“Taiwan-Style” Mazesoba at Menya Haruka, Akihabara. Soup-less noodles with Bonito powder, garlic, spicy miso minced pork, raw egg, and TONS of green onion. There were a lot of Taiwanese tourists who seemed a little puzzled at the dish, which I assume comes from the “Taiwan-style” part - I imagine these tourists are attracted to the shop kind of like feeling comfortable running into McD’s or Starbucks when overwhelmed by sightseeing and ‘foreign shit’. It was obvious they were met with something very authentically Japanese. The ‘Taiwanese’ part seems to point to the spicy minced pork, but the soupless “Mazesoba” is actually a dish local to Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. All of the toppings are to be mixed up all together into a delicious mess. The restaurant had Shichimi (“Seven-spice”, a sprinkle that is a blend of red chili powder with various aromatics and spices) as well as vinegar, which you should add to change the flavor profile drastically. (Any proud restaurant in the ramen business would have vinegar on deck, which I highly recommend adding halfway through eating for piquancy and an interactive eating experience.)
One advice though - Unless you’re a monster, do not order the large - I nearly died. I was starving, and thought I had the room for it, but half way through the ‘Large’ portion I literally groaned at how much noodle was left. I was barely able to finish my meal.. my homeboy ordered a 'large’ with a side of A mini pork bowl, and literally gave up half way. Amazing dish, but do yourself a solid and order what you can finish. You’ve been warned.
