Tokyo's super-popular ramen chain 'Menya Musashi,' (known for its special chashu and ramen bowls unique to each location) has created a tapioca milk tea tsukemen that they are offering until the end of June, 2019. We went to try it before it's gone!

First, we tried the soup.
It's an umami-filled katsuo-based broth mixed with soymilk. You wouldn't think that these flavors would go well together, but surprisingly, they do!
Scooping at the bottom of the bowl--sure enough--there is a layer of tapioca pearls. They've been cooked in the broth until fairly soft, and spread a wonderful umami through the mouth as you chew them. It's a strange feeling to eat tapioca in a non-desert dish, but we like it!

The black flecks in the noodles are small bits of earl gray tea that were mixed into the flour. The tea adds a fantastic aroma to the noodles that complements the flavors in the dish.

Instead of chashu, this tsukemen features chilled chicken topped with cooked green onions. The meat used is chicken thigh, so it is super juicy and soft. A bit of hot pepper is added to the onions, which give it just a hint of zing.

We tried eating the noodles and tapioca pearls at the same time. Each has its own kind of chewiness that combines into a brand-new type of chewiness that is super fun to eat!

As you dip the earl gray-infused noodles into the soup, the flavor becomes more tea like, and is reminiscent of a real bubble tea. The sneaky chef really planned this out well!

After the noodles are finished, you can add almond milk to the soup and drink it up with a bubble tea straw! The almond milk rounds out the flavor and is a brilliant addition.

Japan is currently experiencing a tapioca craze, and the tapioca milk tea tsukemen has been quite popular. On busy days, the tsukemen will apparently sell out before the evening!

If you want to try this special bowl of tsukemen, now's the time. There are only 15 made each day, so it's a good idea to go early. The tsukemen will be sold until the end of June.