Shuchan Ramen - Torrance, CA

UPDATE: They apparently have shut down again, but I have a feeling it won't be the last time we hear from Shuchan.

(Restaurant Toji)
2212 Artesia Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 767-1740

Shuchan Ramen is back! After reading on Yelp that a ramen-ya had recently taken residence in Toji Restaurant during the lunch hours, I had to go find out for myself before heading over to the Mitsuwa Summer Fair. I arrived 5 minutes before 11am and opened the door to an empty restaurant. There's no sign that says Shuchan so I wondered if it was actually true. Then a nice Japanese lady came out from the back and said dozo please sit anywhere (in Japanese). After being gone for a couple years, it appears that they are just renting this space for lunch until they can find their own location. So tell all your friends and head down there during your lunch hour to try this new (and old) ramen-ya. If you get there before noon, ALL ramen comes with either a half order of gyoza or chahan...FREE!


Shoyu-Tonkotsu Ramen: This ramen is their "special" and it's taped to the menu with a ripped-up piece of paper so I couldn't resist to order it. The shoyu-tonkotsu was very smooth with loads of flavor. It may be too salty for some, but I didn't mind it at all. It surprisingly tasted really good. The toppings (slightly dry yet flavorful chashu, menma, naruto, negi, and nori) were also good, but it felt like they were missing something. Something like a hanjuku egg perhaps. Yeah, I think an egg would have made it complete. The just-your-average-factory-made-noodles-that-everyone-uses were cooked perfectly and played the role of a good understudy.


Shio Ramen: A true shio ramen in the sense that it was really salty, but then again shio ramen should be salty. A refreshing choice for all you shio lovers out there. The toppings and noodles were the same as above. If you do think it's too salty, they'll be happy to mellow it out for you.


Gyoza: The gyoza was homemade, but I'm still deciding if I liked them or not. They weren't bad and I can't really complain about them since they were FREE. They contained lots of garlic (which I like), but a burnt flavor seemed to overshadow it all. Try them and let me know what you think?

Takeshi Ramen - Glendale, CA

UPDATE: This place is now CLOSED and out of business.


126 N. Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
www.takeshiramen.com

Located next to Famima!! on Brand Boulevard, this ramen-ya is far from any other. It doesn't seem to be japanese owned or operated but nevertheless, it's good to see a ramen-ya where you wouldn't expect to. After reading the review on rameniac, I went in with some low expectations, but surprisingly it wasn't as bad as it seemed. My only complaint would have to be the service. I happened to walk in on the day the new waitress was starting and she had no clue what she was doing. But I don't blame her since there was nobody even training her.

Shoyu-ramen: The picture may not show it, but this ramen was a delightful surprise, especially the soup. The soup was very light with a crisp flavorful taste that was definitely not overbearing. The noodles had a nice texture that also separated it from being just average. The toppings (chashu, menma, seaweed, spinach, scallions, and egg) complemented the overall ramen as you would expect. The chashu was a little dry but not as thin as rameniac noted (they must have read the review too).


Fried Gyoza: I thought I had ordered the traditional gyoza with my lunch special but perhaps the new waitress wrote it down wrong. Nevertheless, I'm always welcome to try something different. Like a fried wonton, this gyoza is very crispy and crunchy. The intense garlic flavor pierces your tongue as soon as your teeth sink into the crispy shell. Definite vampire killer. I fully recommend adding this to your ramen although I will have to try the traditional gyoza next time and determine which is better. I have a feeling that the traditional gyoza will be better. If you've tried it let me know in the comments!

Tampopo Ramen- Rowland Heights, CA

UPDATE: Tampopo is now CLOSED FOR BUSINESS!!

1388 S. Fullerton Rd., #125
Rowland Heights, CA 91748
626-965-9038

Hidden in the predominately chinese center known as Diamond Plaza in Rowland Heights, I was surprised to see a ramen-ya that was actually being operated by native japanese speakers. Nevertheless, this restaurant with a familiar name, Tampopo, was a must try for the ramen lover in me. I didn't expect too much at first, especially due to the reputations of "other" Tampopo restaurants in Southern California with below average ramen. Not to mention that this place is new and located in an odd food court style room where all five restaurants are separated by four-foot tall barriers. Service was great considering I was only one of five other customers. It will be interesting to see how service changes once they become busier. Anyway, on to why we are here--the ramen!

Shoyu-ramen (soy sauce flavored): Since shoyu-ramen is typically the most popular, it is generally the best to use in determining ramen quality. I typically like to judge a ramen by the texture of the noodle, flavor of the base, and the union of toppings with the overall ramen. In this case, the noodles were very good (almost perfect...almost), the soup base was average, and the toppings did not impress me at all. But I did enjoy being there and I will definitely be coming back soon.

Tonkotsu-ramen (pork flavored): The tonkotsu-ramen was better than the shoyu. Although noodle texture was the same, the base was much more flavorful. Perhaps because the pork bone is usually fattier than shoyu.

Mabo-ramen: By far the best ramen (see pic below) that I have tasted to date from this place. The noodles were consistently great once again but the major difference was the flavor of the mabo sauce. I've tasted watery mabo ramen in the past from other restaurants that were either too spicy or not spicy enough. This was very different. The ground pork, tofu, and mabo sauce all blended with the soy sauce base perfectly. I definitely recommend this to everyone. I think I just might even have to order mabo ramen from now on!


Gyoza: Okay, it is hard to find a decent gyoza these days and this was no exception. It is only worth mentioning the gyoza to tell you NOT to order it. Don't waste your money or taste buds on this one! You can even see the unworthiness in the pic below.


Special Hiyashi: I didn't try this myself but from what I hear it was pretty good. Compared to the traditional Hiyashi-chuuka (summer ramen), this one does not include ham and is noted as a vegetarian dish. With tofu replacing the ham, this is a vegetarian delight on a hot summer day. The only complaint that I heard was the plate being too small and awkwardly shaped to mix up all the ingredients.