An ode to the quick, the hot, the satisfying.
-NT

Marukin does well but nothing extraordinary...

It's Sunday, our group is slightly hung over from the night before and one thing is on the mind... Ramen.

--And in no mistake of the fates, Marukin Ramen, a semi-popular street/quickie Ramen franchise from Japan, has opened it's new location in SE Portland. It seems with the addition of Marukin to the already lengthy list of Noodle joints in SE, we all joke that SE Portland should be named the "Ramen District" and that may not be such a bad idea. Boke, known for it's creative flair--Mirakutei, best representing "authenticity" to droves of city kids, slurping loudly--Biwa/Noraneko, for that fast paced, fine-tuned izakaya feel. Each place completely different from the last...

What would Marukin add to this tapestry?
We get to their beet-red building adjacent to the renowned Nong's Khao Man Gai, and get in a fairly long line which passes the communal eating area. The "Ramen District's" newest darling seems popular.

Waiting in line I notice no real reinforcement of why we are waiting in line. No menus being handed out, no real guidance. We get to the register and essentially try everything on the menu. The Tonkotsu, the Red Miso, the Karaage, some Gyoza, Fried Tiger Prawns, Onigiri, and a Ramune' for good measure.
One slightly off-putting quality to this place is the low information and low accommodation factor. Luc Lac is best known for this service-model in the Pho world and it works for THEM because they are constantly inundated with drunk people, wandering in from downtown's worst watering holes... I'm not sure the blatant "You're doing things our way right now" attitude works so well in this setting. Best example, I asked for extra noodles on the side; they "don't do extra noodles right now". I've never known a business model which flatly turns away dollars for a pennies-worth of flour and salt!
Odd.

So the apps come out and we have Karaage, which is perfectly breaded and spiced. The Prawns, which are just the same breading and very fresh shrimp. Gyoza which is a little gamey but tolerable. The onigiri is more like a pressed "fried rice" ball which to me, is not exactly what I was expecting but delicious none-the-less.

[From Yelp]

The bowls come out and I am shocked at how little is going on for $10 a bowl. Flash backs to Biwa's $14 bowl of Shoyu broth and noodles flashes in my head. The wilted greens, bamboo, and light dressings are sufficient for garnish but don't really add anything to the bowl as a MEAL. Broth is really smooth on the Red Miso, slightly sweet on the Tonkotsu. We note that there are no sauces, enhancements, or condiments at the table. You get what you get.

I lift the hand-made noodles out of the briney red deep and notice they are straight noodles for both bowls. Personally, I prefer noodles to fit the broth (wheatier for Tonkotsu, wavy for Miso, straight/thin for Shoyu/Salt-broth) and allow the texture of both to work in tandem. I notice upon chewing their noodles that they taste more like pasta noodles than alkaline RAMEN noodles. This, to me and the group, seemed to be the biggest issue ESPECIALLY given they are "house made" and not sourced. I would have prefered Sun Noodles to these and that is saying something.

So all in all, I think Marukin has a ways to go before I can conclusively say I would go back---which is a dubious request, given they are a longstanding chain in both Japan and now the United States. As the Ramen bonfire in Portland continues to rage, we will inevitably see businesses go up and go down based on how interestingly and carefully they produce their bowls. Boxer Ramen is a great example of how quickie-ramen can EXPLODE after tweaking some of the quickie-methods which made them seem lazy or interested in a buck. For Marukin, the broth just isn't top quality, the dressings are quite obviously cost-conscious, and the noodles seem just off the mark. This paired with a slightly snobby/aoof regard for customer satisfaction, a very limited menu (which to be fair changes day-to-day somewhat), and no room to add/enhance bowls YOUR way makes for slight consumer discomfort. Antithetical to the spirit of Ramen: godtier comfort food supreme :)

Rating
Broth: 7/10
Noodles: 4/10
Meat: 8/10
Veggies: 5/10

Marukin opens in Portland TODAY!

Marukin Ramen OFFICIALLY opens it's first U.S. location in Portland OR...http://pdx.eater.com/2016/4/1/11157836/10-reasons-why-marukins-opening-is-big-news-for-ramenheads

Awesome chart on the regional ramen of Japan!

This is too cool. Check out this regional Ramen chart for a bit of info on the many ways Japan makes it's most famous dish...

