A two-in-one restaurant that’s yet to be discovered by foreign tourists.

Ramen and sushi may be two of Japan’s most representative foods, but you’d be hard-pressed to find sushi at a good ramen restaurant or ramen at a respected sushi joint. However, that all changed in August last year, when a new restaurant called Uogashiya appeared on the scene, opening its doors to diners in Shinbashi in Tokyo’s Minato Ward.

▼ The restaurant’s full name — Sushi to Ramen Uogashiya (“Sushi and Ramen Uogashiya”) — shows its commitment to both dishes.

If this restaurant puts its weight anywhere, it’s with the ramen, as noodles can be ordered on their own or as a set with sushi.

Another unique aspect of the restaurant is its opening hours, as it’s open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., with last orders at 4:30 a.m., every day.

When we visited at lunchtime, the place was full, with people waiting outside to get in. Thankfully, though, after heading over to the ticket machine by the front door and ordering the ramen and sushi set advertised on the signboard, we only had to wait around 15 minutes to be seated inside.

Our meal took around five minutes to arrive, and we were immediately impressed by the quantity and quality of everything we received.

▼ All this for 1,700 yen (US$11.33).

While the ramen looked fantastic, the sushi was equally impressive, looking like a platter you’d get at a specialty restaurant.

The fish was fresh and had a melt-in-the-mouth quality that elevated it far above regular everyday sushi. The chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) was visibly rich, with a good amount of fat, and the sardine had been expertly prepared with decorative knife cuts giving it an artisanal touch.

If the sushi was this good, how would the ramen taste? Judging by appearances, the glossy, fatty broth suggested this would be a flavourful feast, and after taking a sip, it revealed itself to be a delicious salt ramen with a rich soup stock that paired well with the curly noodles.

After giving the broth and noodles two big thumbs up, we tried the other ingredients and gave them a tick of approval as well. The chashu pork was particularly delicious, proving that this restaurant is just as good with meat as it is with fish.

Fish appears to be the common link between the two seemingly different components in this set, as the ramen is served with a special smoked bonito “chaser” in a tea strainer.

The strainer contains freshly shaved bonito flakes that add another level of richness to the broth for those who want it. According to the instructions provided, the strainer should be dunked into the liquid and its contents mixed around with chopsticks for 10 seconds to give the stock an extra oomph of flavour.

▼ No more than 30 seconds, though, or the stock will become too bitter.

After enjoying the broth both ways, we were totally enamoured by the way we could vary and control the flavour to our liking. It was another unique aspect of the unusual restaurant that left us with a broad, satisfied grin on our face, and we highly recommend trying the set next time you have a hankering for sushi and ramen and can’t decided between them.

Visiting for lunch on a weekday will give you an even better deal, as there’s a special weekday lunch set containing ramen and two pieces of nigiri sushi for just 1,000 yen. As a restaurant that’s currently only filled with locals and yet to be discovered by international tourists, this is a place you’ll want to check out soon, before it becomes well known with visitors.

Hotel information
Sushi to Ramen Uogashiya / 鮨とラーメン うおがしや
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Shinbashi 1-13-6
東京都港区新橋1-13-6
Open 7:00 a.m.-5:00 a.m. (last orders 4:30 a.m.) every day
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!