Tsujita Ramen: Not Worth the Wait

I finally tried Tsujita Ramen on Sawtelle and I must say I was disappointed. Maybe I'm just not a tsukemen kind of person. Or maybe I didn't eat it the right way. I've had my noodles separately from the broth before but I couldn't get into it here. 

For one thing, the broth was like ramen broth concentrated to the nth degree, as in super thick and far too salty. I'm all for hearty, strong broths but this was too much. I should have taken them up on their offer to pour free boiled water into the "sauce," as they called it.

Second, it was a royal pain having to take the super slippery noodles that were on the thick side from one bowl and dip them into the broth before eating. The broth wasn't hot enough to warm up the noodles, so you had to leave them in there for a while and even then, they were merely lukewarm to room temperature. Not a good ramen temperature. In typical Japanese restaurant fashion, the menu describes how the noodles should be consumed -- dip the noodles, squeee the lime, etc. 

I got the one with extra charsiu (slices of roasted pork) and soft-boiled egg. The charsiu was tender and soft from the seemingly long cooking process I assumed the pork bellies went through. Not all slices were excellent but good enough.

I really liked the soft-boiled egg, which was a bit on the oozy side and indeed, soft. Probably my favorite part of the entire meal. And it helped to temper the sodium overload although it was slightly seasoned.

I wasn't a fan of the thicker, slippery noodles that weren't as chewy as I usually like them.

We also had the salmon sashimi bowl, which was also a pain to eat. Topped with wasabi, we weren't sure how to go about spreading it without generating tears from the spice. The flavor of the salmon wasn't great.

All in all, not worth the wait, in my opinion. I'd like to try the tonkotsu ramen but for now, I'm sticking to my perennial faves, Shinsengumi and Santouka.

Yamadaya Ramen: Weak Broth, Go for the Chicken Karaage

I had high hopes for Yamadaya Ramen, which recently opened outposts in Culver City and Westwood. I should have been more skeptical in retrospect, considering I haven't been able to find a bowl of ramen better than Shinsengumi's, with Santouka's a distant second. The post on Shinsengumi was my very first post back in April 2007. How quickly they grow!

Then there's also the element of the all-too rapid expansion. It took Shinsengumi years to open that many locations, but Yamadaya's seemed rushed. Just like a burger, the best ramen consists of all its excellent components working in perfect harmony together.

So let's dissect. The first things I dig into when tasting a bowl of ramen are 1) broth and 2) the noodles. The broth of the Yamadaya Ramen, which is allegedly a result of bones boiled for 20 hours plus, was so weak it was embarrassing. Ok, a reliable source told me it wasn't anything like this one in the original Torrance location and I believe her. But this was ridiculous. Diluted. Watered down. No self-respecting ramen joint would ever call this tonkotsu ramen broth.

The noodles weren't exactly overcooked but weren't as katame (al dente in Japanese -- thanks MN!) as I usually like them. Hate to belabor the point but Shinsengumi is probably the only ramen shop where you can choose the hardness of the noodles (and the strength of the broth and oil level).

Yamadaya offers fresh garlic to be minced table side into your broth. I loved the concept (and cool-looking retro tool) and I ended up adding some as a last ditch effort to salvage my sad broth. But no amount of garlic could bring this liquid back to life. Sigh.

The other works, like bamboo shoots, green onions and chashu, were fine. I particularly liked that the hard-boiled egg half was done just enough for the yolk to be soft but not oozy and not completely solid. That and the chashu pieces, which were soft and not at all too porky-smelling, may have been the best parts of this otherwise below average ramen.

The ramen that came with a massive block of pork belly was another disappointment. That pork belly should have been crumbling at first bite, dissolving softly in your mouth from 20-plus hours of slow cooking. It was tough and didn't fall off at all. It's a travesty not cooking a great part like pork belly right.

To be fair, Yamadaya raised our expectations by serving excellent chicken karaage before our ramens arrived. We just wanted a good appetizer to go with a nice cold brew, but we got crispy and perfectly-seasoned fried chicken (usually dark thigh meat) that exceeded my expectations. The meat inside was juicy and soft. Little did we know that we were in for a free-fall soon.

The gyoza arrived late, which was odd because those usually get to the table before the ramen too. These were hands-down the worst thing we had there. They were greasy but most importantly, the pork filling smelled really bad -- like the pork was either quite old or just not good quality when purchased.