[CLICK LINK!]

Yataimura Maru serves up the hearty chicken noodle your grandma probably didn't make...

Ah, Maru... The east-side sister restaurant to Shigezo that serves up all your favorites from across the river and then some. This week, I took advantage of the chilly weather and made my way to the widely popular food/bev neighborhood that is SE Division to check out what kind of new fare was boiling. 

So some familiar faces on Maru's menu! The Tokyo Ramen, for one, was reviewed a few months ago (along with the Kumamoto) from Shigezo and nearly moved me to name them #1 ramen shop in Portland. Instantly I am aware that this franchise knows when it has a winner. That said, there are two interesting looking bowls ahead of the Tokyo which catch my imagination as they seem more complex than the traditional shoyu option. First being the Sapporo Shio-butter and Corn Ramen, a bowl with seafood kaeshi, corn, mushrooms, and chashu pork---second being the Chicken Paitan Ramen, a chicken broth bowl featuring smoked pork, green onions, and a medium boiled egg...

I have had corn in Ramen before at House of Ramen and though I enjoyed it a bit, I wasn't in the mood for sweet(ish) kernels, plus I am feeling a bit cold and in need of a "farm in a bowl" type of ramen tonight. I order the Chicken Paitan Ramen and a side of Karaage. 

The bowl drops and instantly I am overcome with the old homey feeling brought on by the ancient cure for everything... Chicken noodle soup. This bowl is bright yellow from the dense chicken broth, the flavorful shiodare (chicken/onion salt-stock), and the sunny eggs, bleeding gooey goodness into the topside of this dish. The smoked pork adds a woodsy, heady aroma and all together I am transported to being 6 years old, watching my dad throw together hearty ramen pots at home on a rainy night. This is the quinta essesncia of a homestyle ramen. The broth is like being wrapped in a thick, down blanket-- the noodles are thin yet incredibly sturdy, the meat and veggies add flavor without taking over your mouth. I could have used some mushroom or even spinach in this bowl, but it didn't detract from my overall experience...

For those who don't know, the Japanese term "Paitan" translates roughly to "milky" or "thick". Maru's Chicken Paitan is nothing short of either and the consistency stays present throughout the entire experience and beyond. If the Tokyo Ramen and Shigezo's Kumamoto Ramen nearly won my #1 spot award, Maru's Chicken Paitan certainly wins my Most Umami Bowl in PDX award (really doling them out these days). After finishing this bowl, I was left with an unmistakable fatty slickness that felt as if I had smeared my lips with coconut oil or lip gloss. Totally rad. Not to mention the massive, almost "country" chicken flavor which was something I frankly never expected from Japanese bowl of anything. Another way ramen can change, grow, and exceed your expectations at any time. Just when you think you know quite a bit about the formulation of a given foodie favorite...

As Socrates famously said, "The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing..."

This bowl reminded me why I started this blog... There is just so much to experience!

Visit them tomorrow, people.

[Check out Yayaimura Maru HERE!]

Rating
Broth: 10/10
Noodles: 10/10
Meat: 8/10
Veggies: 7/10

Some shots of Luc Lac's scrumptious "Train Bowl"...

For me, sometimes a regular bowl of Pho just won't do the job...
Many times I get a little extra this or that in my soup, but this week Luc Lac had me covered with their "Train" bowl, equipped with every kind of beef-fixin' you can imagine in one place. It was, as usual, a bowl of impeccable quality and ended up being the perfect jous dip for my coconut prawns ^_^
I ended up getting another round of noodles just so I could finish the briney bits---Also I am a noodle beast...
Thanks Luc Lac!

Best/worst of 2014, on it's way for New Years!

Coming next week!
We revise the best and worst of 2014 and compile a short "Top 5 PDX Ramen joints" for the upcoming new year! Get your taste buds ready! 

Hapa Ramen on Division makes me sorry. ...That I don't live on Division ;)

Food carts! Who in Portland doesn't like them? Seriously, who? We should find them and make them leave. Especially because on SE Division there is a precious little nook of a food cart called Hapa Ramen and from what we could tell walking by, it's very likable.

Amidst the sizzling of taco meat, the smell of waffle sandwiches, and the chatter of happy foodies finding a place to sit, there lies a black cart decorated in red kanji.  The mini-ramen bar features an array of Ramune Sodas, spices to top, and the girl behind them is bright and fun to chat with. Inside the tiny kitchen, pots of steaming broth simmer and as soon as dinner hour begins (5:00pm) the line begins to grow. This is the face of Hapa Ramen, a food cart on SE Division that has been serving up hot bowls of umami goodness since 2013. It's a cold autumn evening and I brought my appetite, so I check out the menu with plans to destroy at least two of these bowls.

My strategy going into any first tasting is to try a staple, then try the house favorite. I decide to go with the Shoyu broth ramen ($9) with an extra egg and the apparent house favorite, the tsukemen-style Shaka Bowl ($8.50) in winter form (all-together). Typically "tsukemen" is eaten in the summertime because the noodles are served separately from the broth. This allows the consumer to dip the noodles into a highly concentrated broth rather than hover over a steaming bowl. I opt for the winterized version because it is 35 degrees out and my face is craving a boiling, bone marrow steambath.

So my first bowl comes out (shoyu) and the aromatics are light soy and savory meat with a bit of fresh green onion. Inside the bowl is chashu pork (looks to be roasted), spinach, nori, marinated eggs, and narutomaki (fish cake). Diving in, I immediately recognize the world famous kansui Sun Noodles peeking out from beneath the pork. They are springy and complementary to the wholesome, healthy tasting soy broth I seem to be inhaling. The only issue I had with this bowl was the chashu pork not being seared to bring out some of that meat grizzle flavor. Without it, the bowl stands on it's own (the pork is still good though room temp) but a quick few seconds over piping hot oil and cracked pepper may have thrown this bowl into the dangerously addictive zone. I'll be back for this one none the less.

So my Shaka Bowl comes out and I am so bewildered by the intensely pleasant aroma of this bowl that I forget to take a before photo(it looks a lot like the Shoyu but with pork belly bits strewn about). As I walk back over to my table, the smell of fried rice wafts up into my nostrils and immediately my mouth is watering for a taste. As I dig in, I realize why this bowl won Portland's Summer Food Cart Festival's "Grand Champion" trophy. The thing is packed to the brim with flavor. As I furiously slurp down noodles, I am experiencing a litany of salt, pork flavor, savory onion, a bit of the sea, earthy mushroom, and that delicious bone marrow slickness which dominates my taste buds the entire time. The jewels of fat in this bowl are innumerable, looking more like one thick layer of oil sitting on the top, coating every bite I take. The shiitakes are well prepared, not mushy but the meat again misses the mark by juuuuuust a tad. I found that eating the pork belly was a bit difficult given the size of the bits. If I were to design this bowl, the pork belly would have been a little larger, maybe in strips so to provide the same flavor but with the ease of eating one or two pieces rather than fifteen to twenty. I noticed that the belly was also mostly soft fat, with a light amount of chewy fat/meat morsels. This is probably due to the dish originally being tsukemen, and the belly being a sidenote to the dipping broth. Next time, I will order some chashu in this bowl or even request that the pork be deep fried (I know, I'm gonna die of a clogged artery but chicharrón ramen sounds soooo goooood).

Hapa Ramen is a simple, enjoyable, delicious experience. With a small, bowl centered menu (Donburi also available), Hapa isn't attempting to reinvent the wheel. They stick to basic, soothing formulas which ignite the taste buds without being overly complex. As a traditional ramen spot, Hapa gets points for being the kind of place I will visit again and again because with their menu, there are no losing options. Someday, I hope to stroll by and see a "Bowl of the month" or some kind of seasonal up on their board. Maybe even a house-made noodle? Being only a year and a half old, though, I can understand the need to simply carve out a niche, then color outside the lines later on.
Thanks, Hapa!

[Visit Hapa's website here!]

Rating
Broth: 8/10
Noodles: 8/10
Meat: 5/10
Veggies: 9/10

Luc Lac's reputation is well deserved on all counts.

When you walk through the large door at Luc Lac Vietnamese Kitchen on 2nd and Taylor, one thing is immediately clear... This ain't your grandma's soup shack. In fact, if you can even make it to the door without waiting in a 10-30 minute line, consider yourself lucky. Luc Lac is currently one of Portland's foodie favorites, packing the house almost every single night of the week, serving hundreds of covers over the weekend, and (the best part) it's open late---Like 4am late (weekends).

