the ramen blog & other goodies!

If you have a hankering for “the best ramen in Hawaii,” according to Honolulu magazine, you have one more day to head down to Mitsuwa to try Gomaichi Ramen.

While the Gomaichi stand was offering three different types of ramen, I chose the specialty they’re known for: the Tantan ramen. Gomaichi’s tan tantan men comes with a thin layer of chili oil, giving it a bright orangish-red hue which makes it look spicier than it actually is.

The soup was very rich and nutty. The chili oil added a nice touch of spiciness but didn’t overwhelm the flavor. It’s a very oily soup, which lets it ease down your throat with a warm sensation. Unfortunately, the noodles don’t pull their own weight. The thin starchy noodles were chewy but bland, and seemed unable to absorb any of the rich soup flavor.

The pork was lean, a bit dry, and surprisingly bland. The cha shu tasted like it was cooked in a plain water bath that leeched away its natural flavor.

The Gomaichi Tantan ramen could’ve been a contender, but the parts just don’t mesh. The bland noodles and cha shu distracted from than supported the tasty soup. This ramen gets a slightly above-average 6.

Gomaichi Ramen
(inside Mitsuwa Supermarket until 10/25)
665 Paularino Ave
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 434-1101
Cash only

Pei Wei Asian Diner, the “pan-Asian cuisine” chain owned by P.F. Chang’s has been heavily pushing ramen for the past few weeks. They’re on a “mission to redeem Ramen’s good name as a noodle dish” and want to “upgrade” your ramen with their Japanese Chile Beef Ramen “hot from our wok.”

They had a “Great Ramen Exchange” during which you get a bowl of discounted ramen in exchange for a pack of store-bought instant ramen, which they then donate to the food bank along with a cash donation. Nice. That was on Sept 9th, though…

But for tomorrow: Hey- I thought you and your readers would be interested in some fun ramen things Pei Wei is doing. On September 14, Pei Wei is giving ramen-freaks the chance to create their own ramen recipe. You can submit your recipe on Pei Wei’s Facebook page and other fans will vote on their favorite. The winner will receive the ultimate ramen luxury experience for themselves and 9 friends which includes a dinner of ramen packed with Kobe beef, Tempura Lobster, Shiitake Mushrooms and Lotus Root. (more…)

After months, and I mean months of dealing with just about every major problem that an aspiring restauranteur could face, my good buddy’s shabu-shabu dreams have finally come true. Yes, I said “my good buddy” and “shabu-shabu,” not ramen, so I’m going to go out of my way to be biased here. You’ve been warned! California Shabu-Shabu celebrated their grand opening last weekend, and today, the wife and I decided to pay an overdue visit.

For those of you who’ve never been exposed to the world of shabu-shabu, shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot. You start out with a boiling pot of water flavored with kombu, add in assorted veggies, and cook thin slices of meat, usually beef, in the water by swishing it around. Because the meat is sliced so thin, it cooks in the time it takes for you to say “shabu-shabu” (which translates to “swish-swish). Two types of dipping sauce are usually provided with shabu-shabu: a citrus-y ponzu sauce and a sesame-based sauce. Also something that can surprise the uninitiated: you cook your own food! (more…)

For a limited time (until tomorow), Chibakiya is at Mitsuwa supermarket again, this time at the Costa Mesa location. On the menu this weekend: their famous shinasoba!

The Costa Mesa Mitsuwa gets ridiculously crowded at lunchtime, especially when they have their food fairs. You have to prowl the dining area and be ready to pounce on tables when people leave. Luckily my wife was able to snag a table while I waited for the ramen. According to exile kiss, Chibakiya’s very own Chef Kenji Chiba, straight from Japan, was in the kitchen, preparing his signature ramen! I lurked around the Chibakiya stand, trying to get a picture of Chiba-san. I caught glimpses of Chef Chiba (the gentleman on the left, below), but was only able to get a picture of this gentlemen (in the green shirt on the right), who looked like he was supervising? (more…)

Chibakiya is coming to Costa Mesa with their Shina Soba!
6/4(Thu) – 6/7(Sun) Costa Mesa Store
6/11(Thu) – 6/14(Sun) New Jersey Store
Just in time! I’ve been having cravings for hanjuku eggs recently.

And if you prefer miso ramen and/or live in Torrance:

Ezo Fukuro will be there with their Miso Butter Corn Ramen
6/4(Thu) – 6/7(Sun) Torrance Store

Sorry folks, I’ve been too busy to post much, so I’m just going to refer you to the Mitsuwa web site for more details. Have fun!

Santouka Ramen recently offered a limited edition, and very tasty toromi shoyu ramen, so when I found out they were offering another limited edition ramen…guess where I was this morning? The ramen offered this time is an awase aji ramen (literally combination flavor ramen). As with last time, it’s also limited to 20 bowls a day, and this time, it’s only available at their Costa Mesa location. I got there a bit early and found no line, to my surprise. I wandered around the store and came back at 11am, when they open, and managed to be 4th in line. (more…)