Atch-Kotch - Los Angeles, CA (Hollywood)

1253 Vine St. #5
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 467-5537
HOLLYWOOD!

Tragedy looms from the land of drama! No I'm not exactly referring to the ramen (although I easily could), but I'm actually talking about how Atch-Kotch was unintentionally left off my 2008 ranking. Perhaps it was the extremely unimpressive Parko Ramen I ate the last time or maybe it's just the Alzheimers kickin' in a little early. Nevertheless, I came back for more to give them another chance...


"Sapporo-Style" Shoyu Ramen: Before I begin, there are two types of Shoyu Ramen on the menu: "Standard" and "Sapporo-Style." Now...who in their right mind would want to just order "Standard." Haha...j/k. But seriously, "Sapporo-Style" sounded 100x more appetizing. And when I asked what the real difference was, the waiter only mumbled that the "Sapporo-Style" contains moyashi and onions. Convinced that there was more to it than what he loosely described, I was expecting something great to make up for my last visit.


Okay, so it wasn't great...but it was still better than before and somewhat curiously impressive. There was definitely more flavor this time around, most likely due to the onions and moyashi being sauteed before its marriage to the soup. This extra process also gave the soup more depth, which was a plus but a stronger, more polished shoyu-punch-in-the-face would have been nice. The noodles were typical but did a good job of soaking in some flavor and the chashu was surprisingly fresh and moist. All in all, I wouldn't mind eating this again.


I would like to write some more, but I'm lazy and Heroes is about to start. I guess if I did remember to put them in the ranking, Atch-Kotch would belong somewhere in the 30's. Peace!

Chin-Ma-Ya of Tokyo - Los Angeles, CA

123 Astronaut Ellison S Onizuka St. #202
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 625-3400
www.chinmayaoftokyo.com

Leave it to rameniac to discover (by chance) the newest ramen-ya on the LA scene. Located in Little Tokyo's Weller Court directly beneath the infamous Orochon Ramen, Chin-Ma-Ya of Tokyo takes a risky Sichuan-style jump across the Pacific, hoping to promote good health by making you sweat.

So why does this restaurant look so familiar? Ohhh, it's that chain of ramen-ya's from Japan! I now remember walking by the Ebisu branch, thinking "hmm should I or shouldn't I?...Nah!" I then proceeded to hit up Tsukumo Ramen instead. I now regret not trying it, solely because it could have made the basis for a great comparison. Anyhow, let's see what Chin-Ma-Ya of LA has to offer.


Tan-Tan Men: The signature ramen at Chin-Ma-Ya is the Sichuan-influenced Tan-Tan Men that can be ordered in 3 different spice levels--original (highest), medium, and mild. I chose to begin with the original cuz I'm always in the mood for a good kick. Not nearly as spicy as the dreaded "Special 2" from their upstairs neighbor, this original Tan-Tan Men has just enough spice to still make the flame enjoyable. And aside from its spiciness, there's also a great nutty flavor that permeates a heavy, concentrated soup. The noodles are average at best, but most importantly they match the soup almost perfectly. The toppings (ground pork & spinach) are typical of a simple tan-tan ramen and just as important as the noodle itself.


On the backside of the menu, a brief explanation of the inherent benefits of this type of soup are explained in Japanese. Apparently, the ingredients that make up this ramen (including capsaicin) are very good for you. From increasing circulation and promoting a healthy digestive system to stimulating the brain and building a better immune system, this bowl may end up quieting all the ramen haters out there.


Karaage Ramen (Shoyu): Aside from their signature Tan-Tan Men, they also offer a few bowls that use a traditional Shoyu or Shio base and the Karaage Ramen is one of them. As basic as it sounds, this shoyu-based ramen is simply topped with spinach and a few pieces of fried chicken. The soups flavor was enjoyably strong, but it was also a tad too oily. Perhaps it was the added oil from the karaage? The noodles were the exact same as above and not any more impressive.


The one thing that stood out the most was in fact the Karaage. I was shocked to see that it had held its crunch even after being submerged in the soup. Impressive! And oh yeah, the flavor of the Karaage was excellent!...though I'll probably just order them as an appetizer next time.


Gyoza: Notably fresh, they weren't as flavorful as one would expect. But dipping them in the tan-tan soup gives them a unique identity.


Overall, I would still prefer Shisen's soup head-to-head, but let it be known that there's a new Sichuan ramen-ya in town--a ramen-ya that can definitely hold it's own weight!

Open Daily
Lunch: 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner: 5pm-10pm

Hanaichimonme - Los Angeles, CA (revisited)

333 S. Alameda St. #303
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-3514
Little Tokyo Shopping Center - 3F

Last year around this time, I was only 42 posts in to my ramen blogging adventure. And now, thanks mostly to a Foo-Foo October, I give you post #200.

