Mikaku

Found right by Toranomon Station, this Chinese eatery pulls in the crowds with its iconic knife-shaved noodles, served with stone pot mapo dofu. Seasoned with a cocktail of authentic Chinese spices, the fiery concoction goes nicely with the chewy dipping noodles, and can be customised for spiciness on a four-point scale. Out of 'mild', 'regular', 'hot' and 'burning', we went for the hot – two and a half times more powerful than the regular one, it certainly lived up to the billing. The 'burning' is probably rather diabolic, so make sure to get some practice before you try it.