I love this.
Thanks monicafooo.
TOP RAMEN @ HOME
$2.00(two packs) + $0.16(egg) + $0.33(corn) + $2.00(pork) = $4.49
BROTH (4/10)
NOODLES (4/10)
CHĀSHŪ (5/10)
EXTRAS +6
TOTAL SCORE +19/35 = 54%
Haha, so this is for all of you who can’t really make it out to a nice place to eat but still want some noodles that doesn’t taste… cheap.
BROTH. The broth will obviously be a dry-instant soup to the flavor of your choosing. Chicken, shrimp, kimchi, picante beef, whatever your heart desires. And don’t feel limited to top ramen, there’s literally HUNDREDS of different type of instant noodles in this world. Choose wisely.
NOODLES. Be sure not to over cook them, that’s the only thing to watch. Instructions say to cover and let cook? Don’t forget about them! Personally, I like to let my noodles cook a bit under, so as I’m enjoying them a bit firm, they eventually become perfect for me during the course of the meal. In the photo, I used two packets of ramen noodles.
CHĀSHŪ. You can buy pork at same place you buy your instant ramen. In the photo here, I bought pork loin, dry seasoned it and pan fried. They go for about $6 a tray, and can probably yield 3 portions. Careful to not over cook these either, since they’re thin, they’ll cook rather fast. RANDOM IDEA: maybe after you’ve cooked your noodles and pork… throw the broth from the instant noodles into the pan and deglaze so you can get get all the good bits and flavors from it, and then throw it back in with your slightly undercooked noodles for extra taste.
EXTRAS. I also purchased eggs and a can of corn. The eggs will have 12 portions for about $2, and the corn will yield about 3 portions for $1 (or depending on how much you love corn in your ramen). I just cracked open a raw egg into my boiling water at the start to get it mixed and cooked in, but you can definitely take a bit more time and soft-boil them (you can find directions on the interwebs). If you have butter lying around in the fridge, throw some in your soup.
OVERALL. You can’t beat the price or the service haha, cause it’s all at home baby! Roaming around the house in your pi’s making ramen, and then enjoying it over streamed youtube videos is the way to go! netflix, hulu, hbo, whatever floats your boat, you’re at the comfort of your castle. You can EASILY make 3 portions under $15 and still feel proud to take a photo like i’ve shamelessly done so above. Taste is what you’d imagine instant noodles would taste like, but with the extra ingredients, it’ll be a new experience for you, I promise. Feel free to add more! Dried roasted seaweed, mushrooms, togarashi seasoning, be creative, you are the artist of your own bowl :)
HOME
OPENED 24HRS A DAY
7 DAYS A WEEK
ACCEPTS CASH/CREDIT & BEGGING YOUR ROOMMATE
Stay tuned,
—ANT
TONKOTSU RAMEN @ SANTA RAMEN
~$7.95+
(out of two reviewers)
Broth. 9/10 (9/10)
Noodles. 10/10 (9/10)
Chāshū. 7.5/10 (8/10)
Extras. +6
Total Score = 58.5/65 = 90%
Some facts before we begin: the same person owns all Santa Ramen, Ramen Dojo, and the new Ramen Parlor. Each establishment is known for its own unique recipe. Ramen Dojo is the spot for spicy ramen (although they do offer a non-spicy option), Ramen Parlor is known for infusing lobster oil into their broth (review coming soon), and the original Santa Ramen is known for their flavorful pork broth.
Broth. This place is no joke. It definitely is the most flavorful pork broth I’ve had in a while. In all of my three visits to Santa Ramen, this broth has always been amazingly consistent. Saying it was rich and decadent would be an exaggeration but it was just that delicious. One should always order the pork flavor on their first visit.
I quite enjoyed this broth more than Ramen Dojo since the mild option was much too strong for me (although I could’ve asked for non-spicy). I’m kind of a weak sauce when it comes to spicy food but I’m down to try anything once. At Santa Ramen, customers can order spicy flavoring as a topping.
Noodles. Nice and firm with a good amount of chew. These were noodles done right, not over or undercooked; as they should be.
Chāshū. The chāshū was a bit of a miss for me, but still yummy. Sliced nice and thick, however it felt like it was cooked unevenly as only some slices were moist and tender. The bowl came with three slices, which I think is the standard serving portion for this element.
Extras. While their chāshū was a miss, points were redeemed with the tenderness of their stewed premium pork. Yummy and just falls apart when your break it into smaller pieces. Extra points for lots of green onions, lots of kikurage mushrooms for you mushroom lovers (I personally gave all of mine to my friend’s bowl), I ordered extra corn and got lots of it, and points for presentation. This bowl falls short of one point due to a non-soft boiled egg. *sigh*
Overall. I will definitely come back to this place again for more, perhaps with a smaller group next time. They are open for lunch and dinner service, however the restaurant won’t seat your party unless your entire party is present. Kind of a pain I know but that’s fair. Prepare to get there early, but on the plus side, the line starts inside the restaurant.
SANTA RAMEN
1944 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 11:30 am - 2 pm
Mon, Wed-Sat 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 9 pm
CLOSED ON TUESDAYS
Accepts credit cards.
- SAM
SPICY MISO RAMEN @ RAMEN UNDERGROUND
$9.00
(based from two reviewers)
BROTH (7/10) (8/10)
NOODLES (8/10) (10/10)
CHĀSHŪ (7/10) (9/10)
EXTRAS +6
TOTAL +55/65 = 85%
BROTH. This is my first miso ramen review so I’ll start with a little background. Miso broth is made with…miso :)
Miso is a Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley, and/or soybeans with salt and kojikin, a fungus (the most typical is soybeans). The result is a thick paste that can be used for sauces or soups.
So going back to miso broth, generous amounts of miso is used with chicken broth to create a thick, salty, earthy, flavorful soup that goes well with a wide variety of toppings (not to mention chalk full of protein, the miso that is). Here at Ramen Underground, the miso broth is legit. Full miso flavor, a tad bit on the salty side, but I would let it slide as the broth is very tasty. AND they don’t use MSG, so what you’re tasting is the miso going to town on your taste buds. I choose spicy, but it wasn’t too spicy, just right for me.
NOODLES. They got them right. Just the right amount of bite and taste for you to want a second portion (if you’re really that hungry). Not the most amazing, but will definitely put a smile on your face.
CHĀSHŪ. Nothing write home about, but just the way it should be. Tender. Flavorful. I also ordered BBQ pork which I’ve read is called kakuni. Kakuni is squared pieces of pork belly that’s been slow SLOOOW simmered with dashi, soy sauce, and a few other ingredients so that the collagen is broken down, leaving the meat SUPER tender and easily eaten with chopsticks. These were probably also smoked to give a barbecued flavor/scent. Overall, delicious.
EXTRAS. In addition to the BBQ pork, I also ordered an egg which came out nicely soft-boiled, just the way I love them. Included in the bowl was mushrooms and green onions. You can order more toppings which are just an additional $1 for each, you can see them on the photo. Service was quick/friendly, once you’re able to get seated. Presentation was really nice, as my bowl came out with a wooden ladle looking thing as my soup spoon. Awesome. +6 for you.
OVERALL. Great place to grab some decent ramen while wandering the Financial District. TINY. The place has room for a few 2-4 tops, bar top on one side, and one awkwardly placed window table that seats.. maybe 3. Speakers will probably be playin’ some chill-ass underground hip hop (music that probably inspired their store name). Oh, and good luck finding parking around there, maybe bus it, or walk. Cash only, so fill your wallets, folks.
Ramen Underground
355 Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94108
Mon - Thurs 11:30AM - 9:00PM
Fri - Sat 11:30AM - 11:00PM
CLOSED SUNDAY
CASH ONLY
Stay tuned,
—ANT
WAKAME UDON & CURRY UDON @ HOTEI
$6.85 & $7.95
Wakame: 24/30
Curry: 23/30
Average: 23.5/30 = 78%
(We both ordered two different items on the menu so they will be judged on separate scorecards.)
Broth. Wakame (9/10) Dashi stock done right! This broth had the right amount of fishy flavor but not overpowering that I had to reach for a glass of water each time I took a bite. The curry udon (8/10) was not bad either. The broth had a nice beefy flavor with nice beefy bits throughout the bowl.
Noodles. Wakame (8/10) Curry (8/10) The noodles were a bit on the soft side on both wakame and curry udon, but pretty good for the most part. It’s easy to overcook udon, so these noodles could’ve spent a little less time in the pot.
Extras. I ordered the wakame udon and I got tons of it. Points for extra green onions and fast service, and the sushi we ordered. Pretty good but not outstanding; not crap either. (7/10 on both sides)
HOTEI RESTAURANT
1290 9TH AVE
(between Lincoln Way & Irving St)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122
MONDAY: 11:30 am – 10 pm
TUESDAY: CLOSED
WEDNESDAY – SUNDAY: 11:30 am – 10 pm
Accepts credit cards
- SAM
SPICY RAMEN @ KAHOO RAMEN
$8.95
BROTH (6/10)
NOODLES (6/10)
CHĀSHŪ (6/10)
EXTRAS +3
TOTAL SCORE +21/35 = 60%
BROTH. Eh… It really was nothing special, but it wasn’t bad. I feel like when you take that first sip, you want that hot full flavor broth. Whether it’s shio, or miso, or tonkotsu, that first sip will set the stage for the rest of the meal, and well, when I took my first sip… eh. Didn’t blow me away, was a LITTLE bit on the bland side and was thinner than expected for what it looked like (thick and murky). I know there’s togarashi and oils that you can throw in, but I also feel that things you throw in should supplement your experience, not bring it up to par.
NOODLES. Generally speaking, a little over cooked. Didn’t have that firm bite I was looking for but it was okay. Honestly, we were looking for Santouka which is around the corner, but they only took cash, and we had only credit… But no matter, it gave us a chance to try different things :)
CHĀSHŪ. Um… a little different in the way they prepared it here. It was still rolled meat and sliced… but sliced into cubes (it’s in there somewhere) The taste was okay, moist and tender, but just the fact that it was cubes, didn’t allow me to enjoy it the same way I always did. Felt like I ordered cubes of pork belly (like I LOVE doing at Santa Ramen or Saiwaii Ramen, more on those two later) instead of slices of chashu.
EXTRAS. What’s up with not leaving any condiments on the tables? OR NAPKINS for that matter lol! If you need to wipe your mouth, you’ll have to accept using Kleenex tissues instead ‘cause they’ve got a box between every table. Possibly a Japanese cultural tissue-packet marketing thing, I’m not sure… BUT it did help so much as I was slightly sick, and those soft tissues were gold to me at the time and service was quick… +2pts! No points for presentation as it came out kind of… slapped together. Point for nicely soft-boiled egg.
OVERALL. It was a quick meal, we were sat promptly and service was friendly. Mediocre ramen, but it filled me up. I didn’t finish the soup, as I didn’t fully enjoy it, but I still finished all the bits inside of it. Not a bad place if all you have is credit, and you’re in the area.
Kahoo Ramen
4330 Moorpark Ave.
San Jose, CA 95129
LUNCH HOURS:
Mon - Fri 11:30AM - 2:00PM
Sat 11:30AM - 10PM
Sun 11:30AM - 9:30PM
DINNER HOURS:
Mon - Thurs 5:30PM - 9:30PM
Fri 5:30PM-10:00PM
Sat 11:30AM - 10PM
Sun 11:30AM - 9:30PM
ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS
—ANT
Ps. If you get a chance, walk around Mitsuwa Marketplace for Japanese goodies :)
Udon Scorecard
Broth (10 pts)
Noodles (10 pts)
Extras (max 10 pts)
Broth. Udon, like ramen, is made in a variety of ways. Restaurants will sometimes use the prepackaged powdered version or fresh dashi stock with kombu (kelp), dried sardines, and bonito flakes. The finished product should have a distinct fishy taste but not too fishy or too bland. Other types of udon – curry udon should have a nice beefy flavor and not too water down.
Noodles. Fat, firm and have a bit of chew. Homemade udon noodles is a tedious process but the end result is delicious.
Extras. May include wakame (seaweed), vegetables, or kamaboko (fishcake). But remember even the simplest thing on the menu can be the most delicious.
ORENCHI RAMEN @ ORENCHI RAMEN
$9.00
BROTH (6/10) (7/10)
NOODLES (9/10) (10/10)
CHĀCHŪ (6/10) (8/10)
EXTRAS +6
TOTAL RATING +52/65 = 80%
BROTH. Okay, before you all bash me for my rating, hear me out. Broth, dammmn tasty. I’ve recently embraced the fatty fat fat in me and appreciated the taste of, well… fat. So all those floating morsels of deliciousness you see grazing the surface of the broth? Thank you, Orenchi. They really have succeeded with creating a light broth while overall still maintaining that mouth-watering pork tonkotsu flavor. But as mouth-watering as it is, there’s exactly my gripe. It’s TOO mouth-watering. Meaning, it wants to water, it needs to water, because of all the salt. At first taste, it’s amazing, but by the time you’re half way through, you start to realize how thirsty you are. Your lips start to pucker. Is it worth it? Maybe to some. But to me, if something as reducing the salinity of this heavenly broth is all it takes to make it worthy of the gods, it’s a mistake that can’t be overlooked.
NOODLES. YESSSS! They did it, and they did it well. Nice bite to it and perfect portion. A for you!
CHĀSHŪ. What chashu? If you were trying to be the restaurant with the thinnest slices of chashu then you’ve done it. The first time I came here, it was literally nearly PAPER THIN, so true that it fell apart in my bowl while I was seeking my ramen noodles. The second time around, I ordered an extra order of 3 slices and the slices were a little thicker… but I can’t forgive that first impression… pitiful. HOWEVER, your chashu was tender and tasty, so you get a redeeming 6 from me.
EXTRAS! OMGAAAAH… I’m sure you’ve read it in the yelp reviews. The soft-boiled egg is AWESOME! They don’t cut the egg so they have to know what they’re doing. A little ballsy, and I like it. Additional goodies? Bamboo shoots, green onions, mushrooms, sesame seeds, and nori seaweed. Fast service, yes. Presentation, yes. I give you +6.
OVERALL. I’d come back, and I’d finish it, all of it. Despite the portion of chashu, it was still delicious, and besides the fact that you really do need that water pitcher they’ve set at every table, it’s fatty and flavorful. A must-try especially if you’re in the San Jose/Santa Clara area and feenin’ that ramen. It’s a little hidden behind Avalon, but it’s in that plaza. Stay tuned!
ORENCHI RAMEN
3540 Homestead Rd.
Santa Clara, CA 95051
CLOSED MONDAYS
OPENED FOR LUNCH:
Tuesday - Sunday 11:30AM - 1:30PM
OPENED FOR DINNER:
Tuesday - Thursday 6:00PM - 9:30PM
Friday 5:30PM - 10:30PM
Saturday 5:30PM - 9:30PM
Sunday 5:00PM - 8:30PM
Accepts Credit Cards
—ANT
SPICY GARLIC PORK RAMEN @ RAMEN DOJO
$9.50
(out of two reviewers)
BROTH (7/10) (8/10)
NOODLES (9/10) (10/10)
CHĀSHŪ (8/10) (10/10)
EXTRAS +7
TOTAL RATING +58/65 = 89%
BROTH. True tonkotsu broth, thick and inviting without feeling too “fatty”. You can get the soup in a variety of spice levels: Non-spicy, mild, regular, & extra-spicy. I’m quite the heat-seeker when it comes to spicy foods, but with my ramen, I like to keep my nose from running and the sweat off my forehead. Regular is SLIGHTLY over that limit for me, while the mild was considerably… not spicy at all. For what it’s worth, I did try the mild after the regular, so my decision on this may be biased, but it does seem like a big jump from mild to regular, so know what you want, and not in between.
NOODLES. Curly medium sized noodles and has wonderful bite to them. I would say one of the few best house-made noodles I’ve ever had.
CHĀSHŪ. Delicious. Sliced thick the way they should be. Very tender, moist, and just almost falls apart as you pick them up with your chopsticks. The bowl came with one slice, I added 3 more for an extra $1.50, not bad.
RAMEN DOJO
805 S. B St.
San Mateo, CA 94401
Opens for lunch 11:30AM - 2:00PM
Opens for dinner 5:30PM - 9:00PM
CLOSED every Tuesday.
—ANT
Not really sure how to start this thing… but I suppose that matters not to you. All we’re here for is the food. The ramen noodles, or the udon noodles, or the pho noodles, we just want the food. So that’s how we’ll start it. No frills, just straight to the main course :)
RAMEN SCORECARD
I’m no denying it, to me bliss comes in small packages. It’s those small moments that make enduring all the struggles of life worth it. An amazing newly-discovered song, a fresh pair of socks, and the bottom of a bowl of ramen. Bliss. These are just the few items that makes a perfect bowl IMO. Let’s break it down:
BROTH (10 pts)
NOODLES (10 pts)
CHĀSHŪ (10 pts)
EXTRAS (max. 10 pts)
BROTH. Whether it be a salt broth, a soy broth, or a tonkotsu broth, it’s the biggest component of the dish. Noodles, you can accept if it’s overcooked or just mediocre, but just remember that with every bite of that perfectly cooked al dente noodle, you’re sipping that broth with it. It’s said in Japan that if a patron finishes his/her bowl by finishing the broth as well, then the ramen chef has crafted his broth well. I like to go by this, if I don’t’ want to finish the broth, it’s probably not a 10. Miso broth should taste like it was prepared with miso. Tonkotsu broth should be made with pork bones and fat. Get that right and I’ll come wait at your door for an hour. Believe me, I abhor waiting in lines for food. I’ve never even used the word “abhor” for anything before, I hate it that much. But I’ll wait for your godly broth.
NOODLES. House-made. Al dente. Please. I know there’s different variations of ramen noodles. Some are curly and some are straight. Some are thick and some are thin. Some are prepared with kansui, some are prepared with eggs. I guess what we’ll be judging here, is whether or not it tastes okay to the Asian-American tongue, and whether it’s cooked properly. Al dente, springy, kind of chewy, and textural… I don’t know how else I can describe it.
CHĀSHŪ. Rolled up pork belly, and sloooow braised to perfection. Should have that familiar braised meat texture, so soft & tender… Mmmm…
EXTRAS. Soft-boiled egg? Corn? Bamboo shoots? Mushrooms? BBQ pork belly? Seaweed? It’s the extra toppings that they throw in and whether or not it comes included or considered a extra topping. How are the portions? Lots of noodles? Generous portion of chāshū? Comes with free edamame? Exceptional service? Extra points for you! The cap will be +10pts and the minimum a good bowl should have is +5 points.
35/35 or more deems your bowl: HEAVENLY.
