Kyushu Ramen - Van Nuys, CA (Now Feat. Shuchan?)

15355 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91406
(818) 786-6005
Village Plaza

New sign, new decor, new chef? Back in August, someone left an anonymous comment on this post stating that Shuchan (from Shuchan Ramen) would be training in Van Nuys for 1 year. Since there's only one ramen-ya in Van Nuys, I often wondered if it was Kyushu Ramen. Then, last week my "secret ramen informant" sent me an email confirming this inside information and indeed I saw the truth today [with my own eyes] when Shuchan himself came out from the kitchen to greet me. Sweet!

Kyushu Ramen has been steadily declining since my first visit in 2007 so it's no surprise that they brought in some serious talent to revive the valley ramen scene. An experience I had last year with their chanpon was a complete, utter disaster and I refused to post my revisit. But now, hearing that Shuchan is here changes the whole ball game. Could he really make a big difference and provide some much needed noodle resuscitation? Let's go find out!


Shoyu Ramen: Immediately, I noticed something different. The soup was not overbearing like it used to be and it also didn't stain the noodles with a dark brown tinge. Although it's a very light "assari" shoyu without much fanfare, the soup was far from being bland and had Shuchan written all over it. Perfect?...not quite. Impressive?...yes! The toppings (chashu, menma, spinach, egg, naruto, negi) were noticeably fresh yet simple enough to remain in the shadows.


The noodles were slightly different from what I remember, but still nothing to write home about. They're just your average factory-born ramen noodle. Sigh...


Chahan (Fried Rice): Believe it or not, this chahan impressed me tenfold. I can almost declare that it will compete with the best of them. I only say "almost" because I'm still in fried-rice-shock. The amount of oil used can make or break a good chahan recipe, like a badly splintered chopstick, and this case was no exception. The oil was perfect, which left the rice far from being mushy.


Shuchan has definitely improved Kyushu Ramen, but I'd still be curious to taste his influence on all the other dishes. Looks like I'll be going back soon...perhaps even tomorrow...care to join me?

Kyushu Ramen - Van Nuys, CA

15355 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91406
(818) 786-6005

How often can you sit down at a ramen-ya and listen to an 80 year-old Japanese-American man tell random stories about Manzanar? Not very often, but today must have been my lucky day. Unfortunately, I could only take an hour for lunch so I had to leave right when he began telling the story of how they used to sneak off the camp in the middle of the night, while the guards weren't looking, to go fishing at the nearby creek. I wish I could have stayed longer. Anyway, I feel fortunate to have the freedom of being able to mindlessly travel from ramen-ya to ramen-ya. Being at Kyushu Ramen today has definitely put things in perspective.

Kyushu-ramen: I've seen this tonkotsu ramen mentioned favorably in comparison with the greats--Daikokuya and Shinsengumi--so I HAD to see for myself. So what did I think?...good but not even close to the greats. BUT, I'll have to try it one more time to make a final decision. The noodles were overcooked so it threw my judgment of everything else off a bit. The chashu was flavorful but nowhere near as moist as Daikokuya. The rest of the toppings (egg, seaweed, spinach, naruto, menma, and negi) were just along for the swim.


Shoyu-ramen: The soup was very dark and that darkness transferred over to the noodles in discoloring fashion. The strong flavor was bearable, but not what I've been used to. The toppings (chashu, menma, egg, naruto, spinach, and negi) were great, but they also absorbed much of the soup's color. If your taste buds yearn for strong, bold flavor, this ramen is for you.


Gyoza: There are two-types of gyoza served here: A regular gyoza (seen below) and a house special gyoza. I wasn't quite sure what the main difference was, but the house special gyoza tasted a bit more garlicky. Both were good but I'd rather order the regular gyoza from now on. You can also choose between pork or chicken.