You really need to step up your gyoza and broth game, Yamadaya.

I used to be biased against ramen joints that opened on the west side because I've never been impressed with their ramen. I would like nothing more than having that myth dispelled because it's close to where I am. For the time being, I'll have to venture to Santouka in Venice for immediate cravings and drive down to South Bay or Little Tokyo for Shinsengumi and other joints I have yet to try.

Steingarten LA: Lackluster Burger & Sausage, Barely Redeemed by Beer List

I always go to where a supposedly good burger resides so made my way to Steingarten LA in West LA. I was sorely disappointed. Not only was "The Works" burger overcooked twice (I gave up after the first time taking it back) but it wasn't even that good. In fact, the patty was flavorful enough but the sum of its parts, including the bun, toppings, etc, just didn't cut it. It's not even an average burger, I'm afraid.


The bun was far too dense and while I liked that it was toasted, that didn't help the fact that it was still too dense. I didn't feel like a lot of thought had gone into the toppings, which included tomatoes, cheddar cheese, lettuce, raw onions and Thousand Island dressing.

We tried the Bratwurst because the owner was raving about them. Disappointing. It didn't even come close to the ones I had on the streets of Germany years ago. Then he played up the dipping sauces that he makes in-house, including a very good garlic and herb-based green sauce, that was hands-down my favorite. I think that was the one good thing about the place and smothering that sauce on the burger helped a little bit (but ultimately didn't save it).

The beet salad was too heavily sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, defeating the purpose of salad. I liked having an extensive beer list but I could get that at Biergarten, Village Idiot, Congregation Ale House in Long Beach, heck even in My Father's Office that I don't frequent much.

Sorry but I'm not returning to this joint. There are simply too many far better options out there for the same price, or even less.

Chego: Really Good Kochujang-Lacquered Pork Belly Cubes But Not Much Else

My review of Roy Choi's A-Frame was harsh and I must say I wasn't a big fan of his first casual joint post-Kogi truck, Chego, either.
http://eatchego.com/
The one and only thing I would return for was the wonderfully glistening cubes of pork belly that were in the rice bowls. The problem was there were too many things going on in the bowl. I liked the fried egg, since anything tastes better with an oozing fried egg, but the radishes, water spinach, cilantro, cotija cheese and peanuts was just too much. Combining all these elements made it hard to discern any taste.

The chicken bowl dubbed the Hen House, wasn't much better. I couldn't taste the grilled part, for one. Still loved the fried egg, but the other stuff, like Chinese broccoli, sour cream sambal, Thai basil, sesame and red jalapeño, again just got lumped into this big old mesh that didn't taste like anything.

I mean I love the concept of rice bowls. I have them all the time. But these didn't work for me.

I felt the same way about the fries, which also had the sour cream sambal, and came with melted monterey jack and cheddar cheese, cotija, chillies, cilantro and pickled garlic.

The five-kimchi sampler was nothing special either. It included radish, fennel, cucumber and cabbage but while it was interesting to try fennel kimchi, it wasn't great.

The donut balls as a finale was just ok. I wouldn't get them again. 

I did really like the vibe of the place though. Communal tables, order at the counter, pay and they bring over your food for you. Great music and crowd. But alas, the food didn't impress me.

That said, I am curious to try the prime rib fried rice or rice plate. Oh, and the sriracha bar consisting of chocolate crisped rice bottom, caramel, Sriracha ganache, spiced candied peanuts and dark chocolate. Interesting. 

I had initially wondered what Chego meant, but by the looks of the thumbs up logo and the fact he's Korean American, I'm going to go with "best" or "greatest" (최고) in Korean, which is, technically "Chuego," but I'm no romanization police. 

Mori Sushi: Overpriced & Overrated

I must document the outrage I felt after having tried Mori Sushi for the first time. My first choice, Hiko Sushi, was closed for the holidays, so I figured I'd give Mori, which I had heard was decent, a shot. How would I describe my experience there? Sheer highway robbery.

First of all, restaurants or bars without signs are a pet peeve of mine. A drawing of a fish displayed outside doesn't count as a sign. Let's drop the gimmicks and focus on the food. It's also a bad sign when a supposed sushi joint serves things like "miso cod" and has different kinds of omakase (chef's choice) by price and number of pieces. Then I made the colossal mistake of ordering the all-out omakase that would later set me back quite a bit of dinero.