You might be asking yourself why I chose to visit Hanaichimonme (again) for my 200th post. Well it's very simple. Hanaichimonme has been around forever (at least as long as I can remember) and although they might not serve the best ramen in LA, depending on who you ask, they've indeed left a special mark on my childhood. And with the recent sale of the Little Tokyo Shopping Center, I feel that it's more important than ever that WE try to keep the new plaza owners from eliminating those special memories...RIGHT?!!


Hanaichi Ramen: The best ramen in the Little Tokyo Plaza! Okay, so there's not much competition if I put it like that, but it's still a decent bowl in a nostalgic setting that could easily grow on you after a few trips. It's a simple old school shoyu noodle that makes you feel like a kid again--at least that's what it does for me. So before you begin to hate on something that (in your opinion) doesn't measure up to that other place on 1st street, let's just take a step back and remember the simple times in life.


Hakata Ramen: It's not the rich, creamy tonkotsu that you might be used to, but it's a lot lighter and seemingly healthier than the best. The toppings (moyashi, shoga, menma, wakame, negi, sesame seeds) are very average, but it wouldn't be the same without them. The most popular dish on their menu, Spicy Chanpon, also uses this soup as its base.


Manufactured or not, the noodles at Hanaichimonme are worth remembering. I like them a lot and their thin, chewy spaghetti-like texture do nothing but improve anything they touch.


It's been about a week between posts (an interesting week at most) and I'd like to just give a quick thanks to everyone who inquired about my situation with the fires from last weekend. They did come fairly close to my home, but luckily mother nature and the courageous firefighters kept them from spreading. For those that weren't as fortunate, my thoughts are with you and I hope you are all able to overcome this great tragedy.

Hamada (of Japan) Orient Express - Los Angeles, CA (Day 0)

LAX Int'l Terminal
380 World Way
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 641-8595

It's been a while since my last post. Partly because I've been busy getting ready for this trip and and work has been relentless, but also because I scratched my cornea last week and I've been allowing it to heal (thanks Dr. Murakami!). So here I am, fully healed, and ready to embark on a two-week slurpcation. See you in Japan!

So I reluctantly chose to try the ramen at Hamada, being fully aware that it would be a disappointment...or would it?


Ramen DLX (Shoyu): If you're at LAX waiting for your flight to take off and craving a bowl of noodles, do yourself a favor and save your 10 bucks, unless you are absolutely desperate or traveling to a ramen-deprived country--you'll thank me later. The soup was on the saltier side with pepper being the main ingredient. I couldn't taste much else. The toppings (chashu, egg, menma, kamaboko, moyashi, and negi) didn't taste much better. The noodles were also a mess. Undercooked and lacking any flavor, I couldn't be more ready for Japan. I wouldn't call this a disappointment since I wasn't really expecting much in the first place and although it's not the worst I've had, it does rank down there with them.


It's time to depart!! I'll see you in Japan!

Joy Mart Restaurant 善市場 - Los Angeles, CA

137 Japanese Village Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 680-9868
www.littletokyorestaurant.com/joy

Go Lakers! Amazingly, I was fortunate enough to score a seat at the Lakers game for last night's game 3 victory over the Celtics in the NBA Finals! It pays to have GREAT friend's with season tickets sixth row behind the basket who charge you face value for tickets that would easily cost in the thousands. Okay, I apologize for gloating, but there really is a point to why I'm telling you this. According to my friend, every time they have eaten ramen at Daikokuya before attending a Lakers home game this season, it has resulted in a Lakers win. So without a doubt we planned on heading over there before the game, but since Daikokuya doesn't open until 5 and with the early start to the game (due to the east coast fans) at 6, we decided just to eat ramen somewhere else and hope that the same luck holds true. And luckily, IT DID!! So if you ever go to a Lakers game, make sure you eat a bowl of ramen in Little Tokyo beforehand (Daikokuya or elsewhere) to ensure a Lakers win!


Every time I've gone to Little Tokyo lately, whether it be buying mochi at Mikawaya, scarfing down some Imagawayaki's at Mitsuru, or just ending a night of drinking at Cefiore, I've walked by the Joy Mart Restaurant and thought "this looks like a cool place to just chill and drink sake." Well, after a quick glance at their menu and noticing that they did indeed have ramen, we thought it would be a good start to our Lakers night even though their specialty is sushi and sake. After all, I live for trying new restaurants that serve ramen regardless of their specialty.


