Yatai Ramen

I was hungry today and didn't feel like eating the same old stuff from Sukiya or Matsuya (though don't get me wrong, those places are delicious). I wanted to hit up some place that was supposed to be known for having good food. After a few minutes of browsing the internet, I came to the realization that this wasn't going to be quite as easy as it was in New York or San Francisco. So for the time being I decided to stick with something that I know is cheap, close, and there are plenty of websites for: ramen.

I was feeling lazy as usual, so I did a search on some of the ol' ramen blogs for one near me. I found one called Yatai Ramen in Takadanobaba, which is a pretty cool place and not too far from where I live. With that, I was off.

Takadanobaba is a pretty cool place with a lot of people, lights and restaurants (or did I just describe several districts in Tokyo?). I didn't take any pictures this time, but I'm sure I'll be back. I found the shop a lot more easily than I expected, and here I did take pictures.
Lots of flags and stuff! Sweet; all I have to do is go in and order some ramen. There was a ticket vending machine, as is standard in a lot of these places. I wasn't exactly sure which was the one I wanted to get (hint: it's written on some of the stuff outside) so I picked the one on the machine written in red. Here it is:
Delicious noodles, chicken, and vegetables, all in a clear broth. Even with a side dish of green onions and something else I didn't recognize! It wasn't as heavy as a lot of the other ramen I've eaten recently, which was nice. It was delicious.

On the way back, I randomly heard some music. Not just any music, but the Atma Weapon battle music from Final Fantasy VI. Why did I recognize that? But more importantly, who was playing that? I crossed the street to find out.

I approached the source; it was a speaker located somewhere between an Indian restaurant and an upstairs DVD store. I stood around trying to figure out when I was approached by a dude from the Indian restaurant. Taking my cautious-as-usual approach, I ran away, and into the DVD store. It was empty aside from the clerk, so I did a quick walk-around as if I actually might be looking to buy something. As I approached the clerk, I heard the music coming from where he was. Never figured out why, but at least now I know where I can find another Final Fantasy fan, I guess...

And with that I headed back, of course stopping at a con-bini for some delicious pre-packaged ice cream.

-Benjamin