Their method is quick, efficient, and at times a bit rude. Luc Lac is famous for two things, one being their spectacularly fresh Vietnamese cuisine, the other being their "we don't give a fuck if you eat here" attitude. As soon as you enter, you get in line with the rest of the cattle, bob your head to some Holy Ghost while looking at their small(ish) menu, then order after 10 or so minutes of confusion. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS. Not only is there a huge sign on the wall demanding conformity to their system, but if you snag a table prematurely, a kid in suspenders and a Morrissey haircut will come ask you to leave. The streamline cattle-call is what keeps people fed in this chow-line, so stop trying to make this about you.



After ordering food and bev, patrons wait in another line (yes, I'm serious.) until a table clears up and you can sit down. Beers are passed out in this line, people mingle in the tiny common space, and smart eaters gather their sticks, water, and napkins from the bin near the bar. It was the Saturday night 9pm rush when I arrived at Luc Lac, this time--- I ordered a large bowl of beef noodle soup, the coconut prawns, and the veggie rolls. A good sample of the basics.

Soon, my number is called and I sit down to my food arriving with me. This is what we are here for.
The prawns are delicious, extra crispy, and smashed like pancakes. I snack on them with my guest, we munch on some of the rolls and everything checks out as savory and delicious (you almost CAN'T mess up the fried goodies). Next comes the bowl and the first thing I notice is the massive fragrance. Anise, clove, cilantro, and a musky beef fat aroma fills the air around us and instantly, my mouth begins to water. The broth itself is super super umami. Fat jewels almost reflect the lights above us in their frequency. This bowl is the product of a long, low bone-boil. The noodles are near perfect, only sticking together for a moment, and the quantity (even for me) is sufficient. Each piece of meat in the bowl tastes like it was hucked from the cow moments before... Even the meatballs, though a bit on the slick side, are obviously the product of same-day kitchen prep. Honestly, if Luc Lac doesn't take my favorite bowl in town trophy (one which Pho Vinh still holds, sorry), they at LEAST take my freshest bowl award. Everything from the meat, the broth, and down to the veggies were nothing short of wholesome and bright.
One way you can really tell how fresh your food is in a Pho place, is by smelling the bean sprouts. If even left out a few days, these things smell like hot garbage, but if kept properly or purchased day of--- There is no scent, just water and an ultra-light veggie fragrance.  Luc Lac delivers the latter.

So if you are okay with taking a number, sitting elbow-to-elbow with night owls and party kids, and taking in the nu-wave Pho experience--complete with street art inspired murals and chalkboard menus--then pick a night (not Saturday) to visit Luc Lac. At the end of the long, hard process there is reward ^_^

Rating
Broth: 8/10
Noodles: 10/10
Meat: 10/10
Veggies: 10/10

[Visit Luc Lac's website for more...]

Utopia Restaurant and Lounge is everything but a Utopia, a restaurant, or even a lounge...

So it's monday night and I am craving some on fire Pho....

I ride past this place quite often, and figured since Hanoi Kitchen was closed (great place, check it out sometime--right up the road) I would pop into the mysterious, Karaoke boasting, Vietnamese joint on 82nd. The restaurant side seemed empty and stagnant, so I hit the bar where there were regulars dumping money into lotto machines, a football game going, and some cheering from the small crowd. I like a divey atmosphere, and often streetfood/corner bars are hiding foodie gems that make history, so I figured since they had some interesting menu items, I would go for it.

[Not my photo]

I order the wings and their "Spicy Beef" Pho soup with a Blue Moon (limited tap). The bartender is nice, the regulars are focused on the game. My wings come out and they are nicely fried, and the first few are pretty good.... Then I bit into a larger one and it is cold inside. Yuck. I put it down, reach for another and it's the same story. Not cool.

My Pho comes out and it is looking different than the usual fare. The broth is bright red, the noodles are super fat (Udon style verm), and there is no ribeye, no tendon, no tripe, nothing... Just some precooked tenderloin on top (4 pieces) and a few spongy looking sausage balls. I surmise that it will be a new style, not exactly what I was into but whatever, and I dig in...