The first thing was good -- lobster tossed with some citrus juice that made the texture feel like the lobster meat was the actual citrus pulp. Then came two kinds of raw oysters and another two poached kinds. I'm not a big fan of oysters but they were fresh enough. Then came crab soup with fish in a pretty bowl that left me perplexed. Wasn't this supposed to be omakase as in sushi and sashimi? The soup was a bit salty but fine. But that's not what I had come here to eat. I decided to take matters into my own hands and asked the waitress to give us sushi and/or sashimi -- "no cooked foods, please." This was the first incident where I ruffled the sushi chef's feathers.

So they brought out two to three different kinds of sushi on a plate at once. I like innovation as much as the next person but there's probably a good reason sushi is traditionally served on a small plate either as a single piece or two pieces. It keeps it more fresh. There was a parade of sea bass, three different kinds of tuna and other more fishy sushi that were highly underwhelming. I asked that the wasabi be placed not between the fish and the rice as it is too strong for me (that even the notorious Hiko sushi chef Shinjisan gladly does for me) and I prefer to dissolve it in my soy sauce but the chef politely declined. There were some eyebrows raised for ruffling his feathers again.


I happen to be partial to sushi that is paired with warm rice and this one didn't even come close. The rice was cold to room temperature but more importantly, had been made a while back and was crumbly and flavorless -- just awful. The fish was not that fresh and I soon found myself seeking refuge in some sake. I couldn't get over the container it came in -- what looked like vintage crystal that I remembered seeing a lot of in Prague. Sake drunk in beautiful Czech crystal glasses? Nice but one more reason to believe this place seem to put style over substance. And yes, there was one final thing I asked for that probably didn't endear me to our waitress. I know this was omakase but given that the fish wasn't anything to write home about and our bill was adding up by the minute, I flat out asked for uni (sea urchin), one of my favorite things in the world, as our last one.

As it turned out, this was the best one, its final redeeming offering. It served Japanese uni and uni from Santa Barbara (the one on the right in first picture), the latter of which was creamier and delicious (minus the bad rice, of course). The anti-climactic finale came with dessert that was a tangerine jelly (when what I craved was tangerine sorbet or something more refreshing than, uh, jelly -- given the price tag, I think they can afford to do something a tad fancier than jelly). How could a place like this stay in business? Totally beyond me. To think that I spent upwards of $100 on this bad to mediocre meal is mind-boggling. But at least you won't have to make the same mistake. In fact, I won't even tell you where it is. If you want quality sushi, get thee to Hiko today!

Thank You Zankou

I've tried many a rotisserie chicken in my lifetime, and I can safely say that Zankou Chicken is hands down one of the best I have ever had. Sure, it raised its prices slightly since expanding to the West side and such, but you can't expect the owners to keep their everyday low prices forever. I do have a beef with the valet parking at the West side location, however. I don't want to pay for valet when I'm going for a quick and cheap bite.

Zankou's chicken is just what rotisserie chicken should be -- crispy skin on the outside that's browned to perfection and moist, juicy meat on the inside seasoned with just the right amount of salt. I prefer the juicier dark meat and like it as is -- I consider the famed garlic sauce, which is really lard mixed with minced garlic, a distraction.

An Armenian family opened the first Zankou in Beirut, Lebanon, back in the 1960s, eventually opening one in LA after they immigrated here in the 1980s at the original Sunset & Normandie location. Zankou has since expanded to six outlets throughout Southern California and counting.



I haven't tried much Armenian food but I really like the bright fuschia pickled radish strips that come with the chicken. They're almost reminiscent of the more vinegary radish cubes that are on the sweeter side and come with Korean-style deep fried chicken smothered in spicy sauce that has reportedly become all the rage in New York. Take a bite of the pink radish after every chicken morsel and it refreshingly cleanses the palate. For heat, since this is LA, after all, there are pickled jalapeno peppers.



I always order mutabbal, which is akin to baba ghanoush, made out of eggplant, tahini sauce and garlic. Tear that pita bread and plunge it into this sumptuous dip with a smoky flavor from the grilled eggplant. Although a party of two totaled a whole chicken at a recent visit, I usually get the 1/4 dark meat chicken that includes hommus, radishes and tomato salad (the last of which I don't care for).

