(Translated by Google) October 12, 2025
Just before closing time
I came here with a colleague after work.
We'd been talking about ramen during a break, and we'd been talking about going to a ramen shop together for a while. Since I was likely to be able to leave work on time, today was the perfect day.
After numerous recommendations from a local colleague,
we decided on Ramen Emperor.
1. A variety of payment options.
2. Ramen-wise, they use Nishiyama noodles + miso.
These two points were the deciding factors, but after learning I'm good with spicy food, my colleague suggested a challenge menu.
He offered a lot of provocative suggestions, like "Let's go for 40🌶️!", "Any spiciness over 20🌶️ is free," and "You can leave your name on the plate if you finish it!" But I said, "Since it's my first time at this restaurant, I'll go for 20🌶️."
However, as it was getting close to time to leave work, the staff member, who had originally planned on ordering 20🌶️, challenged me again, saying, "It's so that any additional orders will be free... So why don't we go for 22🌶️, which is a repeat number? I don't think 2🌶️ would make much of a difference."
I thought, "They're testing me out! (lol) Do they really want me to eat something that spicy?!" and announced that I would try 22🌶️.
And then, I arrived.
I casually ordered 22🌶️ Teiou Miso Ramen (1,100 yen + 1,700 yen) on the tablet.
The kitchen became noisy.
I could hear explanations, consent forms, and voices.
Just as I finished all the procedures,
the bowl arrived.
My impression was, "That was quick!!"
The time it took for my food to be served was surprisingly short.
🌶️After taking photos, we started!❤︎🌶️
It's spicy and hot, so I can't eat it all in one go.
This is common sense for anyone who likes spicy food, but
of course, I don't slurp the noodles,
which makes my eating speed even slower.
That said,
I continued eating smoothly,
and after about five minutes,
I was hit with a sudden stomachache...
"Ahhh. This kind of thing!"
The spiciness in my mouth was fine,
but this was the kind of spiciness that really hit me hard.
Plus, it was my first meal of the day.
My stomach was full of rice crackers, so it felt even worse.
I'll be 50 next year, and last summer I had a colon polyp removed.
And they found about 1mm of cancer cells in that 1cm-sized polyp,
so I realized I'm not as strong as I used to be.
My chopsticks stopped moving.
I told my colleague I was thinking of giving up early, but he replied, "There's still plenty of time, so why don't you just use your time until the time's up?"
"How irresponsible of you! 🌶️❗️🌶️"
"My body is at its limit..."
But somehow, I felt relieved. (lol)
Another 10 minutes passed.
About 15 minutes left.
If I didn't finish it,
it would cost 2,800 yen.
Just under 3,000 yen for a bowl of ramen...
And to think I'd left more than half...
But then,
my stomachache started to subside,
and I tried a little.
"This is great!!"
As I expected,
it tastes great! It was so delicious,
it looked like I was going to finish it all. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Meanwhile,
it was time for last orders.
I had no way out.
I just had to finish it.
This is another common sense rule for spicy food lovers, but drinking is strictly prohibited when eating extremely spicy food, especially in a spicy challenge.
That said,
I didn't drink, but I did rinse my tongue and drink a little water during the last 10 minutes of the second half of the meal.
I washed down about three sips of the soup in the last 5 minutes with the forbidden water.
With under 2 minutes left,
I picked up the bowl and drank the entire soup.
The bell rang at 1.5 minutes, and I was done. 🌶️
I forgot to press the stopwatch,
so I stopped it at exactly 1 minute.
Just when I thought I was about to give up, I made a huge comeback! 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Maybe my coworkers thought I had a bit of guts? (lol)
This time, Nishiyama's noodles weren't the issue, so next time I'll try either the regular miso char siu ramen or the pork soba with char siu to fully enjoy Nishiyama's noodles.
I'll definitely come back, checking to see if there's a proof of success (lol)❗️
※All the staff were kind and quick-witted, so I felt the service was excellent.
