Ramen Jiro (Shinjuku branch)

I had one classic High School fight, you know the kind- "meet me at so-and-so @ such-and-such a time" -- I picked this fight for being called a "poser" (at that age you really can't be called anything worse! And yes, I won.) But now I've actually come full-circle, by having gone to Ramen Jiro this late in the game and after having read an endless amount of other people's reviews - I am officially a poser. But you know what, I don't care anymore, and you know what also, I'm f'n glad I went!
If you "claim" to know anything about ramen in Tokyo, well then, you claim you've been to Jiro... successive times and multiple locations. And if your not claiming this... well then let me rap a little and fill you in on what your missing out of. Garlic. Oh I'm sorry, were you expecting something more? Maybe like "this ramen is influenced by French culinary arts... blah blah blah." Nope, this most popular ramen chain has built up its empire of devoted followers based on one taste - garlic, and lots of it!
This is simple stuff to comprehend here and you can pretty much make a decision right now if your gonna love it or hate it (there is no in-between with Jiro). Well, as for me, I'm a huge garlic fan, I use it in almost all my recipes, so let me just say right now that this is the best ramen I have had thus far in my life and I can pretty much state without a second thought that I won't find something more satisfying to me.
This is not fancy or delicatessen in any way; they don't make their own noodles, there is no balancing act to be found, the joints are for the most part greasy, ingredients aren't the freshest out there -- but they make an intensely garlic flavored ramen; and I can't ask for anything else. Ya'wanna'fight'about'it!?

Menya Musashi (Shinjuku branch) - Ramen shop

Ask anyone (in Tokyo) to name their top five favorite ramen stops and your bound to get Menya Musashi in at least 95% of those lists; yeah this place is popular! Don't believe me- check out my pics, the line was about 40 minuets long, and this was on an ordinary day in the early evening. But there's reason for this madness- their ramen is tha bomb!
This was a joint that I had been meaning to hit up since I got here, but as I've learned- there's always another ramen shop on the radar and so it takes patience and persaverience to make it to the ones you want. I'm very glad I made it here; Fu-unji had been sitting high on my "best of ramen" list for far too long, it was getting lonely there all alone, but no longer. Menya Musashi, welcome, you just placed a very close 2nd - but ultimately your just a tad too expensive to overtake my reigning champ.
Musashi’s ramen is served in a light, shoyu (soy sauce) based broth and upon placing your order you'll have a choice to have your ramen either kotteri (heavier flavor) or assari (lighter flavor). This depends entirely on your preference and neither is "better" than the other - however I went kotteri-style, which is what is pictured here.

Think your man enough to handle this?!

I can't end this post without a shout-out to their chashu- cut rough and in large chunks the fat was fully intact and in-force! As large as these pieces were they literally melted in your mouth, an amazing sensation here ;-) The egg was half-boiled (nice!)- but for Y1000 I want a whole egg dammit! MM is a tad expensive- but worth every yen.