Chashu Ramen: Their website menu shows that they have four different types of ramen (Spicy Negi, Chicken, Chashu, and Tokyo ramen), but I only remember seeing three. I didn't see a Tokyo ramen on the menu, otherwise I may have ordered that one. Anyway, I ordered the Chashu ramen. This assari shoyu based ramen was very light and refreshing. To some this ramen might seem bland, but joyous bits of garlic give the shoyu something to talk about. The toppings (chashu, negi, and moyashi) did not live up to their attractive presentation. The chashu was delicious and tasted more like pork belly. The noodles were slightly clumpy, but chewy and springy. Overall, the ramen wasn't bad. I'll go back to Joy Mart someday, but more likely to get wasted off their sake before finishing the night with a ramen.


The Lakers squeaked out a nervous win even with Gasol, Odom, and Fisher having their worst game ever. Perhaps they would play better if they all ate a bowl of ramen beforehand...haha.

あっち こっち Atch Kotch - Los Angeles, CA

1253 Vine St. #5
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 467-5537

After traveling here and there for the past 10 months in search of ramen, I've finally made it to Atch Kotch, which literally means there and here. Atch Kotch is a ramen-ya that has somehow migrated up the 101 freeway away from the others in Little Tokyo and situated itself in Hollywood where few, if any, ramen-ya's have ever ventured before. Could this be a hidden gem? Umm...probably not according to the reviews on Yelp, but let's just see for ourselves.


Parko ramen (パーコー　ラーメン): Parko, Paiko, Paako...whatever. I guess there is no standard for fried pork ramen. Anyway, this ramen was very very bland. I thought it was a joke, but April fools day was four days ago. The soup had a burnt taste without any flavor and quite honestly felt like I was licking cardboard. The toppings (fried pork, menma, negi, and caramelized onions) were bland too. This is the first time I've actually eaten a ramen and wished that there was more MSG in it. The noodles were the only good news here. Straight and smooth, they had a nice chewy texture. I probably won't be coming back anytime soon, so me saying I'd like to try the other ramen on the menu would just be a lie.


Gyoza: Whatever you do, do not order the gyoza! A crispy, crunchy outside that was full of mush. I can't even describe how disgusting that mush was. Skip these and you'll be better off.


GO BRUINS!!

Sakura - Los Angeles, CA

333 S. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-6699

If you are low on cash, hungry, and desperate for a ramen under $5, then I recommend buying some nama-ramen from the refrigerated section and cooking it at home yourself. Located inside the Mitsuwa Marketplace, I've always wondered if Sakura served a decent ramen. And now that I've tried it, I can only wonder why it has yet to be replaced by Santouka.

Shoyu-ramen: An old-school ramen with that tangy shoyu taste. A great deal for the huge bowl at $4.50, but hardly a tongue-pleaser. The toppings (chashu, negi, and moyashi) failed to do anything but disappoint. The noodles were のびてる (overcooked)--a cardinal sin of ramen.


The chashu looked like a wood chip, and quite frankly tasted like one.

San Sui Tei - Los Angeles, CA

313 E. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0100

Located about thirty steps from the renowned Daikokuya, San Sui Tei is just another ramen-ya in the neighborhood successfully failing at stealing its customers. Having been to their original location in Temple City once before, I never really cared to visit this one until today. And that's only because my original destination (Atch Kotch in Hollywood) was closed. *sigh*

When I first took the pic below, I didn't notice what was on the TV. Perhaps this is their artful way of persuading me into writing a good review. Should I be scared?...I don't think so! This San Sui Tei is not only a ramen-ya, but also a sushi-bar. Based on my experience, restaurants that offer both sushi and ramen are usually non-Japanese owned (which is the case here) and never very good at either. But I'm here and I can't just get up and leave, or could I?


Tonkotsu-ramen: On any other street in any other city, this ramen might be popular, but being so close to Daikokuya, this tonkotsu-ramen is light years behind. The soup is a nice creamy blend of pork sprinkled with chips of garlic that should please the average ramen-goer. The toppings (egg, chashu, negi, menma, ginger, nori, corn, and cabbage) were average with the exception of its chashu. The chashu was moist and full of flavor. The noodles were crinkly and flat and just like its Temple City location, they reminded me of cup noodles.


Spicy Tonkotsu-ramen: A spicy version of the ramen above. It tasted exactly like Korean ramyun. It's great for all you Chileheads.


Gyoza: The gyoza was uncommonly sweet and the skin looked like my fingers do after swimming in a pool too long--a common characteristic for gyoza that's been thawed. It was edible, but the pre-mixed sauce needed more shoyu.

Mitsuru Cafe - Los Angeles, CA

117 Japanese Village Plaza Mall
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-1028

Best known for their Imagawayaki's, Mitsuru Cafe does manage to include a single ramen on their menu, simply listed as...Ramen. I doubt that it's a best seller with all the other choices in the area, but perhaps it could be a quiet sleeper in what used to be a booming plaza.


Ramen: A simple ramen for a simple ramen addict. This shoyu-based ramen was not nearly the best, but I still enjoyed it's light flavor and boring appearance. The toppings (chashu, menma, moyashi, and negi) sat lazily in the broth like they've been doing this for years. All in all, this was a below average ramen, but once you set foot in Mitsuru Cafe, you really can't ask for anything more.


