Ryuji Checks Out Sugitaya Chiba Sukemitsu, the Iekei Ramen SUSURU Called "the Best"

At the shop, they first toast with beer. The companion says, "It's the first time we've shot only a ramen shop," and Ryuji replies, "This is the only one. We're not going anywhere else." However, as described below, another shop appears at the end of the video.

Ryuji orders the flavored-egg negi chashu, and the companion orders extra spinach. On the table are garlic, vinegar and soy sauce (which Ryuji guesses are for gyoza), and a condiment that looks like pickled ginger (gari). The negi for the negi chashu comes separately rather than on top of the bowl, for diners to add themselves, which seems to surprise the two a little. They order their noodles firm.

Right after tasting the soup, the two keep repeating "So good" and "This is crazy." After slurping the noodles, Ryuji says, "This is the best iekei," and then adds, "Huh? Was it always this good?" The companion agrees, "It's really delicious," but says that next time they might order it a bit stronger. In response, Ryuji describes the companion as someone who likes strong flavors.

The two have different impressions of the standard flavor. The companion finds it less oily than expected and not heavy at all. Ryuji, by contrast, feels it has quite a lot of oil and that the flavor is fairly strong. The two settle on the point that everyone perceives it differently.

Ryuji ordered the regular flavor and reflects that a stronger one would have been too much for them. They add that with the standard flavor, you can enjoy all kinds of tweaks, so this might be the way to go.

Partway through, Ryuji puts the negi from the separate plate onto the bowl. It is spicy negi, which Ryuji had predicted would definitely go well, and after tasting it says, "Definitely the right call."

The condiment that looked like gari turns out to be ginger. It isn't sweet but salty and vinegary, and Ryuji guesses it is meant to be eaten with rice. Next, wanting more of a punch, Ryuji also adds garlic. The companion says they might prefer the flavor with garlic, and later Ryuji adds even more, saying it tastes better with a lot of garlic.

The companion, on the other hand, has decided to add the negi last, because adding it first would make it taste like negi soup. Ryuji calls this "pretty particular."

As for the noodles, Ryuji appreciates that when you ask for firm, they really come out firm, since some shops serve noodles that aren't firm at all even when you order them that way. The companion says that, as a slow eater, they are grateful for firm noodles.

The chashu is loin, tender and properly seared. Ryuji thinks the companion finds it especially delicious because it is loin, since the companion dislikes pork belly chashu. The flavored egg is runny and well seasoned, and after eating it the companion says they understand why SUSURU recommends the place. The two also wonder how SUSURU customizes their order, and Ryuji guesses SUSURU doesn't eat it with the regular flavor.

The companion's extra spinach comes in an amount that makes them want to take a photo. As they eat, they notice some leaves with a crisp texture mixed in, and the two discuss whether there might be komatsuna in it as well. They also remark that it's nice to get lots of vegetables.

The special gyoza they ordered as a side is the winged kind, and both rate it "delicious." The companion says the wrapper dough is tasty, and Ryuji says they finished it off pretty easily.

While eating, Ryuji talks about their relationship with iekei ramen. When younger, Ryuji ate nothing but iekei, but gradually began to find it heavy and stopped eating it. Ryuji says this was the first iekei in a long time, and a high-quality bowl of ramen.

On how it differs from other iekei, Ryuji suggests that typical chain iekei is a bit rougher, whereas Sugitaya has refinement. The companion agrees that it isn't made on the idea that you just need to make it strong and add oil.

Ryuji says that Chiba is surprisingly a fiercely competitive area for ramen, then reflects that this may well be the first famous Chiba shop they have visited. The two also mention that SUSURU has come to this shop in Chiba many times. There was reportedly a SUSURU sticker in the shop.

The companion is a slow eater and says it was nice that the shop had an atmosphere where they didn't feel rushed. Some shops aren't like that, and the companion sometimes hurries while feeling apologetic. They also share an anecdote from elementary school lunches: they were the kid who carried their own dishes downstairs after everything had already been cleared away. Being slow is embarrassing, but they have never been able to eat quickly.

Ryuji, by contrast, eats fast. Ryuji recalls smoking in the past and eating quickly in the company cafeteria before heading straight out for a cigarette break. On this day too, Ryuji nearly finishes the bowl and waits for the companion to finish.

Near the end, it comes up that the shop's president is a fan of Ryuji and at one point displayed Ryuji's book in the shop. Ryuji says it is very gratifying to be known by such a delicious ramen shop. On leaving, they exchange greetings with the staff, and Ryuji tells them it gets "rave reviews."

Despite having said "this is the only one," the end of the video includes a scene after moving to Yamaokaya. After one bite, Ryuji says "it's oily" but rates the miso as really delicious, and says that getting to eat this again after so long is an overwhelming plus in life. The video ends midway through that comment.