Browsing Tag

tan tan men

Sacramento, CA

Raijin Ramen House

Posted on January 10, 2016

Must admit that we frequent Shoki Ramen House so much that we neglect to try any other ramen places in town and ramen boy is a loyal Shoki Ramen customer. He was hankering for some ramen after his soccer game and I did a short run in the morning warranting a bowl of noodles. I suggested trying a new place to avoid the noontime Saturday crowd. I had heard that Raijin Ramen House opened last July across the street from its sister restaurant Ryujin Ramen House and we hadn’t been. The concept is a different type of ramen at each shop with Raijin specializing in a more spicy version fitting with its name in Japanese mythology meaning the god of lightning, thunder and storms.

It was a full house when we arrived but they had space at the bar close to the kitchen. We quickly ordered and I had the kakuni ramen. Ramen boy had the tan tan men and hubby chose the shio tonkotsu ramen. Raijin offers many appetizers too so we decided to try their homemade gyoza. The deal breaker whether we would return or not.

The service was exceptional. Our waiter came to refill ramen boy’s lemonade and was very polite and cheerful that even ramen boy commented about the awesome service. That alone would bring us back.

The gyoza was very good too. Crispy the way we like it filled with cabbage and pork. Our only complaint was that we ate it too quickly and should have ordered more. My kakuni ramen came out steaming hot and nicely presented with red pepper threads that surprisingly look like saffron. Simple toppings of chopped scallions with two large pieces of fatty braised pork that had been slowly simmered. I prefer a more tender pork that is melt in the mouth but these pieces were meaty and still very tasty with a deep shoyu flavor. The tonkotsu broth seemed more shoyu based but still rich without being too heavy. I didn’t order an egg this time as a topping but for sure will return to try it out.

Ramen boy gave this place a thumbs up and hubby who prefers eating ramen in Japan and otherwise a super ramen critic said he will come back here too.

Raijin Ramen House
1901 S. Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 498-9968
ramenhouseraijin.com

Sacramento, CA

Shoki Ramen House I

Posted on December 28, 2015

This is our go to ramen place close to home. If ramen boy had his way he would eat ramen daily. He doesn’t get tired of it and he’s a huge fan of Shoki’s tan tan men. Good friends and their boys came through town over the Christmas holidays and the kids were eager to have ramen. They had been last year and wanted to go again. A sure sign that Shoki Ramen passed the noodle test. We lived near each other in Tokyo and N was my frequent sushi lunch buddy but S and I go back years even before ramen boy was a glint in my eye. I will never forget flying in to Tokyo on a redeye flight with my mother and before we even had a chance to settle in at the hotel we hopped into his car. It was snowing hard and the streets were empty and a hot bowl of steaming ramen just seemed perfect. So off we went to Marukin Ramen the quintessential hole in the wall noodle joint. Now not so hole in the wall considering it has many outposts in Tokyo and Yokohama and now in Portland, Oregon. That town is seriously a foodie must go destination.

You know the saying “chicken soup is good for the soul?” Well, a  good bowl of noodles is pretty much the same. There is a lot of pride that goes into making good ramen and  Shoki Ramen’s owner Yasushi Ueyama does just that. He caters to his customers with dietary restrictions and food allergies so that everyone has an opportunity to experience “a bowl of dreams.” This is unheard of in Japan since many traditional restaurants do not have an option like this and asking will often get you a blank stare or a very polite “I’m sorry but we cannot accommodate.”

Okay now back to the ramen. Pretty much hits the spot. We stick mostly to the tan tan men and you can request your level of spiciness. It is topped with baby spinach, menma (bamboo shoots), moyashi (bean sprouts) and grass-fed, non-antibiotic 100% Angus minced beef. The broth is full of clean soy flavor with just the right amount of spice. I like to order my noodles cooked firm and Shoki’s noodles are thick and springy.

The place is always busy and there is usually a wait. Eating ramen is one of those meals that is quick and easy so people come and go and seats open up so the wait is not too agonizing. We tend to come right when it opens to avoid the wait. It’s a family run restaurant and the wait staff are always helpful and pleasant. If you are lucky on a weekend or school holiday the owner’s young son will greet and seat you with a big smile. Shoki Ramen House is hands down one of ramen boy’s favorite in California.

Shoki Ramen House
 1201 R St, Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 441-0011
www.shokiramenhouse.com

Tokyo

Doraichi

Posted on February 23, 2015

I was in town to run the Tokyo Marathon and ready for carbo-loading at my favorite restaurants. So many ramen choices in Japan where does one really start. For me this warrants a trip to Doraichi for its famously delicious tan tan men shiru nashi (without soup). Basically spicy noodles minus the broth with a heap of miso flavored ground pork, lots of chopped green onion and raw egg yolk. Mix like crazy and you get a beautiful mess. If the raw egg turns you off try not to think too hard about it. Once mixed in it’s hardly noticeable but nicely coats the noodles just right to give you license to slurp away. I don’t know if safety inspection of Japanese eggs are the reason it’s okay to consume them as is but in my lifetime of eating raw eggs in Japan I never got sick. Knock on wood but tastes so darn good. Ramen boy was not on this trip with me but he would have ordered the tan tan men with soup. Until next time.

Doraichi
2-12-5 Minami Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo
www.doraichi.com

doraichi