Have you been to Wonton Forest? Have you heard of Sapporo-Ya? How about Yukino Ya Ramen. There must be some sort of bad luck associated with this place, because Yukino Ya is the 3rd restaurant to be at this location in the past year. I happened to be in the area a week ago during a major storm and was excited to have a new ramenya to try out on such a cold, wet day.
Anyone who’s been to Wonton Forest or Sapporo-Ya will feel right at home: the decor and layout is exactly the same. Yukino Ya offers all four popular types of ramen: shoyu, tonkotsu, shio, and miso. I asked the extremely friendly waiter which soup was the house specialt (tonkotsu) and decided to order the Yukino Ya Tonkotsu ramen with a side order of “mixed rice.” I played with the garlic press while waiting for my ramen: there’s a container of shoyu-marinated garlic cloves and a garlic press at each table!
Yukino Ya takes great care in their presentation. The carefully arranged toppings include green onions, beni sh?ga (red ginger), menma, moyashi (bean sprouts), naruto (fish cake), 2 pcs of yaki-nori, and 2 slices of beautifully fatty chashu, plus a hanjuku egg half. Whew! I could look at this ramen all day…but I’d rather eat it.
The first sip of soup was a bit surprising: the creamy-looking tonkotsu soup was more porky than creamy compared to what you’d find at other So Cal ramenyas. Actually, the soup had a sort of “Chinese-taste” to it. It reminded me more of something you’d find at a Chinese restaurant, but I enjoyed the bolder pork taste. However, the firm, thin noodles were unexceptional and there was a slightly noticeable baking soda taste.
The fatty-looking chashu fell apart when I picked them up with my chopsticks. This should be good. I bit into the first slice, and was delighted by the juicy, tender texture, but…where was the taste? The chashu was very mild…almost bland. There was only a hint of marinade and the chashu didn’t have enough of a pork taste. The second, more fatty piece, on the other hand, was delicious! It had a rich, pork taste that all but melted in my mouth!
I saved the hanjuku egg for last. I’ve been having an odd craving for hanjuku egg for the past few weeks and was happy to be able to have one. I wasn’t disappointed. Yukino Ya’s hanjuku egg was tender and delicate, and had a well-balanced flavor…lightly marinated with a hint of sweetness, and the yolk had a great jello-texture. I’m now kicking myself for not ordering a dozen of these delights to go.
The “mixed rice” also deserves mention. This colorful creation was a simple bowl of rice topped with pickled vegetables, scallions, pork, and shredded yaki-nori. The mixed rice also reminded me of a Chinese dish: pork sung rice. The rice bowl was light, refreshing, and pleasant to look at.
I’m always excited by new ramenyas, especially ones like Yukino Ya that have attentive and friendly service to complement the good food. I hope they’re here to stay, even in such a back-of-the-plaza location.
Yukino Ya Ramen gets a 7.5 out of 10.
Yukino Ya Ramen
18230 E. Gale Ave.
City of Industry, CA 91748
626-581-8420
Lunch: Tues- Sun: 11:30am to 2:30pm
Dinner: Tues-Sun: 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Closed Monday
Cash Only