Konjiki Hototogisu, Chijmes

Accolades and labels can get confusing, excessive to the point of senselessness and dilute the honoraries as much as it can dilute the broth in a bowl of noodles. 

There's been a number of best this and that from Japan shops around. Konjiki Hototogisu (#01-17 Chijmes, 30 Victoria Street, tel : +65 6338 8460) was apparently a 8-seater-in-Shibuya-with-four-consecutive-years-of-Tokyo-Michelin-Bib-Gourmand-and-ranked-No.1-Ramen-in-Japan-in-2017-&-2018-by-Japan’s-Ramen-Walker-magazine kind of place that has opened in Chijmes. 

We didn't think much of the shoyu clam and pork bone broth bowl. The "shoyu-ness", in the laziness for a proper description, was lacking and hadn't much depth. It struggled to find its identity with the other ingredients while muddling them at the same time. Unlike a better shoyu hybrid bowl from say Machida Shoten or a tasty truffle infused one from Tsuta.

The supposed complexity in the broth from this shop worked out better in the shio bowl where the clam flavours were more apparent. At least that was how it turned out for us.

We were given some rice and clams shortly after our orders were taken. I presume they functioned like otoshi.

Didn't think much of their gyoza because of the gingery flavour. They were otherwise pretty regular ones. Charshu was dry but was flavourful from their marinade. Egg was oddly lacking in flavour.

Good thing we visited with little expectations.