Asuka Ramen
883 Bush St
San Francisco, CA 94199 (415) 567-3153
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
85 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"We went on a weeknight so it wasn't crowded and the service was good. The sushi was great and we chatted it up with the super-friendly…" read more »
35 Reviews for Asuka Ramen
I've been waiting patiently for a ramen shop to open up near my place. So I was pretty thrilled to stumble upon Asuka on my way to Nike Town. The place is clean and the prices are great. I always get a little peeved when I go into a Japanese restaurant and non japanese people are cooking the food, but this place had enough japanese people working there to be ok with me. I had the katsu curry and the wakame salad. The salad was OK, nothing special, i probably won't get it next time. They seemed to go for the quantity over quality route on the said salad. The curry was good. Crispy pieces of katsu and plenty of sweet tsukemono. I'll be going here regularly.
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Food is my hobby and I resent eating _just_ to fill my belly. From that perspective, Asuka Ramen made me very nervous. From the outside it looks like any number of nondescript, fly by night places built not on passion for food but to capitalize on the tourist trade. The interior, with the menu items featured in backlit pictures on the wall, escalated my nerves to a cold sweat. The menu did not address my desire for a meatless dinner but the kitchen was happy to make the mabo tofu without pork. The dish significantly exceeded my diminished expectations. The chilies tasted fresh and sweet and the heat was well balanced. The service was attentive and friendly, and the prices were unexpectedly reasonable. I wouldn't take the Bart from Berkeley and walk up Nob Hill for it, but I won't hesitate to return when I'm in the neighborhood again.
Ramen costs $0.25. Asuka ramen costs $7-$8. I know I'm outing myself as a Japanese noodle ignoramus, but WTF?! They add what, a few slices of roasted pork, bamboo shoots, and a little green onion? How does that add up?! Are they boiling the noodles in Fiji water? Perhaps the pot was stirred by imported Japanese virgins.
On top of the cost, the soup kinda sucked. I know other Yelpers got perfect noodles, but mine were overcooked. The gyoza were okay, but they cost as much as Sanraku's even though they weren't nearly as good.
I'm content to stay an ignoramus because even if you explained to me why restaurant ramen is so pricey and how very long it takes to teach Japanese virgins to stir properly, I'd still think the soup sucked.
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Really wanted to like this place and the food isn't bad actually but the service is definitely the worst i've had in a long time. I live a block up the hill and thought this would be a great find. i went there and started purusing the menu, was asked what i wanted, said let me have a look please, waitress asked again and i replied please, let me have a look at the menu - after that was pretty much ignored - big communication problem. last time i went there i ordered the ramen to go - it was okay nothing special but not bad - asked for some soy sauce to go and was practically pushed out the door with the words "add yourself in you home" - yikes!
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I don't walk around my neighborhood a lot.
Or truthfully, at ALL, except to perhaps run across the street to the market. That's about it though.
So it took me a month and a half, apparently, to realize that diagonally across the street from me, a BRAND NEW Ramen house opened up. To say I was overjoyed when I spotted it would be an understatement.
I mean, can you imagine being any happier than being able to eat ramen without having to worry about parking? Can one really ask to be any happier than to get a craving for ramen only 3 minutes before closing, be able to run across the street and satisfy that craving?
Today, I finally tried Asuka Ramen.
I'm so STINKIN' underwhelmed right now.
I love ramen. I grew up in Japan on this stuff. Food for royalty, I tell you.
That's also why I cook a freakin' MEAN ramen - because I love it so much that I've practiced and practiced and practiced (the instant variety, of course, but you'd be shocked what I can do with a package of deep fried noodles and powder). So yeah, it is generally harder to impress me w/ ramen, but it's happened from time to time.
Ain't nothin' like a kicka$$ bowl of hot ramen with the perfect ramen noodles.
I write this review fully acknowledging that sometime in the next 6 months, I will try this place again when they figure out what they are going to be about.
Some of the other reviews state that it was too salty.
Well - they apparently read your review and now they don't use salt AT ALL.
Shoyu Ramen is the staple of a ramen place, and though my favorite is a miso ramen, I will always order Shoyu Ramen if I am unsure about a place. Well, this soy-sauce based ramen was completely bland. The soup finally came to life after 1/4 of a bottle of salt.