On a side note, I stopped by Daikokuya to take some gyoza to go, but I was told that they can't do to go today. That sounded strange to me. I never heard of anything like that...have you?

Orochon Ramen - Los Angeles, CA

123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 617-1766

Whenever I hear someone talk about Orochon ramen, it's almost always about the "Special 2" ramen and the "wall of bravery" or the nine levels of spiciness. Rarely do I hear anything about the actual quality of ramen. Although I still plan to take the challenge one day, this day was just meant for unveiling the truth behind all the gimmicks.

Shoyu-ramen (Level 4 - Orochon): Level 4 is the signature Orochon ramen. It's your average shoyu-ramen with a little (or lot depending on your taste) spiciness added. To get straight to the point, I do not understand this ramen nor its concept. And I don't understand what all the hype is about and why this place is usually packed. Maybe I'm just old school. I like spicy foods, but I also like it when spicy foods have character. The soup was so bland that it was almost like drinking spicy salt water. The noodles were even worse. They had a tough undercooked feel that tasted pasty. The toppings (pork, menma, negi, konbu, and bellpeppers) were sparse and just odd. I've never seen bellpeppers in a shoyu-ramen before. Now I'm not sure if I even want to try the "Special 2" ramen. Not because I don't think I can survive the spiciness, but because I don't think I can survive the bland ugliness. I wonder if they'll let me try the challenge with ramen from Daikokuya!


Gyoza: These oddly-shaped shumai-like gyoza were juicy and full of flavor. A good way to extinguish any minor flare-ups.

Yokohama Kaigenro - Los Angeles, CA

333 Alameda St. Ste. 125
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 325-2113

Yokohama Kaigenro is another ramen shop situated in the deserted former Yaohan Plaza. Located on the first floor next to the Mitsuwa entrance, it appears to be a nice, friendly place to enjoy a good ramen. Unfortunately, their ramen wasn't very good. I'd rather take the escalator up two stories and eat ramen at Hanaichimonme or Honda-ya.

Shoyu-ramen: The soup was an average shoyu with an unexplainable after-taste. I couldn't quite pinpoint the strange taste but it must have something to do with the dashi. The noodles were crinkled and average as well. The toppings (chashu, egg, baby bok choy, menma, moyashi, negi, and nori) were the best part of this not-so-impressive ramen, but they still couldn't make up for the damage already done.


Shio-ramen: The shio soup was really bland and tasted like sea water--very fishy. The noodles were the same as above. The toppings (chashu, cabbage, egg, moyashi, menma, and negi) couldn't make up for this flavor either.


Gyoza: They looked good but looks can be deceiving. They weren't the worst that I've had, but they still could've used some more flavor.

Honda Ya - Los Angeles, CA

333 S Alameda St, 3rd floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 635-1184

While out running around town eating ramen one day, I happened to notice a "Honda Ya Opening Soon" sign in the Mitsuwa shopping center in Little Tokyo. After hearing that it was the same owner as Honda-Ya in Tustin and Kappo Honda in Fountain Valley (my fav izakaya), I had to give the new LA location a try! Surprisingly, this new LA location was just as good as the others, if not better--and it's only the 2nd day since opening. But being as we are Go Ramen, I'll only be reviewing the ramen. Don't get me wrong, the food there is great. So great that this may just turn out to be my new izakaya hangout.

Chashu-ramen: Not the best but this isn't really a ramen joint to begin with. The soup was refreshingly satisfying and light with a good amount of flavor. The noodles were the average crinkled probably-ordered-from-one-of-those-factories kind. The toppings (chashu, menma, negi, and moyashi) were decent but the chashu was a little dry. I also may have been a bit buzzed tonight so I'm not sure if I remember the exact taste of it. Anyway, everything else was great!

Hanaichimonme - Los Angeles, CA

333 S. Alameda St. #303
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-3514

I miss the Yaohan plaza of the 80's! It's just not the same anymore. I feel sorry for Hanaichimonme, but at least they still serve a pretty decent ramen.

Sagano Set: Hanaichi ramen (shoyu), torimeshi gohan (chicken steamed rice), and gyoza.


Hanaichi ramen: The thin soumen-like noodles have to be the best part of this ramen. The soup was very simple yet satisfying. I was reminded of being at a ramen-ya in Narita airport. The toppings were decent but I'm not complaining.


Torimeshi gohan: I liked it because it was different. You don't normally see torimeshi gohan at a ramen-ya. But personally I would have liked to see some takenoko in there.


Gyoza: Very average. Possibly below. Having the salad dressing touch the gyoza resulted in an eyebrow-crinkling taste and not in a good way.