Restaurant Yama - Alhambra, CA

433 West Main Street
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 576-9828
About Restaurant Yama

Restaurant Yama has been around for a long, long time--41 years, to be exact. I'm not sure when exactly during that time they decided to serve ramen, but on a recent visit (my first) I was shocked to see "Chanpon" and "Chashu Men" on the menu. Yeah, I know this isn't a ramen-ya and if you'd ask a regular what Yama is known for, they might just say the teriyaki, tempura, and fried oysters. But...since I am who I am, I only have eyes for one thing...


Chanpon: I don't feel like saying anything bad about this restaurant so it might be best if I don't say anything at all. Well...alright, since you keep twisting my arm I'll say something, but I'll still keep it brief. The shoyu-based soup here was plain (but still good) and the sauteed vegetables thrown atop added some extra flavor to create a nice, light Chanpon. The Chinese-style chashu was a slight disappointment, but like I said...this isn't a ramen-ya.


The thin soumen-like noodles were the biggest disappointment of all. This soup could have definitely used something thicker. So if there ever is a next time, I think I would ask for the thin udon noodles instead. Yeah, that might do the trick!


Tatsuta-Age: The fried chicken was outstanding!


There's some history here on why I didn't want to say anything bad. I'd rather not get into it now, but if you're dying to know, email me. But be forewarned, it's really sad...

麺どん Tamaya - Alhambra, CA

645 E. Main St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 458-8388

Located just a few short blocks from the Mitsuwa in San Gabriel and in the building that used to house Won Tin Gourmet, 麺どん Tamaya has opened another location roughly 16 miles west of its original. With the same owner, the same menu, and the same hand-painted たまや sign on the wall, there's no indication of this ramen-ya being a replicated fake.

Mabo Ramen: When I first looked at this Mabo ramen, I got worried. It didn't have the customary thick, droopy top layer that I've known to love about Mabo. It just looked like someone threw tofu and ground pork into a shoyu ramen. But luckily, my first impression was wrong. It still had a decent flavor that satisfied my craving. The noodles weren't spectacular, but they didn't make things worse either. I would definitely order it again.


Chahan: The chahan on the other hand was entirely too strong and the mirin just overwhelmed everything. I ended up soaking most of it in my mabo soup just to neutralize its strength. That actually turned out to be a good idea because it made the chahan taste so much better.


Tamaya will probably never be the best ramen-ya, but its decent soup and friendly staff will be enough to bring you back. If you're in the area and craving a good bowl of ramen, then Tamaya is your best option.