Let's break it down:
Soup: bland but once the salt was added, it was a decent soup, though it was too late to help the blandness of the noodles. The soup is very "clean" without any floating fat or oil, came with one egg, a couple slices of pork, and scallions. I can appreciate a clean-tasting soup, but not at the cost of "FLAVOR". Use more soy sauce, use more salt - - kick it up a notch - BAM!
Noodles: Asuka did a pretty good job with the noodles. Cooked exactly to the point it should be, it was "al dente" for lack of a better word to describe what I mean, and more importantly, it maintained that state to the last bite. Had this noodle been put into a perfectly salted broth - - it would have been very, very good.
We ordered a miso ramen in addition to this, as well as a Meat/Seafood Yakisoba. I didn't like the miso ramen - - it wasn't miso-ey enough, and the Yakisoba was all wrong. It was like chow mein, nothing like real Yakisoba - with the only identifiable seafood being shrimp. Oh, and I requested the kimchi for $2.50 also.... ok, totally raw, not fermented at ALL and apparently out of a jar from some store somewhere... if you like kimchi with your ramen, don't bother. BYOK.
I, unlike other reviewers, found nothing wrong with the service. They greeted you happily, told you to sit wherever you'd like, and waited around while we scanned the menu. Once we looked ready, they took our order and got it right. Furthermore, I never wanted for hot tea (which is a great tea, by the way) or iced water. When I was done, they promptly cleared my tray, and offered to pack up the leftovers. It's a ramen place, I am not sure what more you can ask for than that.
The place is clean and bright - - but it is also brand new.
Having said that - - - this place is Chinese-run. Neither the waitstaff nor the cooks are Japanese.
Like I said, I am just so underwhelmed.
It wasn't horrible, but I'd much rather drive 30-40 minutes for ramen that hits the spot, or even cook one at home that I know I will love. Perhaps I got a little too excited at Asuka's proximity to my place, and so hoped it'd be a kick in Santa Ramen's a$$ or something.... how wonderful that would have been (I'm getting dreamy at the thought of it).
They offer curry (let's not even get into how picky I am about Japanese Curry), katsu-don, teriyaki meats amongst quite an array of other items. They even offer "Ja Jiang Myun" - - a variety of it anyhow, though the picture on the wall did not look appetizing.
For the 3 entrees and 1 bowl of kimchi we had, the total came to $28.81 or something. With a $4 tip, it was a near $33 meal. While that is not a super expensive lunch - - I don't feel that it was worthwhile.
I will go back one day to see where they chose to settle, but for the time being, they do need help in finding the right balance to the broth. Hire a Japanese man who knows ramen to come and fix that broth - and you have the makings of what could be a great Ramen joint!
Sidenote: They have SHOCHU as well as SOJU, in addition to Sake and beer - AND they take credit cards (it looked like only VISA / MC but I'm not sure). Cool.
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The ramen was good. I don't go out for ramen much (most of mine says just add hot water) but Asuka wasn't that bad. I hate the pictures of the food in restaurants. The service was very attentive for our lunch and the food didn't take all that long. I couldn't even finish my bowl of ramen. I may be back but then again I probably won't be.
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So I came here around 7:30pm and the place was about a bit more than half filled. Service was actually quite attentive and fast., comparing with others' experience...
While the simple menu has Japanese written all over, the waitresses and the chefs all speak Cantonese and Mandarin among themselves...
I had the Tonkotsu ramen. Broth was decently salty and ramen was good (not soggy.) Plenty of noodles but only 2 thin slices of pork, basic Chinese bamboo shoots and green onions... it did fill me up with the noodles but I would have preferred it's the meat.
Curry dishes look attractive on their lighted menus on the wall. Will try next time.
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I love Ramen.... I don't love Asuka.
Everything was bad about the place. Service was slow, food was awful, and the waitresses stood 5 feet from my table talking very loudly about something seemly important in a language that I do not understand.
Someone wrote a review that the chefs were actually Japanese when they went, well if they are they should be ashamed for making such bad ramen and curry. You can get better food at a fast food resturant in Japan. My lady is Japanese, so I am 100% positive that none of the staff was Japanese the time that I went.
I would say avoid this place for sure!
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The ramen here is suffice, not bad but I am not praising it either.
If you live in Nob Hill, you don't have to trek to Japan Town for ramen.
Asuka Ramen opened just a few weeks ago, replacing the former (and much-missed) Asuka Mart. I finally crawled across the endless stretch of pavement between my apartment and their front door to indulge in some soupy victuals.
The menu was much more accommodating than I would have hoped. Not only are there meats and ramens and salt broths, but hearty favorites like sweet-and-savory oyakodon also make their mark on the simple paper menu.
