EZO Noodle Cafe - Irvine, CA

13256 Jamboree Rd.
Irvine, CA 92602
(714) 544-5075

Before I get started, I just want to give my condolences to all who have been affected by the recent fires in socal. It's been crazy enough just watching it on TV. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose almost everything you own in a matter of minutes. I hope you are all safe and best of luck with piecing things back together!

It doesn't take much to get me to go eat ramen. But after edjusted gave EZO a bad rating back in 2005 and cutie followed by commenting "ezo noodle cafe is really really bad!!" one year later, I was never in a real rush to give this place a try. The only reason I even considered going is because I found this coupon online the other day. It's not much of a coupon, but it was enough to just get EZO on the board and out of the way.

Miso-ramen (EZO Special): I love miso soup, but I've never really been a huge fan of miso-ramen. And this EZO Special didn't impress me enough to change that. In fact, it didn't really impress me at all. Granted this is a "fast-casual" restaurant where everything is served in plastic on a flimsy lunch tray, but that's no excuse to serve a less than mediocre ramen. Perhaps they should get some tips from Santouka. On a another note, providing plastic teaspoons for sipping soup should be outlawed! Anyway, the soup was strangely tangy for ramen. I'm not quite sure what to think about it. The noodles were decent, but I couldn't get over that tangy-ness. The toppings (naruto, negi, moyashi, cabbage, and a horrendously dry piece of chashu) were mind-blowingly boring. And tangy.


Shoyu-ramen: Bland with an extra hint of bland. The noodles and toppings were the same as above, minus the tangy. Did I mention that it was bland? Wait, it wasn't that bland but it was pretty bland. Who came up with the word bland anyway? Did someone just eat something bland and happen to mutter bland? Okay, this blandness is making me balmy.


Gyoza: Straight from the grocer's freezer. At least that's what it tasted like. Don't let the seared outside fool you, the inside was still cold. I'm not sure I'd even say that they are worth the free coupon. Actually I am sure, they're not!

Takaraya - Irvine, CA

5408 Walnut Ave
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 654-1221

I've passed by this place many times on my way to the soft tofu restaurant a few doors down and never knew that they had ramen until now. I always thought it was just a non-authentic japanese fast-food hole-in-the-wall with a non-japanese owner. Well, I was half correct. They are japanese owned. The name also sounds familiar. There used to be a Takaraya in Costa Mesa where Mentatsu is now located. Considering the Costa Mesa one was a full-fledged ramen-ya, this Irvine joint doesn't appear to be its predecessor.


Shoyu-ramen: Unimpressive. The noodles were way too soft. The worst buzz kill. The soup on the other hand was decent. The mushroom smell was surprisingly bearable and very light tasting. And for the toppings (chashu, menma, seaweed, negi, and a piece of nori)...did this ramen have toppings? Enough said. Perhaps I would have noticed them if the noodles weren't cooked so long. I think I'll continue to pass by this place for the soft tofu.


Gyoza: Plenty of garlic and that's about it. I think if I closed my eyes while biting in, I might of thought it was a roasted garlic. I recommend soaking them in shoyu for at least 10 seconds.