Best spicy ramen in Tokyo

Ten To Sen has the most visually appetising spicy ramen (¥950) around, prepared with an abundance of colourful toppings: wood-ear mushroom, cashew nuts, pepper, chives, coriander, burdock, red onion and pork slices. It may be pretty but it still packs a punch. Based on the Japanese-style soup curry originating from Sapporo, the spectacularly good curry is made with pork bones, chicken, seafood, vegetables and a handful of spices while a hint of sweetness works beautifully to counter the heat. Don’t worry if you’re not a spice fiend: you can choose from six levels of heat and order the rich lassi (¥500) to cool your tongue.

This functional neighbourhood eatery specialises in two staples of Tokyo ramen – shio (salt) and shoyu (soy sauce) – yet it is the dry tantan noodles that Kintoki truly excels in. This Chinese-Japanese hybrid dish clearly benefits from the owner’s past experience in a Szechuan-style restaurant. A gutsy mix of spicy homemade chilli oil, ground pork and nuts, the springy noodles feature the distinctive floral aroma of Szechuan pepper, which leaves a pleasant zingy aftertaste. The only downside is that there are limited servings of tantan noodles per day, so best get there early.