Prices are fairly standard. You can get a meal for around $7, and the bowls of ramen recall the deep, thick-lipped ceramics that usually house liters of hot pho. I don't think I could ever manage to empty one on my own.
That said, the flaws are still being ironed out of the system. As others have mentioned, the waitstaff is eager and kind, but clearly inexperienced. Don't be shy about flagging someone down for your check.
You should also try not to be the prissy girl who was sitting next to me, making a very vocal issue about her allergy to fish. She must have asked "Does this have fish in it?" about twenty times in the most enunciated, you-idiots-don't-speak-English voice possible. I'm almost persuaded to give bonus stars to the wait staff for their impressive restraint in not strangling her.
I was just sitting *next* to the girl and my fingers were aching for a throat.
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I'd say this 1-month new ramen place worth 2 stars. Waitresses are SLOW as snails, most of them are first-time waitresses, you can tell!
1) When you first walk in the door, they freak out a little and don't know what to do/where to place you.
2) After you sit down, they give you tea, which is nice, but then come back in 10 seconds after you sit down to ask you what you want to order. If you say you haven't decided yet, they will come back in another 10 seconds and ask again. If you still say you haven't decided, they don't pay any attention to you anymore and let you sit there for 10 minutes, cold and hungry.
3) Have to ask them every time to refill the tiny little cups of tea. Very annoying.
4) Tables are TOO DAMN SMALL! Can barely fit the huge trays of food they bring you. I mean if the trays are so huge, they should really make the tables bigger because there's no room to put the tiny little cups of tea, or your wrists/hands/arms.
5) Food is very salty. OK I know this is not the waitress' fault, I'm just sayin', ordered katsu and it didn't come with the katsu sauce! HOW in the world do you expect me to eat katsu without the sauce?! There's a piece of lemon and a TINY drop of mustard but it doesn't do sh*t! AND, without waitresses refilling my tea, I was slowly dying in the saltiness!!! The tiny bowl of "soup/salt water" comes with the meal is illegally salty too! AAAHHH!! The size of the piece of katsu is good though, it's huge!
6) Ramen size is small, though I must say, the soup base is very good and I couldn't detect any MSG in it so that's one star! Ramen itself is chewy and not so soggy, just the way I like it.
7) Another star goes to how clean this restaurant is. I guess cos it's new but still, I hope they will keep it this way!
8) They no open on Sundays?!?! How?!?!
9) Prices are on the high side but understandable since it's considered "downtown", or doesn't it?
10) Tables are so cramped together, one cannot sit comfortably through out the whole meal without moving for other people to walk by. Chairs are very uncomfortable too.
I hope they will add more selections to their menu, maybe create some sort of ramen combo (ramen + a bowl of fried rice or unagi don or katsu don), since the ramen is so tiny tiny.
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Bleh....this is for ramen beginners. Props for having actual Japanese chefs to cook the food but the menu is really not that impressive. It's adapted to the neighborhood demographic. I'll give a thumb's up for the consistency of the noodles but the broth was kind of disappointing.
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The food was good but they need to work on the wait-staff, who are obviously good-intentioned 1st timers. They messed up on 2 (out of 4) dishes, and they served them in backwards order. Tasty, but awkward. My first review was deleted (Way to go Yelp!) so, I will let the real ramen-heads decide.
Tip: Yelp blew this place up before they were ready to handle the traffic.
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I don't like to cap on my Asian sistas but really the waitresses here need to get it together. Our waitress, poor thing was confused beyond reason. We asked for tonkatsu sauce and we got soup. We asked for two bowls and a spoon. We got a plate and fork. Dude , you can't make this stuff up. I wanted to start to order things at random to see what we would get. The food was nothing I would return for.
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Not sure what to make of this pan-asian ramen joint. Asuka means either flying bird or tomorrow's scent. Don't ask me how I know this. Actually, don't ask because I have no idea what I'm talking about.
As of today they're are serving 2 types of ramen, a standard miso/shoyu/shio seasoned broth and then a tonkotsu broth.
In addition to the ramen, there is gyoza and fried rice (chahan).
There is a menu above the bar that features standard japanese fare but it is unavailable as of yet. Oh, free kimchee to those who ask.
Tonkotsu ramen initially looked appealing but turned out to be bland, boring, shallow, weak, disappointing, and lacking flavor. Noodles were kinky but overdone, short (I hate short noodles), they were soft and slippery too fast. Afterwards, the whole dish gave me a very sour taste... I don't want to eat ramen again for a long time.