I have only been to the West LA and original locations, but hear they are fairly consistent throughout.



West LA location
1716 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 444-0550

Simply the Best Sushi in LA

I am both happy and sad that Hiko Sushi is no longer LA's best-kept secret, no thanks to LA Weekly's food critic, J. Gold, who recently reviewed this not-so-hidden gem and led us to stand in line for the first time since we stumbled upon it over fours years ago.

A few months after it opened in 2003, we were driving by and my companion suggested we try it, saying it "looks promising." I took one look at the storefront and nondescript mini-mall it was situated in, and dismissed it immediately. After he insisted we give it a shot, I broke down and agreed. We walked in, only to be greeted by a young woman who, upon knowing it was our first time there, proceeded to give us a laundry list of all the things Hiko does not do, including California rolls, teriyaki or anything cooked, stressing that it was "traditional sushi only."

She added that if we sat at the bar, it would be chef's choice, known as omakase. Forget it, I said, slightly put off by this imposition, we're sitting at a table because I want to order what I want.

The first experience was good, sampling tuna (maguro), yellowtail (hamachi), salmon and others.

The best was yet to come, however. We sat at the bar on our next visit, at the complete mercy of the chef, and have never looked back since. It's too bad that on food message boards and circles, sushi chef & owner Shinji-san is known more for his strict rules and lack of "Mr. Personality"-evoking friendliness than the amazing fish and the craft he masters so beautifully every time we go. The man is an earnest guy who takes his craft seriously and doesn't care about prominent food critics or A-list celebrities who seem to flock to his no-frills establishment time and time again.



Let me run down our usual sequence of jewels, infused by some anecdotes told by his daughters, who are also the wait staff. He starts us off with the most refreshing baby tuna sashimi salad, drizzled with ponzu sauce and sprinkled with tons of sesame seeds and finely-chopped green onions. Lovely.

Hamachi (yellowtail) is next. Good as always. I love that he pairs the slightly cold fish slabs with perfectly cooked, warm rice. The pairing is phenomenal. Like most things, I learned to appreciate the right chewiness of the rice grains after having one too many sushi where the rice crumbled or was too hard due to over-refrigeration. I couldn't help recalling a 20-series Japanese manga(comic book) entitled "Sushi King" about the art of sushi-making and the trials and tribulations of sushi chefs and their apprentices. One book was devoted entirely to perfecting the rice -- making it from the best rice grains grown from a tiny, remote village and cooked to just the right doneness.

As anticipation of our next dish starts to simmer, we dip into the freshly-grated wasabi on our plate alongside pickled ginger slices, and dissolve it with soy sauce. The light green wasabi tastes as fresh as it looks. It doesn't come cheap. A single root (photo: Wikipedia) may cost $8 to $10, and wasabi roots cost about $70 to $100 a pound.



Shinji-san then offers red snapper garnished only with rock salt and a dab of grated yuzu. "No soy sauce," he says gently, meaning this one doesn't need to be dipped because it's already seasoned. Fresh with just the right tart-ness from the citrus, score again. Yuzu is a key ingredient in the much-loved ponzu sauce and is used in many other east Asian cuisines to garnish. Koreans store sliced yooja (yuzu) in honey and dissolve it in hot water to make yooja tea, a cold remedy.



What's amazing about this chef, besides being a master, is that even though it is omakase, he remembers what his loyal customers like and serves them exactly in the sequence we always have it. We spotted another regular having multiple shellfish varieties that were totally different from ours. And despite outraged postings about his alleged rules of not allowing one to order the same thing more than twice, he never gave us a hard time about our requests. I, for example, prefer my sushi without wasabi in them and he was more than willing to oblige. In fact, he gets super apologetic when he happens to forget because his hands move so quickly.



But I digress again. I happily await as Shinji-san assembles my all-time favorite sushi, the utterly velvety toro(fatty tuna). It just doesn't get better than this. The fat gives it an almost meaty taste and texture, full of deep flavor and melt-in-your-mouth smoothness. Every time I pop one into my mouth, I can't help but hum "mmmmm" for extended periods of time as I savor this true gem.



