Kopan Ramen is a tonkotsu ramen chain that has multiple locations in L.A. county. They have one location in Fullerton, which is where I headed.
The ramen is customizable: you pick the size, spice level (0 to 3), the choice of meat (pork belly chashu, fatty pork, or chicken breast). All ramen come with green onions and dried seaweed.
Extra toppings are available at an additional cost. I don’t normally comment on prices, but IMHO Kopan’s prices are very reasonable. I decided to add a soft-boiled egg and seared fatty pork (3 big slices for only 2 bucks!).
The fried rice and gyoza were good and came out quickly. The side of seared fatty pork was something to behold…it was a gorgeous sight. But was it as good as it looked? Stay tuned.
The 16-hour tonkotsu broth was light and creamy. The creaminess was light enough to not overpower the pork flavor. I ordered my ramen with level 1 spiciness and it was very nice. The spiciness has a bit of sourness and brightness and reminded me of sriracha.
The noodle texture was good, but didn’t really absorb the soup. It was a bit on the starchy side for my taste.
I wanted to try both kinds of chashu so I ordered the ramen with pork belly chashu to go along with my side of fatty pork. I mistakenly thought that the regular chashu would be seared like the optional chashu, but no matter. The pork belly chashu had a mix of lean and fatty layers and was well marinated. The egg had a great, light marinade with a slightly runny yolk.
And last, but not least, the side of seared fatty pork. MMMMM! The pork was actually very lightly marinated, which was great, because you can really taste the full pork flavor. The pork was deliciously melt-in-your-mouth. The fat is not layered but marbled, like a great piece of steak. Absolutely delicious.
I usually don’t get spicy ramen because I want to taste all the other ingredients, but in this case, I liked how the light spiciness infused and enhanced every bit. I highly recommend getting the fatty pork, whether on the side or with the ramen, especially if you can get them to sear it.
Kopan Ramen
141 E. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton CA 92832
Tel: 714-447-9926
Hours
Daily 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM
