[Food] Best in the US - Ramen
In December 2014, when my parents visited me in the US for the first time, they bought a tour package in Vietnam. The tour company, Hoan My, would take care of everything, from the US visa interview, the flight tickets, to the tour bus to see all the West Coast attractions.
During that tour, there was an interesting tour guide. His favorite saying was, "this place is the BEST in the US for ____"
One night in Vegas, he said he would take my parents and other people in the tour to "The BEST DUCK NOODLE SOUP restaurant in the US." (Wow!) It ended up being the noodle restaurant just right on the lobby floor of the hotel where the tour was staying.
On the day of the Hollywood visit, the tour guide advertised that he was gonna take the group to the restaurant with "the BEST STEAK in the US." (Yes!) Turned out he took my parents and other people to Sizzler for lunch (!)
I was so inspired by this tour guide! I thought to myself that I wanted to become someone like him! Finally today I can achieve my dream: I get to start a blog about the "Best Food in the US" - according to me.
For the first blog of the BEST IN THE US series, I dedicate it to RAMEN, the famous Japanese Noodle soup.
Ramen is one of my favorite dishes, and I have been lucky being able to try ramen in most of the big cities in the US, from NYC, SF, Bay Area, LA, Vegas, Houston. But interestingly, NYC dominates in terms of good ramen shops, and my number one, BEST IN THE US Ramen place is,
I remember having to wait 3 hours in the freezing winter for this ramen on my first visit in 2013. It wasn't my idea! Blame my crazy-about-ramen friend at that time. But boy, one sip of the broth and I declared that it was the richest, and most flavorful broth I ever tasted. I felt like the soup packed all the goodness of the chicken stock in it, plus more.
The special thing about Totto Ramen is the chicken broth. Most ramen places use Tonkotsu pork broth. Furthermore, the chasu pork here is char-grilled, and the egg is runny yolk.
I am more of a traditional ramen person than a modern ramen version, and this place serves just the perfect traditional ramen, and has the perfect traditional crowded/cramped ramen shop vibe.
TIPS: Always order a soda to break down the fatty taste of rich broth.
For your viewing pleasure, here is my yelp review YELP REVIEW LINK
Why are these so many good ramen places in NYC? And I haven't even tried every ramen places in NYC yet!!
I only had the traditional Tonkotsu Ramen at Minca, but I was so impressed that I needed to rank this #2. The top layer fatty pork broth was super flavorful. Not only did the broth taste like ground pork, but it also tasted like mushroom. It is hard to describe, but the broth reminded me of some flavors that I had long forgotten, and I can't tell exactly what it tasted like (What the heck?). Anyway, a standard bowl came with all the important toppings, so you don't have to order extra toppings, such as menma (bambo shoots), scallion, wood-ear mushroom (or fungus), and toasted seaweed.
Egg wasn't runny yolk though.
My review on Yelp is as follows, YELP REVIEW
This is a modern version of ramen. I would categorize this ramen place as a modern ramen restaurant, just like Ippudo in New York City.
I rank this place 2nd as high as Minca, because their Tori Paitan was so interesting to eat! The ingredients include Rich and Creamy Chicken Soup, Pork Chashu, Duck Chashu, Menma, Kale, Burdock, Katsuobushi Sauce.
Imagine having 2 types of meat, pork and duck in your noodles. Yum!
Plus, because the broth was chicken based, the taste was less overly fatty than pork broth.
The ramen was rather expensive though, and I was less than impressed with Shoyu Ramen on my second visit.
My review on Yelp is here, YELP REVIEW
On my first visit, I was super amazed by the ramen here. The garlic broth was flavorful, and the meat was seared perfectly. Plus, the quail egg.
Somehow on the second visit, my experience was underwhelming: The soup was only warm, and not as rich as my original experience.
Anyways, since I decided on my first visit that this place ranked pretty high on my list, I will keep Ramen Dojo as 3rd place for now.
This is not an American ramen place, but I ran into them at the Ramen Contest Festival in NYC. One sip of their broth made me think of French Pâte
Very thick broth, but won't leave you tired of the fatty taste. Excellent chasu, and yakitori dishes too!
Easily one of the best ramens in Norcal. Try the red & black ramen. Great soy-flavored runny yolk.
This is not a ramen parlor, but a Yakitori place, but their ramen is very respectable. Think about fried pork belly to add on to your ramen.
A take on modern ramen. Broth is not fatty, and won't leave you thirsty.
- Tatsu-Ya (Las Vegas, NV)
Average ramen
During that tour, there was an interesting tour guide. His favorite saying was, "this place is the BEST in the US for ____"
One night in Vegas, he said he would take my parents and other people in the tour to "The BEST DUCK NOODLE SOUP restaurant in the US." (Wow!) It ended up being the noodle restaurant just right on the lobby floor of the hotel where the tour was staying.
On the day of the Hollywood visit, the tour guide advertised that he was gonna take the group to the restaurant with "the BEST STEAK in the US." (Yes!) Turned out he took my parents and other people to Sizzler for lunch (!)
I was so inspired by this tour guide! I thought to myself that I wanted to become someone like him! Finally today I can achieve my dream: I get to start a blog about the "Best Food in the US" - according to me.
For the first blog of the BEST IN THE US series, I dedicate it to RAMEN, the famous Japanese Noodle soup.
Ramen is one of my favorite dishes, and I have been lucky being able to try ramen in most of the big cities in the US, from NYC, SF, Bay Area, LA, Vegas, Houston. But interestingly, NYC dominates in terms of good ramen shops, and my number one, BEST IN THE US Ramen place is,
1. TOTTO RAMEN (New York)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/totto-ramen-new-york
I remember having to wait 3 hours in the freezing winter for this ramen on my first visit in 2013. It wasn't my idea! Blame my crazy-about-ramen friend at that time. But boy, one sip of the broth and I declared that it was the richest, and most flavorful broth I ever tasted. I felt like the soup packed all the goodness of the chicken stock in it, plus more.
The special thing about Totto Ramen is the chicken broth. Most ramen places use Tonkotsu pork broth. Furthermore, the chasu pork here is char-grilled, and the egg is runny yolk.
I am more of a traditional ramen person than a modern ramen version, and this place serves just the perfect traditional ramen, and has the perfect traditional crowded/cramped ramen shop vibe.
TIPS: Always order a soda to break down the fatty taste of rich broth.
For your viewing pleasure, here is my yelp review YELP REVIEW LINK
2. MINCA RAMEN (New York)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/minca-new-york
Why are these so many good ramen places in NYC? And I haven't even tried every ramen places in NYC yet!!
I only had the traditional Tonkotsu Ramen at Minca, but I was so impressed that I needed to rank this #2. The top layer fatty pork broth was super flavorful. Not only did the broth taste like ground pork, but it also tasted like mushroom. It is hard to describe, but the broth reminded me of some flavors that I had long forgotten, and I can't tell exactly what it tasted like (What the heck?). Anyway, a standard bowl came with all the important toppings, so you don't have to order extra toppings, such as menma (bambo shoots), scallion, wood-ear mushroom (or fungus), and toasted seaweed.
Egg wasn't runny yolk though.
My review on Yelp is as follows, YELP REVIEW
2. MENSHO TOKYO (San Francisco)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/mensho-tokyo-san-francisco-2
This is a modern version of ramen. I would categorize this ramen place as a modern ramen restaurant, just like Ippudo in New York City.
I rank this place 2nd as high as Minca, because their Tori Paitan was so interesting to eat! The ingredients include Rich and Creamy Chicken Soup, Pork Chashu, Duck Chashu, Menma, Kale, Burdock, Katsuobushi Sauce.
Imagine having 2 types of meat, pork and duck in your noodles. Yum!
Plus, because the broth was chicken based, the taste was less overly fatty than pork broth.
The ramen was rather expensive though, and I was less than impressed with Shoyu Ramen on my second visit.
My review on Yelp is here, YELP REVIEW
3. RAMEN DOJO (San Mateo, CA - Bay Area)
On my first visit, I was super amazed by the ramen here. The garlic broth was flavorful, and the meat was seared perfectly. Plus, the quail egg.
Somehow on the second visit, my experience was underwhelming: The soup was only warm, and not as rich as my original experience.
Anyways, since I decided on my first visit that this place ranked pretty high on my list, I will keep Ramen Dojo as 3rd place for now.
**Honorable Mentions
- Wakamusha ramen (NYC):
- Tiger Den (Houston, TX)
Very thick broth, but won't leave you tired of the fatty taste. Excellent chasu, and yakitori dishes too!
- Ramen House Ryujin (Sacramento, CA)
- Izakaya Sozai (San Francisco, CA):
- Ippudo (NYC)
A take on modern ramen. Broth is not fatty, and won't leave you thirsty.
**Overated
- Daikokuya (Los Angeles, CA)
Easily the ramen shop with the most reviews in the US. I had a hard time understanding that, because broth, chasu, noodles were average. Even the cooks weren't Japanese. Gave it 2 tries but experience was the same- Orenchi (Sunnyvale, CA - Bay Area)
Most popular ramen in south Bay, but will leave you sick of the broth at the end. Not only it being too fatty, but the after taste was bitter to me- Tatsu-Ya (Las Vegas, NV)
Average ramen
![[Food] Best in the US - Ramen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GCei66JpdhzqnsSy-LmwnwmiknrCINFmRejp5GSh7B4UfItW8qsb5ZAAmzafxekDa5ZYpjPzJC12lFpy9IkrGdGHz-SvWxH5II2je3EtwviS2aZSJcSnZLdcSqkX5BlIxM32Wai4rksG/s72-c/17310914_10155115178194334_3593806044525048356_o.jpg)
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