[Also not my photo, but very similar look with no shrimp and much more red]
[Phone out of batt :( ]

The broth is really light... Like campbells chicken noodle in a can light. There is an overbearing red pepper/chili taste, but nothing else. The noodles are cooked nicely but not supportive of the broth, not adding anything but wormy texture to a bland bowl. The meat looks like jerky and tastes like someone left it out on a countertop... Ugh. The meat balls are even worse, tasting like they were thrown in last minute after sitting in an open refrigerator for a few days... There is actually a point during the meal where I ask myself if I am comfortable with food poisoning/plan out the next few hours just in case... But for the sake of reviewing, I muscle through the bowl, send my wings to the garbage, and chug the rest of my Blue Moon (which was pretty flat, but its a dive bar).

All in all, I make a pretty serious hobby out of discovering/reviewing good noodle joints around town and this one gets a thumbs down. Back in February, I had the worst bowl of ramen in Portland... This might be the worst Pho, it's certainly the worst thus far.

 I would only eat here again if I were stranded, starving, or super wasted. They have to do better with that real estate!

Rating
Broth: 1/10
Noodles: 3/10
Meat: 2/10
Veggies: 0/10

HuffPo's 10 things we probably didn't know about instant ramen.

I'll admit, I didn't know two!

[Check it out here!]

A look back to 2011...

Back in 2011, ramen was gaining it's hardcore roots here in Portland. Shigezo and Mirakutei were quietly churning out bowls, while Biwa and Boke Bowl were on the promotions march. It was a modest time, a basic time for PDX Noodles. Recently I found a cool article in the archives of OregonLIVE which provides a time capsule of the industry, some super neat-o recipes, and some interesting insight on why ramen works HERE. Enjoy!

[A Ramen Renaissance: Japanese noodles fill a Portland niche-- The Oregonian]

Watching this man make noodles is some kind of precious performance art.

What an honor it must have been to be a part of Tatsuru Rai's half cuisine event, half performance art piece. Centered around his soba recipe, Tatsuru delight's his audience with a completely silent show of noodle-making excellence from start to finish. The quiet is deafening, the intimacy between chef and patron is palpable. Wow.

Its been a nice break...

Welllll as most people know, the noodle world dies down a little during the hot months of summer. While, I have yet to find a good Hiyashi Ramen spot (that's cold noodles, for you Hiyashi virgins...), the good news is, summer is almost over and my temporary hiatus from blogging is coming to a close. September I will be visiting a few choice spots, getting further into my own growth as a Ramen chef (as I think I am gearing up for a noodle puller) and posting a lot more. Bring on the autumn!

Shigezo: Gunning for #1 NoodleTime spot in PDX...

Shigezo on SW Salmon between Park+10th is quickly becoming THIS blogger's weekly indulgence. Fitted as a large Edo-style Izakaya, the pub boasts a long list of sake, suuuper Umami mini plates, fresh sushi, and darn good Ramen. The staff has always been super friendly to my johnny-come-lately dinner groups, and this night I was late as ever to the table. Still though, the mood was jovial and the staff was quick to please. After a few rounds of rice-wine, some kara age and a few small plates of sushi---I take a peek at the noodle menu...

So first off, take a look at that delicious subtext to NOODLES...

"Made from scratch every day." 

Shigezo is a lot of things, but most importantly--They are a place that honors the ancient tradition of making one's own noodles for all the soups. In lieu of that quality statement, the content of their menu reflects a quality and variation not seen in many noodle houses about town. There are quite a few options here for a wide range of noodle heads, not to mention the many toppings available for 50 cents to a dollar more. I order the Tokyo Ramen and the legendary Kumamoto Ramen with some extra noodles on the side for viewing. What comes out is quite impressive.

The broth on the Tokyo is a multi-faceted shoyu broth, harmonizing pork and chicken stock with a light miso and soy influence. This is their quintessential bowl and I have no doubts as to why. The noodles are perfectly chewy, mildly springy and lie beneath a litany of interesting and authentic toppings.