Albacore tuna with ponzu sauce topped with chopped green onions is a winner too. Then comes a small amuse bouche of sorts, tuna sashimi with ponzu sauce nested in fried wonton skin. This was on the house but would probably cost a hefty $12 at a fancy restaurant with a velvet rope.

My second favorite is the blue crab handroll, a beauty that comes wrapped in a super-crispy seaweed sheet. He once told us in passing that a small box of these nori sheets cost $300. It certainly tastes like a million dollars. I appreciate his high standards even more when we venture to other much-hyped sushi joints like Sasabune and Echigo and are served sloppy handrolls on not-so-crunchy nori sheets that are torn or have pebbles of rice on the outside. These popular places have absolutely nothing on Hiko.



Shinji-san is credited for making me an uni(sea urchin) convert. It turns out that I like uni -- so long as it's as fresh as the one Shinji-san serves. Prior ones I've tried had a weird smell that reminded me of the sewage system. Not good. As soon as I took my first bite of his uni, it was sheer creamy goodness. Just can't get enough.



We usually wrap it up with anago (fresh-water eel) -- flash-broiled nice and warm with just a hint of the syrupy brown sauce. This one melts too. Just don't ask for more sauce. I never felt the need to ask for more, but I heard that it has historically irked the chef, to put it mildly. You won't get more, so my advice would be to trust him. You won't be sorry.

Other major pet peeves for the chef are cellphone users (that's a "no cellphones" sign you see below) and those who leave out the rice (I recently witnessed an offender who was politely told by Shinji-san's daughter, the waitress, that Shinji-san wouldn't serve her if she left the rice out) and those like Cameron Diaz who allegedly asked for more ponzu sauce (she was refused). I read a few complaints on message boards about how it was the worst service ever but it isn't surprising when they proceed to reveal that they had violated his rules and thus disrespected him. When they protested, some were promptly kicked out. I wish more restaurants had a zero-tolerance policy on obnoxious customers.



On occasion, Shinji-san has served up bonito (yes, the fresh version of bonito flakes, those animated shavings that dance when you sprinkle atop an okonomiyaki, Japanese pancake), sardine and monkfish liver. All were fresh but I wouldn't say they were my favorites.

Two very thin slices of fruit is the complimentary dessert. I should also add that Shinji-san has a disdain for loud people. When a group of young, bubbly and loud kids raved about how good the sushi was and that they would bring their friends next time, Shinji-san didn't flash an ounce of a smile and grunted, "Next time, be more quiet." Terrified, they smiled awkwardly and ran for the door. I suppose it's his prerogative to dislike loud people in his establishment. The funny thing is, the chef doesn't even know celebrities like Josh Harnett or Scarlett Johansson who allegedly stopped by for a bite -- not to mention a Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic who could give him a huge business boost (Let's just say he doesn't plan on framing the LA Weekly review and putting it up on his wall). And when asked what he thought about the positive LA Weekly review, he said it was true. When asked what he thought about the critic, he shrugged and said, "I don't care." His self-assuredness often passes as arrogance. He's an artist, what can I say?



Disclaimer: My budget hasn't allowed me to try perennial favorites such as Ursawa and Nobu (although I did try Nobu in Las Vegas and it wasn't all that), but I have tried the overrated Kiriko (blah) on Sawtelle, in addition to the aforementioned Sasabune and Echigo. In NYC, I have tried Tomoe Sushi (not worth the wait), Blue Ribbon Sushi (yuk), Nobu Next Door (not great) and more recently, Shimizu (innovative sushi), all of which were not as good as Hiko. At the risk of ruffling some feathers, I hereby anoint Hiko to be the best sushi in all of the US.

Make no mistake. This meal won't come cheap -- about $70 per person including tax and tip if you do omakase without drinks or miso soup. Lunch won't be any cheaper. The illogical but convenient trend of charging less for the same items for lunch doesn't apply here. I have also seen them turn away multiple customers who asked for take-out. How do you expect the sushi to hold up when the steaming rice is straight out of the rice cooker?

I am heartened that it's doing as well as it is, as I was concerned when I saw the empty tables on weekends throughout the years. It's a family-run business where wife and children all pitch in, and that makes me want to support it even more. If you ever decide to try it, tell him you read it here. He'll know it was me and I guarantee you he won't kick you out unless you violate his rules! My only complaint is that they need to diversify their music choices. Shinji-san is an avid fan of bossa nova singer, Lisa Ono, and he is in desperate need of some new music infusion. I'm tempted to bring him a new CD on my next visit.

