Ramen Izakaya Yu-Gen - Mountain View

5/5 stars

I loved everything I slurped here!

The curry & rice was the best I've had in the South Bay. The red curry was not too salty. It was yummy and flavorful with bits of meat and went perfectly with the sticky, Japanese rice. The pickled radish added a nice crunch.

And I lovedlovedloved my Tsukemen (dipping noodles). It was delicious AND fun to eat! It came with a pile of cold ramen noodles, sliced pork, an egg, bean sprouts, green onions, and mushrooms. You warm the noodles by dipping them in a deep bowl of broth that was hot and spicy. Yum-o.

I've never had Tsukemen before, but I'm in love with the concept!

Ippudo NY - New York, NY

5/5 stars

I was in NY Mon-Fri for work, but only had 1 lunch and 2-3 dinners unaccounted for so I had to choose wisely. I have a mile-long list of must-try restaurants in NY and Ippudo was at the top. They didn'tdidn'tdidn't disappoint.

We arrived 30 mins early before they opened Monday and there was noone in line so we decided to adventure to Milk Bar instead of waiting outside. When we came back, there was a line, but it wasn't bad. We made the first lunch seating and got to sit at the bar. It's the BEST place to sit. You get to watch pork buns being built, fish being torched, and fresh noodles being boiled. Everyone is sooooo nice too!

Of course I had to try the hirata buns filled with pork, mayo, and lettuce. It was most certainly the best pork bun I've ever had. The bun itself was steaming hot and pillowy. The pork was fatty and glistening. The mayo and lettuce a nice touch. I would've ordered another plate if I had another stomach. The ramen was extremely filling. For ramen, I chose the akamaru modern which is their perfect Tonkotsu with "Umami Dama" miso paste, chashu, cabbage, kikurage mushrooms, scallions, garlic oil, and a seasoned egg. Their Tonkotsu was incredible. Some Tonkotsu broths can be salty, but Ippudo's was perfect. The flavors were so deep. It was clear that this broth had been simmering for hours on end. The noodles here are on the thinner side, which I don't normally prefer, but they were fresh and springy.

Ippudo was a dream foodie destination for me and I'm so glad I got to cross it off my list. Even though there are a hundred other restaurants to try in NY, I'll be back to Ippudo.

(2015)

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - San Jose

4/5 stars

I felt like I was transported back to Japan!

Small and booth-like, Santouka lives inside a Japanese supermarket called Mitsuwa. We arrived 10 minutes before 11 AM and there was already a line. The menu was a delightful display of plastic food behind a window. Super easy to pick what you want. The ramen came in small, medium, or large bowls, with or without a rice accompaniment. You order at the counter, cash only, and then wait a little bit (15+ minutes) for them to call your number. You pick up the ramen yourself.

I decided on the tokusen toroniku, which is made from pork cheeks. The toppings were served separately. The medium bowl was plenty! Hubby went with the spicy miso and was pleased with the slow burn.

My ramen was a delicious sight! It looked uber rich and creamy - and tasted like it looked! Almost a touch too salty for me, but it was still mouthwatering. The ramen came with a generous serving of jowl and, my favorite ramen topping, wood ear mushrooms. I added an egg even though it was hard-boiled (I prefer soft-boiled). The noodles were neither thick or thin, but somewhere in the middle. I would have to say I like Orenchi's noodles better.

It was fun finally trying this place and we'll probably be making a stop every time I need a new bag of rice!

(2015)

Orenchi Ramen - Santa Clara

5/5 stars

I don't usually HAPPILY wait 45+ minutes for any place.

I've been to Japan and this place is authentic in every way possible: the wait, the look, the service, but most importantly - the ramen.

The only problem, aside from the wait (which I have no control over), is that I always order the same thing because I CRAVE it at least 2x a week. The tonkotsu is creamy, savory, pork-y, chicken-soup-perfection. It comes with a single slice of pork, an amazing soft-boiled egg, mushrooms, scallions, and seaweed. I always order an extra egg because the egg = win. Oh, and the noodles? Thick and chewy.

I've also had the chicken karaage (must order), the rice and pork (decent), the bamboo shoots (decent), and the egg rolls (OK to skip).

The service is quick, loud, efficient, and friendly.

I'm glad they're doing so well, but really, I wish there wasn't a 45 minute wait EVERY SINGLE TIME. That won't stop me from going, though. Best ramen in the Bay Area IMO.

(2011)