The Kumamoto is quite good as well, a little heavy on the garlic and dashi but still off the charts delicious. The milky tonkotsu broth dances on my tongue, creating a slick coating of umami, fatty goodness which lasts the entire experience. Their choice of preparation in the chashu is also divine. The pork is juicy, the outside is seared and there is a large hunk of fat which keeps it all afloat. I cannot stop kissing my fingers like an idiot pretending to be an italian chef. These bowls are TOO good.

Wrapping it up (since it's taken me about 3 months of bloggy break-time), I leave head held high knowing that I will be back again and again. From the stock, to the noodles, to the magnificent melding of top ingredients--- Shigezo is gunning for my #1 spot to eat Ramen after hours (or any hour really).

Rating

Broth: 9/10

Noodles: 10/10

Meat: 8/10

Veggies: 9/10

Boke Bowl's Beef Curry is a pungent excursion...

 

If you have been to Boke Bowl lately, you know they have gotten rid of their seasonal Duck Ramen (sadness galore) and switched it with something new. Beef Curry is at the bottom of their wooden-slate menu these days, and it seems that the chefs behind the invisible curtain were cranking it out like hot cakes...Or ramen. The mood is obviously intoxicating. Boke succeeds in sucking me in from the rain EVERY TIME to enjoy a bowl, not only because the quality is dynamite, because the hard work that goes into their creative bowls is something to behold on it's own. I order some buns and the Beef Curry Ramen, then sit and watch the masters at work...

 

The bowl comes out and there is a lot going on. My noodles (pan fried a bit from what I can tell) rest below and litany of toppings and deep brown broth, covered again with small-cut peppers and micro-greens. As an add on, I place both an egg AND a hunk of buttermilk fried chicken onto the top of this beast and take in the smooth aroma of....of.... of manure? What am I smelling here? I want to come up with a positive way to spin this one but honestly, this bowl's smell is a tad foul. Mixing up the ramen, I take my first slurp and the salty noodles distract my brain for a moment but there is still a burning back end of musk to this bowl. I ask my guests if I am crazy and they smell it too.

Suddenly a lightbulb goes off above my head, as I am drenching the beef in the shiny broth...
FISH SAUCE.



I've cooked with it plenty of times before. Just enough, and your dish's flavor factor becomes seductively primal; too much and the whole thing smells like feces. It is a delicate balance which unfortunately tipped the scales this time at Boke. Swirling around the delightful brussels, yams, and green onion bits, I bite the bullet and keep eating for review's sake. The bowl itself is really well executed, the semi-fried noodles are heavy and sopping--the veggies are fresh and accent the broth's BASE very well--even the meat, which I found to be cut WAY too thick, was as delicious as "Mom's famous beef brisket". The downfall of the bowl truly was it's musky, unpleasant aroma which rendered this bowl somewhat of a chore to finish. Also, going back to the title of this bowl: "Curry", we find hardly a hint of curry flavor throughout. Realizing Japanese Curries are blander than what westerners are used to from the East, I let this go initially, only to be more wanton of a flavor aside from fish sauce, salt, and soy in the bowl. The curry I was expecting (completely in error) never really showed up in this Ramen, and for that I was a bit disappointed. I thought, if a place like "Double Dragon", which is primarily a bar, can make a great Curry Ramen, why wasn't Boke Bowl able to? It could be because of Boke's proclivity to over-create at times when simplicity may just be the key. This bowl may have not needed any fish sauce at all, yet it was just marinated in the stuff.

I truly wish that Boke would have not switched their Duck out for the Beef Ramen. While the bowl LOOKS absolutely stunning, the reality is that this heavy Ramen stew is rife with small "over-did-it's" like the overabundance of fatty American style brisket, the gnarly smelling broth and a price tag of $15.00.

Rating
Broth: 3/10
Noodles: 7/10
Meat: 6/10
Veggies: 9/10

Recently went to Shigezo and the review is coming!

Up next:
-Yataimura Maru-

^_^

Begin Japanology: Ramen!

A fun documentary for any Ramen beginner :)

Discovery's "Culinary Asia-Japan" spotlights a bit about Ramen...

From instant, to traditional, unconventional, to downright crazy---Ramen's influence in Tokyo is unbeatable! This is part 2 of a very interesting 4 part docu on Japanese cuisine.

House of Ramen is mysteriously good...

