01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Although the menu describes it modestly as a "mini-katsudon and ramen" combo, the rice bowl that arrives at the table is anything but modest. Breaded and freshly fried pork cutlet is simmered in a gently sweetened soy broth and bound in soft, fluffy egg. With its thick-cut meat and substantial mound of rice, it easily defies its "mini" label. Beside it sits a classic bowl of shoyu ramen, built on a clear, comforting chicken bone broth and thin curly noodles—straightforward, comforting, and free of gimmicks.
Run by an elderly couple in a residential neighborhood of Kamishakujii, Futaba is a quiet machi chuka diner. The lineup spans far beyond bowls of noodles and rice: there are wok-fried staples like chahan and yasai itame, alongside nostalgic dishes like omurice stuffed with pork and onions. Regulars can often be found pairing piping-hot tanmen—crowned with quickly cooked, crisp vegetables—or browned pan-fried gyoza with a cold bottle of beer or an oolong hai.
Seating includes counter stools and a few tables, accommodating solo drop-ins just as easily as sit-down dinners. Payment is cash only. The shop closes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, opening for lunch and dinner on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It is the sort of unpretentious neighborhood fixture where arriving with a healthy appetite pays off.