I've decided to include an address for all restaurants I review from now on.

Hiko Sushi
11275 National Blvd. (at Sawtelle)
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 473-7688

Shio Me the Ramen

[Update: I recently had the premium ramen with 6 slices of pork cheeks and it was surprisingly delish! It was a first for me, but boy, was it worth it. It's a bit pricier than the regular salt ramen, but I definitely recommend trying it at least once.]

I admit I have a soft spot for ramen and noodles, so be prepared for oodles of noodles and I promise they won't be hard to swallow. Santouka in the Mitsuwa Market in Venice is no exception. This is the place I go to for ramen on the west side if I don't want to venture out to Gardena's Shinsengumi that is dubbed SSG among the cognoscenti.

For second best, it isn't a bad bowl at all. Slurped on a cloudy Saturday afternoon after sleeping in, it's even better. The signature ramen is the salt (shio) ramen, which has an impressively deep pork-based broth but is inferior to SSG's Hakata ramen broth in one critical way -- it's significantly oilier, which distracts from the flavor.



The toppings include the usual suspects, such as crunchy green onions, chewy bamboo shoots, tender slabs of pork and a slice of fishcake that harmonize together both in flavor and texture. Santouka's version also comes with wood fungus and a pickled plum that submerges into the broth as you mix the noodles and feels like a pearl in the rough when you scoop it out because of its vibrant red color. I like the element of surprise, both to the eye and the palate, that comes with the pickled plum. It has a tangy taste that complements the thick broth very nicely. The noodles are decently firm but again, I prefer having more control over the doneness of the noodles, etc, like in SSG. And I would like the noodles to be firmer.

I have tried the spicy miso ramen and it's pretty good despite not having the pickled plum in it. I would recommend the salt ramen for first-timers. Santouka also offers the standard soy (shoyu) and a variety of combinations with mini rice bowls. Service is fast, parking is convenient, ambiance is barebones but I like that I can catch up on my grocery shopping on the way out (natto, anyone?). Take a jacket. It gets chilly in the food court, and even colder in the market. Santouka also has outposts in the Mitsuwas in Torrance and Costa Mesa. This one is located on the corner of Centinela and Venice. There is absolutely no reason to go to Sawtelle for your ramen cravings anymore.



And yes, it's better than Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, or any ramen joint in LT, for that matter. Daikokuya is plan C, when I have a hankering for ramen during the week. Avoid San Sui Tei, the new place that replaced Kobe Ramen a few doors down from Daikokuya, at all costs. The tonkotsu ramen was downright awful and service was infuriatingly slow. We'll have to continue standing in line for Daikokuya for now.

Perfect for a Hot Day

I know I shouldn't complain about the weather in LA because it's always so nice and sunny, but what's up with the weather lately? It has been scorchingly hot and I have had a hankering for something decidedly cool. So we headed straight to Ramenya in West LA to get the seasonal (in LA? More on this later) Hiyashi Chuka, cold Japanese noodles topped with a motherload of healthy vegetables, seaweed, egg and shredded chicken, sitting in a small pool of sauce that tastes like a combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. The toppings include strips of cucumber, bean sprouts and sea kelp; quartered tomatoes; eggs that have been cooked like an omelette and sliced in strips; shredded chicken; pickled ginger strips and toasted seaweed strips for added texture and even more healthiness. Vegetarians could ask to take the chicken out. Vegans wouldn't do because it'd be a slippery slope once the omelette strips were "stripped."

The dish comes with a dab of Japanese mustard to be mixed into the sauce, which will subsequently be mixed into the noodles. Depending on how spicy you want it, mix in all or 2/3 of the mustard. Readers of my Shinsengumi post will know that I go somewhere else for my hot bowl of ramen on a cold day. I am not a huge fan of Ramenya's hot ramen, gyoza or rice dishes, although I have some dissenters who have yet to be bitten by the Shinsegumi bug. If I get really desperate for ramen and don't want to drive all the way to Gardena, Santouka at the Mitsuwa Market in Venice is an acceptable option as it is nearby on the west side (will review separately). But when it's hitting 90 degrees (sorry to the Sun Devils in AZ), there is only one place to go for this almost guilt-free indulgence (because of the sheer amount of noodles, I tend to feel a bit overstuffed afterwards, so I have learned to set aside some noodles before mixing).