House of Ramen on SW Columbia is a place that I found shrouded in mystery.
Reading up online, I noticed a few haters, some die hard fans, and the search to find "foodie info" on the little noodle shop a bit of a task. Reading through archives of Mercury, Will Weekly, and the like; it seemed like the Portland media had flat out refused to cover HoR for some off-putting reason...
In fact, House of Ramen seems to be the least celebrated place for a hot bowl of ramen in Portland and I wondered why...



HoR takes a "build your own bowl" approach to their product, which is a trend amongst higher quality fast-food joints like Chipotle, Quiznos, and the like. Their menu features seven solid options, a choice of broth type (white tonkotsu, clear tonkotsu, shoyu, miso, and even tomato!), a choice of noodle (thin, thin-wavy, fat, etc) and then a choice of add ons. They even do Hiyashi Chuka cold noodles for the summer! I opted for the Chef's Choice meal which came with a side of Gyoza and a soda. The staff was small yet super friendly, the restaurant itself was almost 70% full of customers. But as I walked to my seat, I began to realize House of Ramen's problem and why so many food writers flat out refuse to mention it...



Carrying my paper "Coca-Cola" cup over to the aluminum bar at the front window, I noticed that the lights were on a bit strong. Illuminating every crack and dirt particle on the walls and floor (which every restaurant has), the bright, white lights (which are numerous at HoR) seem to project a "fast food" kind of atmosphere which made me almost nervous to sit and enjoy dinner. I ignored it though, knowing that I came for Ramen, not necessarily for ambiance. As I wait, I hear sounds of the soda fountain and begin to feel like I am eating at the mall. My hollow metal chair is quite uncomfortable to sit in and the general mood of the affair is becoming more and more "get-in-get-out". Even as a soft, hip song from "Washed Out" plays in the background, I can't quite get comfortable. It all seems like a cheap diner experience and I begin wondering how my food will taste...

                              

[click img to enlarge]

The bowl drops.
--And as it does, the most mysterious part of my trip to House of Ramen becomes clear...
 Guess what? It is excellent stuff! The quality of the clear pork broth was shockingly good, submerging springy, quality noodles and a host of well prepared toppings. Included in my bowl were Pork tenderloin, bamboo shoot, yellow corn, bean sprouts, bok choy, nori, pickled carrots, green onion, and a poached egg... It was loaded to the brim! All of it quite good.
There have been many times on this blog where I have described bowls which left me feeling unsatisfied and empty... On the contrary, House of Ramen shaped up to be a massive bowl of Umami goodness which filled me up perfectly.

Each bite/slurp of my bowl was not only a surprise but a delight. Never did the noodles sog out, never was the balance interrupted by one dominant flavor. The well balanced, mildly spicy pork broth infuses into each floating puzzle piece, creating an urge to wait on some toppings to "cure" while furiously gobbling others. I gleefully ate every bit of my bowl, thinking of how so many people I asked about HoR had no idea it existed! I even slurped down the broth at the end.

Then, in that moment of post-soup-inhalation, I knew WHY no one acknowledged House of Ramen's legitimately delicious soup and pleasant service model...

They felt like it was fast food, even if it wasn't.

House of Ramen has a great product. I will be back again and again to try every single broth and topping combo they have, but in the meantime, I hope they could make the place more comfortable. Ramen in Tokyo may be as common as burgers are here in the states, but the atmosphere of a Subway is not deserving of the quality of HoR's cuisine. I won't go out on a limb here and say that House of Ramen is among the highest caliber bowls of noodles I have had in Portland, but I will say that they offer a bowl that MANY over-celebrated businesses in the city wished they came close to.

It is unfortunate when a food experience boils down to whether or not a place had Edison bulbs and comfy chairs; a teak service bar and drinking glasses made of glass, but that IS a part of any successful service/food business model. The problem with House of Ramen is that they don't allow their product's quality to be reflected by where you are eating it. In hindsight, I remember thinking that I wouldn't take a date to HoR, I would only come alone or while in a rush. But why? The food is sure to impress, the people who work there are thoughtful and knowledgeable... Oddly it is an interior design issue. Which is sad because a few minor alterations in lighting, seating, and social media could change that shop forever.

We can only hope and keep coming back :)


Rating:Broth: 8/10
Noodles: 10/10
Meat: 9/10
Veggies: 7/10