Gyoza were better, handmade and pan seared. Puffy and pillow like.
Overall, yet another typical bay area ramen shop that's not worth your time, energy and money. I would rather eat a flying bird's scent tomorrow.
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Asuka's just opened. And my Ramen lovin' soul has sought out this new place - thanks to our fellow yelpers.
OK so, it's was day 2 of their soft opening. And like any other restaurant, they are ironing out their operations. I can respect that. As others have mentioned they had a limited menu options - but in tandem with that the prices were discounted: $5 for Ramen, $3 for gyoza etc. (Wouldn't expect that to last for long)
The food:
The ramen was good. It'll do in a pinch. I enjoyed the Shoyu Ramen and I especially liked the way they grilled the pork a little before putting it in the soup. The Shio Ramen wasn't quite as flavorful. And one thing is for sure - their soup base doesn't feel as rich as the broth over at Katana-ya or Santa's. It was definitely lighter. So if you're into that , you'll enjoy it.
Gyoza: I was diggin' it.
Chahan: was very tasty. Be sure to ask for a side of kimchee
The restaurant:
Ample table seating here (say 6 tables of 4) plus bar seating. Though navigating through the tables can be a little tight. (What isn't in SF)
Clean operations.
If you have kids, it's easy enough to get in and out of.
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I was totally stoked when I heard that there was going to be a Ramen place nearby. I took my friend with me, and overall I thought that it was a decent place, but quite honestly I feel that I've been to better (that's what she said, bahahaha).
The service itself was still a little slow, and the people at the tables next to us were ignored for quite some time (and one table wasn't shy about hiding their disdain). Even though it was small and packed, we got seated fairly quickly.
I got the miso ramen, which had pork, veggies, an egg soaking in a nice warm broth. The taste was ok, could have been better with a fish ball or something (like in those animes, I love those!) My friend got the shrimp combo which seemed tasty but it was a little pricey to me - $13 for what didn't seem like a lot. They give you complimentary tea, but if you don't like it lukewarm then get something else to drink.
I'd probably come back again and try their katsu don and gyoza - seems like other yelpers have been raving about that. Plus, hopefully they will have gotten in the swing of things.
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Out of the Chinese run ramen houses in the City, I can say that this one has the lamest noodles. The appetizer portions were generous and the sake is cheap here, but you won't find authentic noodles here. The Shoyu broth lacked any oomph and the noodles seemed like the pre-wrapped, mass produced kind that you find in the refrigerator case by the 3-pack. Also, I didn't much care for the way they grilled the fatty pork in the ramen. The grilling didn't add any flavor to the bland meat.
That being said, I can see how the art school crowd and post-happy hour eaters will keep this place hopping.
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What to make of a restaurant that is still working out the kinks? I think time will tell. But for now, 3 stars is a good start.
pros:
Ramen good (had Shio)
Gyoza was very good
stumbling walk from my pad (very nice indeed)!
price -- fairly easy on the wallet -- $25 for 2 people who had ramen and an appetizer (though I think that $7.50 for ramen soup is still overpriced. but then again i am a cheap bastard)
cons:
service a bit spotty -- had to remind them to take our order (felt sorry for the folks that sat before us whose order was taken after us. then their food took forever. glad it wasn't us.)
small and crowded -- which is a good thing i guess considering it just opened.
I would return if i had a hankering for soup/ramen.
Now, if they would only open up a Pho place within one block of me... ;)
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My boyfriend and I ate lunch here on Saturday for the restaurant's grand opening, and I was extremely impressed with the cuisine that came out of Asuka Ramen. The fried rice and pot stickers were extremely fresh and delicious, and the taste reminded me so much of the breakfasts I used to eat while traveling in the Sichuan Province of China (I have yet to try similar dishes this good in Nob Hill).
At this point, it seems like the owners are going for an Asian fusion appeal, and I think that could be a huge bonus to the neighborhood. We already have a couple of really good sushi bars, and Asuka Ramen will stand out against Sanraku and Sushi Rika if they can consistently turn out tasty meals and provide attentive service. Asuka certainly seems on top of the former, but the waiters and waitresses could use a little more training. They'll probably get better with a bit more practice.
Bonus: The delicious green tea, the spicy kimchi, and the fact that none of the food was heavy or greasy!