One curious thing is that Ramenya insists on making this coveted dish "seasonal," as if LA had real seasons! The stubborn restaurant refuses to serve the dish before April and after November or so, which keeps groupies like us calling them and asking with full anticipation, "are you serving it yet?" I think most, if not all, of the ingredients could be found during the cold winter days in LA. We sometimes casually ask the wait staff if there may be a remote possibility of making it a year-round item on the menu, to no avail. I guess they're set on serving it as a seasonal dish.

It's fairly small and gets pretty crowded during the lunch rush on weekends but it's also a quick turnover. Grab a Japanese fashion magazine -- or your favorite manga -- neatly stored on the bookcases lined up by the counter and check out those designer duds while you wait.

Ramenya recently opened a spinoff restaurant nearby serving Korean dishes such as soft tofu soups (soondoobu) and rice mixed with vegetables (bibimbab), but I have not yet tried it. The name of the new place escapes me, although I do recall Ramenya posting ads on the opening all over its restaurant.

Bun Appetit

I was glad to hear that my first review made some mouths water all the way in England as well as in Canada. Well, this one isn't exactly a favorite, but for West L.A., it's all we've got. Pho and Bun, that is. Welcome to Le Saigon, where the Pho is a tad watered-down and Bun (pictured left) is merely acceptable. Although I have only tried the different varieties of beef Pho here, I usually don't venture ordering it unless I am sick and really desperate for some piping hot liquid to soothe me over. What I do go for is the Bun Thit-Tom Nuong, or "rice vermicelli with charbroiled sliced beef (or choice of pork, chicken, tofu, spring rolls or shrimp)," as the menu states. I am a huge fan of Bun because it's so refreshing and reasonably healthy -- a panoply of veggies, meat and spice, all of which I love. Le Saigon's version is good for the area but if I wanted the real deal, I would probably go where the largest concentration of Vietnamese Americans live in the U.S. -- Little Saigon in Orange County -- or a closer alternative where a smaller segment live in San Gabriel Valley toward the east.



Going back to Le Saigon (not Little Saigon) and its Bun, it makes for a decent quick meal at $7.50 a pop. Some critics have expressed outrage at how "overpriced" the Pho and Bun are compared to restaurants not located in West L.A.. They have to pay the rent. Besides, how much are people paying for the fancy grilled cheese sandwich at Campanile? I appreciate a gourmet sandwich just as much as the next gourmand, but $14 for a grilled cheese sandwich? (I will not hesitate, however, to pay $15+ for a mean burger grilled to medium-rare perfection. But as someone said, that's another post.)



What could be better about Le Saigon? The charbroiled sliced beef could be more tender and the marinade more flavorful, but I go back to my trusty old red chili sauce (I don't know what the sauce other than Shiracha is called) to make up for it. Otherwise, it is a good mix of sprouts, shredded lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, mint and thin rice noodles sprinkled with crushed peanuts -- all swimming in a pool of slightly sweet sauce spiced with the red sauce. The menu calls it a "dry noodle salad," but it is neither dry nor a salad (discuss). My friend had the Bun that comes with beef and two tiny imperial rolls, but I think the deep-fried spring rolls are odd because they get slightly soggy once we pour the sauce or "dressing."



I usually order Goi Cuon (pictured above), the fresh spring rolls, as an appetizer. Because the steamed pork is not that great at Le Saigon, I get it with steamed tofu and shrimp instead. Make sure you add plenty of Shiracha to the peanut sauce.

Although I haven't tried all of them, I would not recommend the other things on the menu, like rice dishes and salads, based on what I have tried. Stick to the basics.



Another thing is that the tap water they serve tastes bad, so unless you really don't want to pay for a drink, I would invest in bottled water or Vietnamese coffee (or the curious-sounding Grass Jelly Drink, as the menu states) I usually never buy bottled water at restaurants but I do when I go here. Service is friendly and fast. Decor is nothing to write home about. It's also cash only and has limited seating so avoid peak hours or large parties. It's closed Mondays.

I hope to explore more of San Gabriel Valley and Little Saigon to search for the perfect Bun as well as more complex regional dishes not found in Le Saigon. Stay tuned!