diner at a neighborhood.

I mentioned this while ago on another post, but New York City had ramen place way back from ‘70s called Sapporo, way before any local New Yorkers knew ramen. Sapporo used to be a place Japanese expatriates working in New York City frequented, used to be hardly any non-Japanese patronized this place before New Yorkers discovered ramen.

Price of ramen at Sapporo used to be more or like what to expect in Japan, less than $10. Then ramen become something of fad in New York City, I think one of early entrant was Ippudo and priced ramen around $15, I do think ramen came about in New York City as little more than something inexpensive you have at corner joint.

RichardInSF

I've never met Andy but I've seen him when I've looked into the restaurant. I also have a distant acquaintance who regularly buys from the place -- apparently Andy sells fish as well. The place has been around for years. It's not far from Bic Camera at Yurakucho in the direction of Tokyo station, same side of the tracks as Bic Camera.

NewbieRunner

You probably mean in the direction of Shimbashi station?

mjm

Not really in either direction. More or less across the street. The road between them goes along the side of BIC. It is an odd shaped crossing, more of a diamond than anything else. A weak ballplayer could throw a softball lefthanded from the front door of BIC and hit Andy's place.

jib71

I wouldn't advise it. Andy's kitchen team might throw back one of their rock-hard chicken kara-age pieces. And then you'll be sorry.

NewbieRunner

I know exactly where Shin Hinomoto is located. It is on the Shimbashi side of Yurakucho station and not on the other side towards Tokyo.

mjm

Yep. Right across the street from the front door of BIC as one might explain to a tourist.