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I'm so happy this place finally opened! I live in the neighborhood and have watched its progress over what seemed like ages ago since the little Japanese market in its same location closed down (I was so sad...).
My boyfriend and I tried Asuka Ramen yesterday for lunch, and we liked it! He had the Wan Tan Men ramen, and I had the miso ramen. We enjoyed the mix of toppings in our ramen - tender piece of meat pre-cut so you didn't have to struggle with it, bamboo shoots and egg. The noodles were cooked just right, and the miso soup base was quite tasty. Yummy! We both happily enjoyed our meals, and will definitely be back.
The service was ok - I know it will get better in time. We were a little confused at the end if we were supposed to wait at our table for the bill or go up to the cashier after we were through. I'm sure it will all be figured out soon enough though.
I'm just so happy to have another good neighborhood restaurant to add to my list!
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After living in Japan many moons ago and eating ramen nearly everyday, I rarely eat ramen in the states. It's just not as good.
Making good ramen is a process- watch the great Japanese film TAMPOPO to get the drift...
To get to the point- Asuka makes a decent ramen. I ordered the shoyu ramen. That's what you order to see whether a ramen shop makes good ramen. The owner isn't Japanese, but she ran the Japanese store that inhabited this spot which closed several months ago that caused me much dismay. She seems to know about Japanese cuisine. And in Japan, many good ramen joints are run by non-Japanese.
I live about a block up the street, therefore I'm happy this place opened up. Now, I need to try their curry and gyoza...
As a Japanese living in San Francisco, I liked the taste of their soup and noodles. I tried Miso ramen because one of the waitresses suggested that or Tonkotsu, and it definitely is close to what I had in Japan. Next time I'll try Tonkotsu.
Gyoza was okay but it came out really quick when I ordered it, so I wonder if it's a pre cooked one. They have Asahi/Sapporo beer and accept credit cards. The employees need more training since they didn't get my order until I called them after 5 minutes (even though it was not that packed) and they took the bill from a wrong table when I asked for a check.
There were three chefs in the kitchen and 2 of them looked Chinese and the one looked like Japanese (but I might be wrong).
Ate here today and it was tasty enough. I will give another review after they have been open a few more weeks-it is only fair. They are very nice and the space is bright and clean so I have high hopes for them. The curry will be there in 2 weeks according to our waitress.
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THE BOTTOM LINE: A work in progress, but great for locals who dread walking down the hill for a hot meal; single-diner friendly
There are high hopes for this restaurant, being that it is the only reasonably-priced, casual ramen house in Lower Nob Hill. If you're a local, you have probably been reveling in the excitement of a new dining establishment opening on restaurant-barren Bush St. With that said, Asuka is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
On our first visit, I had the beef curry over rice and my partner had the miso ramen with extra pork. The curry -- with tender pieces of beef, carrots, and potatoes -- stayed true to the way my mom prepared it when I was growing up. The potatoes could have been slightly more cooked, but it was fine. My partner's miso ramen was equally as satisfying, with the ramen being a good texture and the broth flavorful. The menu had a nice variety of favorite, home-style Japanese dishes, like tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets) and kara age (chunks of chicken in deep-fried batter). Beer and wines were also available.
Service was generally attentive. Our server assisted us with the menu, though we didn't really need it as full descriptions were provided (pictures of popular dishes were also posted above the kitchen). Throughout the meal, our servers often came by to check in and refill our tea and water. As the it got busier, however, we had to flag down our server for the check. Overall, service was good with no problems.
While the food was generally good, we found the decor of the place a little sterile and uninviting. But being a new place, this is likely to evolve over time. In fact, as we were waiting for our meal, someone had brought in new orchids to add some color to the place.
With the variety of menu choices, this is place that can't been fully evaluated on just one visit, so stayed tuned...
This review might be updated in the short future. Asuka Ramen took over a small little Japanese shop. It's been months in the making. I know, since I live right next door! I think they're still experiencing the confusion of opening a restaurant while they figure out a way to come up with a better system. I sat right in front of the bar. My mistake was that I sat too close to the area where the food was coming in and out. They should take that one seating out. But, I had the opportunity to witness the confusion of restaurant management.
The place is probably family owned. There are two old Japanese men making the limited menu (will expand once they officially open). The food was decent. The waitresses were really nice except I think they were very confused. When I asked about what was in two out of the six menu items, she had to ask the chef because she didn't know. The service was a bit slow. I had to ask each time about my items. But I can appreciate that they're trying. I was greeted with a smile even when I was asked half way if everything was okay.
