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| - Our family spent three years in Japan, and since returning to the states, we (unfortunately, to some) have developed a relatively "elitist" view on Japanese cuisine. (Lucky I'm Yelp Elite, right? ...Hello? Is this mic on...?)
I wholeheartedly agree with another Yelper on here - The food here is nearly as amazing - and authentic - as the ramen we had in Japan. But I'll get to the food in a moment...
We were immediately greeted when we walked in with a hearty "irrashaimase" (welcome!) by a staff member, who took our name down for their list. We only waited 15 minutes at about 7 pm; not really peak but they definitely had a longer wait list by the time we left. One issue I noted was there wasn't too much sitting space for people waiting - 5, maybe 6 people squeezed on 2 benches. Yes there was room outside, but it was still windy and chilly, so inside was preferable. While you're waiting inside, there is a running video/slideshow featuring some of the food - safe to say it was enticing and definitely inspired our meal choices.
Decor was great - dark grey-toned wood paneling was very modern and trendy, which gave the place a feel of 'old world traditional ramen meets 21st century spins.' They have a combination of bar seating, booths, and 'farm-style' tables with benches. Our one table had our backs to the walkway to the kitchen, so it saw a lot of traffic. It felt a bit crowded at the tables, which were pretty much back to back, but if you were at the booths or the bar, you had a bit more room between you and the next diners.
Service: Our server, Joshua, we on POINT. He was upbeat, very positive demeanor, very professional, and enthusiastic about Ichi Ramen. He knew the menu well and provided his recommendations, which, for our first time there, we followed many of them, but I'll get to that later. He was terrific. He even had a recommendation ready for my toddler (which she loved)! Other than asking for initial silverware/chopsticks, it was like he was reading our mind. We never had to ask for a beverage refill, he was quick to clear or table of empty plates/bowls AND little garbage (wrapper for the chopsticks, wrapper for the kids chopstick helper, etc.). He seemed to know - without being pushy or rushing - when we were about done, and brought us to-go containers, followed by the check, again ALL without having to ask or even wave him down! COLOR ME IMPRESSED!
Now, the FOOD (Finally. Sorry guys, but thanks for sitting through me painting the experience for you!):
* The Creamy Tonkatsu Ramen was spectacular. Great soup base, and the noodles were PERFECT. Definitely comparable to the real thing. Thick without being too chewy, and didn't get soggy, even with our letovers the next day. The toppings definitely added to the textures and flavors as well. My one issue (and this is purely subjective due to comparisons) is that the chyasu (pork) is relatively small in size and a bit dry. In Japan, we would get these size-of-your-hand, thick cuts of pork with more fat/marbling on it that lends to the meat's added tenderness and melt-in-your mouth texture. This change would definitely get tha tlast star from me.
* The Deep-fried Soft Shell Crab was amazing! Great crunch, very meaty, and was accompanied by some drizzles and some kind of slightly sweet, tangy topping that added to the savory flavor.
* The Gyoza wasn't too salty or greasy, and the dip that accompanied it was very complimentary. My one issue with this was that I wish it had a bit more or a crisp/crunch to the gyoza (assuming they were pan-fried) - this would have made it a perfect 10 replica to the gyoza we've had at ramen houses in Japan.
* Crispy Rice with Tuna: I personally loved this! You know when you fry rice and there's that really hard, crispy part at the bottom of the pan? It's like that, with soft tuna on top, with drizzles of sauces and a sliver of jalapeno. The flavors and textures WORKED: spicy, tangy, creamy soft tuna with crispy hard rice.. This was a personal favorite!
* Popcorn Shrimp: Not bad! I half pictured something from KFC or similar, but this was much more akin to 'honey glazed prawns with walnuts' from a Chinese restaurant. I can't speak to the 'authenticity' of this because I don't think I've had anything like this in Japan, but it was pretty good! I was just so full at this point that I couldn't eat too much of it, but the breading and frying was light and airy, the shrimp was cooked to perfection, and the drizzle was light and sweet - not at all overbearing.
Overall, I loved it. a few changes would easily score this a perfect 5/5 stars for me. But I absolutely plan to visit here again and I highly recommend this place to others! Thank you again to Joshua for his OUTSTANDING, above and beyond service!
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