Chopstix - San Diego, CA

4633 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-9171
google

Within walking distance from my first stop, Chopstix had already formed a line during its peak lunch hour so that's how I ended up eating at my second stop beforehand. I also spent some time at BOOK-OFF to digest and rest and regretfully ended up spending waaay too much on manga...dammit!

By the time I returned, the peak lunch hour was over and I was ready to tackle my third and final stop of the day. Like Tajima, they have more than just ramen, but who really cares anyway...hehe. (Btw, it looked like everyone else cared because nobody around me seemed to be ordering the ramen.)


Shoyu Ramen: I really had a hard time deciding whether I should order the shoyu or the mabo, but I settled with the shoyu since mabo might be a little more filling and I wasn't sure if my stomach could take it. In any case, shoyu is always my first preferred measurement so it was the right thing to do. At first glance, the gritty residue forming on the edge of the bowl from the soup triggered a pleasant memory, but sadly it could not live up to that expectation. The soup was a very classic "old-school" shoyu that probably once gave birth to the more exotic versions prevailing throughout Japan today. It was slightly on the bland side with very little exhilaration. The toppings (chashu, egg, naruto, moyashi, negi) were forgettable.


The noodles weren't bad. They just felt a bit too slippery and lacked a significant chew. They sort of reminded me of rockstar, but saying that would be much too harsh. I now wished I had chosen the mabo...maybe next time.


Gyoza: Rarely do I run into a gyoza that's disgracefully inedible. I...am...serious. These tasted like they were filled with dirt. And that's still being somewhat generous with its description.


Overall, it was a great day trip to San Diego. Sadly, the ramen here is only ma~ma~ (for the ones I've tried so far) and somewhat deplorable. I know there is demand, so hopefully that'll force new ramen-ya's to open or old ramen-ya's to improve. Please keep me posted so I can keep you posted!

Hours:
11am~10pm (Mon-Fri)
11am~9pm (Sun)

Santouka - San Diego, CA

4240 Kearney Mesa Rd. #119
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 974-1101
Located in Mitsuwa Food Court

What's a ramen trip to San Diego without visiting its newest, most highly anticipated, excessively hyped and much overrated ramen-ya that we all have come to love (and hate) over the years? That's right. I'm talking about Santouka--everybody's favorite food court ramen-ya.

Fresh off my Santa Monica visit, this might serve as a good comparison for those that are curious. As you may remember, I was quite impressed with the West LA location and couldn't believe how much better it tasted when compared to Torrance or Costa Mesa. And now I was more than excited to finally complete the last piece of Santouka's California puzzle.


Shio Ramen: I skipped the Toroniku today (to save stomach space) and ordered just the signature Shio Ramen. After a quick 10 minute wait, I was carefully balancing my bowl while searching for a seat. Sigh...Never being much of a Santouka fan, I was secretly hoping to have good things to say today. Unfortunately, this Shio Ramen was extremely disappointing. The soup was nowhere near its piping-hot-capability, the thin layer of oil to trap the heat was non-existent, and the noodles were frightfully undercooked, revealing a more-than-normal starchy disaster. I think I'll blame it on the day or because the place is new...sort of (it's been open since April).


Just looking at the noodles makes my stomach tremor. Something was definitely not right! But just to say anything positive, the ume was awesome!!...haha.


I'm still very happy that Santouka finally made it down to San Diego. There's no doubt they need it and I'm sure that it will improve in time. I'll be back, you can be sure of that!

Hours:
Open 7 days/week
11am~7:30pm

Tajima Japanese Noodle House - San Diego, CA

4681 Convoy Street, Suite #1
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 278-5367
www.tajimasandiego.com/noodle

It's about time I turned that radiused corner heading due south on Interstate 5, in search of the best ramen that San Diego has to offer. I couldn't have picked a better day to drive down the coast either. With clear blue skies, 72 degree weather, and an abundance of sunshine, it was a beautiful December day for slurping in San Diego.

My first stop was the much anticipated Tajima Noodle House. Arguably, the best ramen SD has to offer (according to most locals), I've been anxiously waiting for over a year now to experience that revelation on my own. Upon reviewing the menu, Tajima offers four choices for soup base (shoyu, shio, miso, and tonkotsu a.k.a. "Tajima Original") and two choices of noodles (thin-cut vs. thick-cut). There's also plenty of rice bowls and entrees along with udon and soba, in case ramen isn't part of your diet. Obviously, I completely ignored those other sections.


Shoyu Ramen (w/thin-cut noodles): The instant my tongue touched the soup, I could taste a strong niboshi flavor that harmonized well with a deep, yet crisp, shoyu taste. Not quite kotteri and not exactly assari, but interesting nonetheless. The toppings (chashu, hanjuku ajitama, nori, negi) were simple and barely worth mentioning. The chashu was very tough and very disappointing. The egg, on the other hand, was delicious. The thin-cut noodles tasted fresh, were perfectly cooked, and paired well with this broth. No complaints there.


Tonkotsu Ramen (w/thick-cut noodles): As I mentioned above, this is also known as the "Tajima Original". I was hoping that "original" would translate into the best ramen that Tajima has to offer, but apparently this wasn't the case. The Tonkotsu Ramen, in my opinion, was far inferior to the Shoyu Ramen above. Light and bordering on bland, it wasn't horrible, but I was expecting so much more. Where was the creamy, smooth, jaw-dropping flavor that a good tonkotsu is known for? Evidently not here. Contrastly, the thick-cut noodles were a welcome change, but probably would have tasted better in the shoyu.


Here's an up close comparison of the thin-cut vs. thick-cut. As you can see, there is a big difference. I usually love a thicker cut of noodles, but I'd have to give a slight edge to Tajima's thin-cut today. They were a lot easier to slurp!


I'm not done with SD. Stay tuned and you will see...

Hours
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am~2:30pm
Dinner: Mon-Fri 5:30~10:30; Sat-Sun 12pm~10:30pm
Late Night: Thu-Sat 10:30pm~3:30am

Chibakiya - Mitsuwa Legendary Ramen Fair

2/15 ~ 2/18 Limited Time Only!

Mitsuwa Marketplace
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd # 119
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-6699

It's not every day that a ramen fair hits Southern California. With that said, I gave up up one day's pay to make the hour and a half trip down to San Diego. It was definitely worth it just by the beautiful weather alone. A clear blue sky hovering over a crystal clear ocean with Catalina floating in the distance--a great way to start off this mini ramen trip.

Chibakiya is known for their Shinasoba and claims to be very popular in Japan. After waiting in line for 10 minutes, I was getting a bit impatient. Hopefully it will all be worth it.


There's nothing like a gourmet ramen served in a styrofoam bowl. At least they have proper spoons. This ramen looked delicious. I felt my excitement about to burst as I carried my tray to the table. Just seeing the pork fat floating in the soup was giving me goosebumps. And after the first sip...it was lip numbing good. Not bad, not great, just really good. I think my tastebuds have been used to being spoiled from my Japan trip. Anyway, I still liked it. The soup was hot (which was good) and I think I may have burned my tongue. The toppings (a hanjuku egg, menma, negi, nori, and a yummy piece of chashu) worked well together and left me wishing there was more. The thin, crimpy noodles were a tad overcooked, but there was plenty of them. There was also plenty of MSG which crept up on me during the drive home. Overall, it was good to see Chibakiya in southern cali and I would welcome them back anyday!


By the way, I drove by some of the areas affected by last year's wildfires. It was crazy! I hope everyone affected is able to move on from them and rebuild their lives.