※22 spicy Hideji, 49 years old
It's me! 🌶️ (lol)
🌶️I used 22! (lol)
(Original)
2025.10.12
閉店間際
仕事終わりに同僚と2人で来店。
仕事の合間にラーメンの話が出て、以前から一緒に何処かラーメン屋に行きたいと話していたが、本日は定時に上がれそうだったため決行日に。
地元民の同僚に多数オススメされた中で、
拉麺帝王様に決定。
①条件的に支払い方法の多様さ。
②ラーメン的に西山の麺を使用+味噌。
上記2点が決定打だったが、ワタシが辛い食べ物が得意と知った同僚はチャレンジメニューを提案。
『40🌶️にしましょう!』、『20🌶️以上は追加辛さ分が無料になる。』、『完食したら名前を残せますよ!』など、挑発的なことを散々言われたが、『初めて食べるお店なので、20🌶️にしておくよ。』と。
しかし、仕事の退店時間が迫り始めた頃に、当初は20🌶️予定だったハズが、『追加分を無料にするためってのも…。だったら、ゾロ目の22🌶️にしませんか?多分、2🌶️ぐらいならあまり変わらないと思いますし。』と、再度、挑発をしてきた。
『コレは試してるなっ❗️(笑)そんなにオレに辛い食べ物を食べさせたいのかっ⁉️』と思い、22🌶️で挑戦することを表明。
いざ、到着。
卓上タブレットでさり気なく22🌶️の帝王味噌ラーメン1,100円+1,700円を注文。
厨房が騒がしくなった。
説明や同意書や何やら声が聞こえる。
全ての手順を終えた頃、
着丼。
『はやっ‼️』と言う印象。
提供迄の時間が思いの外短い。
🌶️写真を撮り終えスタート❤︎🌶️
辛い+熱いで一気に食べられない。
辛いもの好きなら常識的なルールだが、
勿論、麺はすすらないから、
余計に食べるスピードは遅くなる。
とは言え、
順調に食べ進め、
5分程経過した時である。
辛さは問題無いが、
急激な腹痛が襲う…。
『あぁー。こっち系かぁー!』
口内の辛さは問題無いのだが、
カラダに響く辛さのタイプ。
しかも、本日初の食事。
胃の中には煎餅ぐらいしか入っていない。
余計にボディブローが効く。
もう、来年で50歳だし、去年の夏に大腸のポリープ切除してるし、その約1㌢㍍のポリープ
から1㍉㍍程の癌細胞も見つかったしで、昔程、頑丈では無くなったことを実感。
ピタリと箸が止まる。
早い段階でギブアップをしようかと同僚に伝えると、『まだ時間が沢山あるので、タイムアップするまで時間を使えば良いんじゃないですか?』と。
『何と無責任なっ🌶️❗️🌶️』
『オレのカラダは限界なんだよ…。』
しかし、
何故か気が楽になった。(笑)
更に10分程経過。
残り時間、約15分。
完食出来なければ、
2,800円。
一杯のラーメンに3千円弱…。
しかも、半分以上残すとは…。
と、
思っていたら、
腹痛が治り始め、
少し食べてみた。
『イケるっ‼️』
やはり、
味は良い!
美味しいので、
完食出来そうな兆しっ🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
そんな中、
ラストオーダーになる。
もう、
逃げ道は無くなった。
食べ切るのみ。
コレまた、辛いもの好きには常識的ルールだが、特に辛いものチャレンジなどの激辛料理を食べている時に飲み物は厳禁。
とは言え、
飲みはしないが、ラスト10分の後半戦スパートは舌を濯ぎ水少量を摂取。
ラスト5分のスープパート3口ぐらいは、
禁断の水で流し込んだ。
残り2分を切ったところで、
ドンブリを持ち上げ直接スープを完飲。
1分半でベルを鳴らし終了っ🌶️
ストップウォッチを押し忘れ、
1分丁度ぐらいで止めた。
ギブアップと思わせての大逆転っ🌶️🌶️🌶️
同僚には、
少しは根性あると思われたかな?(笑)
今回、西山の麺がどうこうではなかったので、次回、西山の麺を堪能すべく、普通の味噌チャーシューメンかブタそばチャーシューのどちらかを食べたいと思います。
チャレンジ成功した証が貼られているかも確認しがてら、(笑)また、訪れますっ❗️
※お店の方々が全員親切で、機転が効く方が多かったため、対応が良いと感じた。
※22辛ひでぢ49歳
ワタシですっ🌶️(笑)
🌶️22使いました!(爆)