A big thanks to a conversation partner who recommended an excellent ramen place in Shinjuku that I never would have found on my own. The translation is something like Moko Tanmen Nakamoto and they have a couple locations in Tokyo. Some other guy wrote a much more detailed review of the Ikebukuro location here. Upon walking in you place and pay for your order at the vending machine and get in line. The place seats around 18 and like the other ramen places I've seen they have pitchers of ice water and boxes of tissues. As a guy got up to leave he wiped the sweat of the back of his neck with a wet towel...Once seated, I noticed the woman next to me had a napkin bib/apron from shoulders to thighs to protect her clothes from the slurping and was blowing her nose every couple minutes. She had ordered what I think was the "Arctic Ramen" which is the hottest ramen they sell. The guy next to me ordered what looked like the hottest thing on their menu, and he too had tissues, and a wet towel used to keep the sweating under control, and had to clean his glasses...I had the 蒙古タンメン (upper left of menu) which seemed to be safe enough and a signature dish. At halfway up their spicy scale it would definitely be considered spicy for most people and it was really, really good.