I'll probably come back.
This place has potential to be great, but they just opened, so give it some time.
Came here by recommendation by the thrillist.
The staff are Chinese, but the ramen is authentically good.
Noodles are chewy and cooked well - not too hard, not too soft. i had the shio ramen, and the soup base was tasty. what was the best was the one slice of pork. juicy, fatty, tender. i wish they would put more than one piece in each bowl. grilled to perfection.
fried rice was okay. not enough spice. the gyozas are delicate. it was weird cause we got two orders and i guess they served it too soon cause the waitress gave us 4 more pieces.
service is very slow. they don't have everything on the menu yet, so ask. there is one small menu which the waitress pulls out of her pocket. they kept forgetting our drinks or clearing our table.
thumbs up: the ramen.. and cheap! it was 30% off!
thumbs down: service, but i hope with time it'll be better.
I ordered the vegetables on fried rice and got a festival of seafood. And of course it was "to go" so I didn't have time to take it back. If it wasn't for the pickled vegetables and the delicious hot tea they served while I waited, it'd been down to one.
What makes me the saddest is it's right below my building... *sigh*
I was terribly disappointed with every aspect of the experience. My friend, who is a ramen connaisseur, likened his broth to that of instant ramen. I had a curry, which tasted like it had come out of a can. The service was adequate, and the atmosphere was non-existent.
We live near by and were excited to see a ramen place open up, but alas, it was a huge disappointment.
I have been to Asuka about 5 times. The ramen are excellent.... I realized that the service needs work but this is not a review about the service. That said, I give the ramen 5 stars. Asuka is my new favorite place to get dinner.
Bad ramen, bad gyoza, bad karaage, bad ambience and horrible service. You should most definitely skip this place and go to Katana-ya instead if you are in the area.
The food was terrific, but the service was good, but not terrific. I ordered Gyoza and the Tonkotsu Ramen and the Ramen came first!
Ate here on Friday, so far so good (full menu opening up today). Main chef IS Japanese, originally from Hokkaido. Another yelper probably thought this place is non Japanese, because all the waitress's are Chinese and if you closed your eyes you might think you were eating some dim sum. The chashu (pork) is fatty, tender, and has just the right taste to accomodate the ramen. The ramen is a bit light in flavor, but it still has a sound base. The fried rice isn't overwhelmed with salt and soy sauce like other Asian fried rices to go perfect with the nice light flavored broth soup it comes with. Honestly, I'm excited with this new place. I ate at Katana-ya about a month ago, and vowed never to go there again. It's no comparison. So if your in the area, you know what to do.
Another long-suffering ramen fan, walking by the enticing promise of ramen and curry for months and months. Having to go to Berkeley to get my fix.
Yesterday, I had a bowl of miso ramen at the "pre-opening." The noodles were great, excellent texture. The broth was a little on the salty side. All of their ramens apparently come with lots of roast pork slices. I can believe this is authentic. But, even though I'm not vege, it was a bit much for me.
Besides, my man and most of my friends are vege, so if I don't always want to go alone they will need to provide some options. Plenty of meat eaters choose not to dine on swine.
Being the "pre-opening" they were serving only a limited menu. I tried to find out what the other options are going to be but hit a language barrier. Hard.
The people were friendly. I hope it turns out well. I hope their full menu offfers the promised curry part of ramen and curry.
If not Ryowa is only a 40 min. bart ride away.
when i saw the grand opening on this place on the bus, i was SO excited to see there's another Ramen place in town!!! i went there on a tuesday night... and well... i was a little dissappointed by my bowl of noodles. i had the tonkatsu flavor broth... and well, the broth is disappointing... for those of you who are TRUE ramen lovers... you know tonkatsu broth takes hours to make and when it's made right... the broth is SO flavorful and milky... but the broth here is pretty water down... i was really bummed. the noodle tho was actually pretty good. ramen is best when it's "al dente" and that it STAYS that way til the very last bite... which i have to say, it's true with the ramen they used. the soft boiled egg... well... that was a BIG disappointment... soft boiled egg does NOT EQUAL to hard boil egg... i don't understand ramen restaurants in SF... they have pictures of soft boil egg... listing of a soft boiled egg on the menu... but they serve hard boil eggs... i just have to shake my head for that... would i go back to this place again? sure... if my favorite ramen place is closed... but other than that... trying to find parking in the tendernob area is not worth the bowl of ramen at asuka
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