I’ve been intrigued by Gardena Ramen ever since I read rameniac’s promise of “the finest shoyu ramen in L.A.” Since I tend to favor the classic shoyu ramen over any other new-fangled choices, I couldn’t wait to try it. When I finally had some time to head up to Torrance (yes, it’s Gardena Ramen, but…
ramen rating: toshi’s ramen – eugene, or
My wife and I recently went on a road trip to Portland, Oregon, and of course, I had to do some ramen research. After spending time surfing the web, I sadly announced that there were *zero* ramen shops in Portland (aspiring ramen entrepreneurs pay attention: there is no competition in Portland!). But wait…what’s this? “Guess…
ramen rating: takaraya – irvine, ca
wife: Do you know there’s a really good ramen place in Orange County that we haven’t tried? me: excuse me? wife: Guess! me: …(trying to think of the most unlikely place possible)…that Japanese place by the gas station in the 99 Ranch plaza?? Whoa…I guessed right! According to a fellow blogger, this little Japanese eatery…
ramen rating: rai rai ken – new york, ny
My wife and I were in New York for a few days, and of course had to check out the New York ramen scene. After spending far too much time slogging through online postings about the best ramen house in NYC, we finally settled on Rai Rai Ken in the East Village for 2 reasons:…
ramen rating: santouka ramen – costa mesa, ca
Santouka Ramen. Santouka Santouka Santouka. Everywhere you look, someone is saying how great Santouka ramen is. Is it really *that* good? Is it everything everyone says it is? Or is another case of ‘don’t believe the hype?’ This was actually the fourth time I’ve been to Santouka Ramen. The first time was in Tokyo, where…
ramen rating: chabuton ramen noodles – costa mesa, ca (closed)
“Chabuton’s mission is to create the perfect bowl of ramen…Our food is meant to feed the soul…and provide sensitivity that touches your entire being.” (Shiver)…I get all quivery just thinking about it. On the downside? It’s in a Japanese market food court. Chabuton opened last year inside the Marukai supermarket in Costa Mesa, and the…
ramen rating: kohryu – costa mesa, ca
I’ve been meaning to try Kohryu for a while but somehow just never got around to it. Finally, goaded by a recent comment, my wife and I decided to give it a try. It was a cold and windy day: perfect conditions for a nice hot bowl of ramen! The restaurant has fairly non-descript decor…
ramen rating: daikokuya – los angeles, ca
I seem to be cursed when it comes to Daikokuya. The first time I tried to go, the owner was on vacation, and they were closed. I ended up at Kouraku across the street. Then as I typed up this review and was *almost* finished, my browser decided to crash. So let me try this…
ramen rating: shinsengumi hakata ramen – fountain valley, ca
Shin-Sen-Gumi is a restaurant chain in Southern California that features hakata style ramen in a tonkotsu broth. They also have a robata restaurant next door. Both places are always packed so be prepared for a wait. Upon entering the tiny (seats maybe 20 people) restaurant, you’ll be greeted with a loud chorus of “irrashai-imase” (welcome!).…
ramen rating: ebisu mendokoro – fountain valley, ca
I’ve been going to Ebisu ramen for around 20 years now, so when my wife recently asked me why I haven’t reviewed them yet, all I could do was give her my best deer-caught-in-headlights look. Ebisu Mendokoro is owned by the same company that owns the Ebisu supermarket and the Bon Marche bakery in the…
ramen rating: mentatsu – costa mesa, ca
Mentatsu ramen house opened recently in Costa Mesa, near the Mitsuwa plaza. It’s a tiny place with a nice atmosphere. Everyone from the chef to the wait staff greet you when you come in. Well then, right on to the food. I ordered fried rice, shoyu ramen, and gyoza. The fried rice was nicely done…
ramen rating: ryowa – berkeley, ca
I’ve been looking forward to trying Ryowa in Berkeley, and I recently just had the chance to go up there. I’ve read a lot of good reviews from various web sites and I have to say…I’m disappointed. I had the Ryowa ramen even though I was sorely tempted by the shoyu ramen. The sesame soup…