Cafe Asa - Gardena, CA

18202 S. Western Ave.
Gardena, CA
(310) 769-1010

Rameniac wasn't kidding!...not that he ever does. Cafe Asa is definitely "one of the top ramen shops in town." Located in the same center as my favorite udon-ya, Sanuki No Sato, Asa explodes into the LA ramen scene with some of the best stuff on this side of the Pacific. Let's just straight out say it now--this ramen-ya is a must GO! I've waited hours to eat ramen that's far more inferior than this. I know some of you may be weary of letting the secret of Asa out, but I say we start rounding up everyone we know and start lining up at the joint! I would hate to see them disappear so soon. The only reason I say this is because the place was empty when I was there. Tell your friend's and have them tell more friend's and so on. Let's keep them in business!


Kotteri-shoyu: Kotteri or Assari...that is the question. A great way to keep it simple! Kotteri is the thicker more rich (and probably more fattening) soup base. With plenty of flavor, one sip will send you drifting away into a heavenly dream. The noodles are thin and add a delightful crispness to the whole experience. The toppings (chashu, negi, and menma) are perfect and you even get an option to add others. Need I say more...


Assari-shoyu: After tasting the Kotteri, the Assari was extremely refreshing. But I would still prefer the more intense Kotteri any day. That's not to say the Assari was bad. It still rocks and would bury most other ramen out there.


Kurobuta Wiener: If it weren't for ramen, I might have a blog entitled "GO WIENER!" Thank god for ramen...hahaha. Japanese sausages are the best. I practically grew up on these too and remember having to smuggle these into the country whenever I visited Japan. Okay enough wiener talk, let's move on.


Mochi-Cheese Takoyaki: The other Cafe Asa specialty is their takoyaki and this mochi-cheese takoyaki was surely something special. Give it a try!

Umemura - Gardena, CA

1724 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90274
(310) 217-0970

Umemura has been around for as long as I can remember. My parents first took me here when I was too young to even hold chopsticks. I still remember how my mom would roll up the chopstick wrapper, place it between the chopsticks, and use a rubber band on one end to create elasticity. Those were the days. Umemura is located in an old taco bell building and as you can see from the pic above, they haven't bothered to change the sign since its opening. I even joke with friends that the bowls we eat out of now are the same bowls I ate out of when I was 6 years old. BTW does anyone remember Kotan?

Wonton-men (shoyu based): It's been years since I've been back here and with one sip of the soup, all the memories came rushing back. Natsukashii!! This ramen is exactly how I remember it. The shoyu based soup is probably one of the best I've ever had. The noodles have a perfect, crimped texture and each slurp was like traveling back into time. The toppings (wontons, spinach, and negi) complemented well. Perhaps I'm biased since I have a long history with Umemura, but this is a great ramen-ya with an extraordinary ramen!


Tan Tan-men (miso based): Full of flavor with a hint of spice that gives you a little kick. A great way to revive your senses. It's available in both shoyu and miso.


Gyoza: It's not the best I've ever had but it still pleased the taste buds. The garlic taste is not overwhelming which allows the other flavors to emerge with clarity. A must order with any ramen!


Chahan: You may want to starve yourself before you go because the chahan is also a "must order." Do not pass on this one or you will definitely regret it!

Kiraku Ramen - Gardena, CA

15472 S Western Ave
Gardena, CA 90249
(310) 515-0966

There's nothing like being stranded in the Gardena/Torrance area when in the mood for ramen. The only headache involves trying to choose which ramen-ya to go to. Today I chose Kiraku Ramen House. Mostly because I passed up Umemura and wound up in the Kiraku parking lot debating whether I should go back or not. Since I knew that if I left I would be back, I decided to just park and go in and save Umemura for some other time. Upon my entrance, I was greeted and seated immediately by the waitress. A quick glance at the menu and I was ready to order the usual shoyu-ramen and gyoza.

Shoyu-ramen: The shoyu-ramen was definitely unoriginal and unexciting but overall, mildly satisfying. The soup base had a light flavor that soothed and tickled the back of my throat as it went down. If they sold just the soup in a vending machine I would probably buy it. The noodles, on the other hand, were slimy, clumpy, and slightly overcooked--a huge pet peeve of mine. The toppings were average and minimal (egg, kamaboko, menma, scallions, and two pieces of dry chashu). If I had a rating system, this ramen would not receive the highest but I would still recommend going here any chance you get.


Gyoza: So far one of the best gyoza's that I have tasted! A crispy, eye-opening flavor that leaves your mouth drooling...mmmm. Need I say more?!!