Stand In A Row, Stand Side By Side
Noun
のき
ここには多くのラーメン屋台が軒を連ねています。
There are a lot of ramen carts standing in a row here.
In order to use a house counter in the first place, you need to have something to count. That's why you have to find eaves. And all those eaves together stand in a row.
Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it probably uses the kun'yomi reading. You did not learn this reading, so here's a mnemonic to help you to remember:
These houses that stand in a row are neat and fun to count, but you can't go in because you have no key (のき). With no key, those eaves are just there for you to look at.