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.

Hot Off the Grill in Tehrangeles

Angelenos on the West Side are fortunate enough to have Tehrangeles, that enclave of Little Iran where stores sell books in Farsi and ice-cream parlors have saffron or rosewater ice-cream that some naysayers say tastes like soap (but I like). I finally ventured to Shamshiri Grill after frequenting Shahrzad a few doors away for years. I couldn't resist the fresh-out-of-the-oven breads at Shahrzad that came with butter that I would bury between breads to melt and later spread on the slightly toasted bread (not sure what this bread is called but it's a type of flat bread like nan). I would always have to pace myself since the pending koobideh portions were quite massive. I'm glad I tried Shamshiri. Its fish kebab (pictured above) was excellent and lamb shank fantastic. The fish was sea bass, I think, and very fresh. It came with herb rice, a nice variation from the standard saffron basmati rice. We can't forget the usual accompaniments of perfectly charred tomato, green pepper and onion. It's grilled right in front of you in the kitchen that's separated from patrons by glass. Seeing rows of tomatoes and peppers on huge metal skewers on the grill only add to the anticipation when waiting for our food.

Fortunately, my eating partner had ordered some baba ghanoush as a starter so we dipped away with the bread. I liked that the fish kebab came with a choice of tabuli or a cucumber and tomato salad called shirazi (pictured below) that was very refreshing. The mint and tang in the vinegary dressing was a good counterbalance to the meats, although the fish was definitely lighter than the lamb shank dish (Shirin Polo, which came rice mixed with slivered almonds, pistachios and orange peel that added sweetness -- delicious).

I also tried the bamieh (pictured below), which is a stew with okra, onions, potatoes and mushrooms in a saffron tomato sauce. Buried inside the red mass of goodies was a sizable chunk of lamb shank, just like the Afghan treasure I had in Tempe, AZ. As you may know, I'm a huge fan of Persian cuisine. So much, in fact, that I made a Persian feast with my cooking buddy for the Persian New Year. I will keep on cooking but in the meantime, I'll be stopping by these neighborhood joints that have the kind of atmosphere you only get around the Westwood Blvd. stretch between Wilshire and Santa Monica/Olympic. Service was also very good and one order could easily last at least two subsequent meals because of the portions.


Shamshiri Grill
1712 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 474-1410

What Will It Take to Find a Good Hot Dog?

Must report another hot dog dud: The Stand. I had heard good things about its Encino location and went to the Westwood one that recently opened with some expectations. Alas, the hot dog was so mediocre I would venture to say even the street vendor hot dogs in New York were better.

First of all, many of the dogs were steamed rather than grilled unless requested (if you didn't know this was the case, server didn't ask you either). Then the dogs themselves had no flavor whatsoever. There were many options for types of dogs and toppings but they all paled in comparison to my favorite dog place of all time.

The sauerkraut was not at all juicy and tasted totally bland. I truly don't understand those that rave about this place. Don't even try anything else on the menu. We tried the burger and it was awful. The Stand even has steep discount nights but that isn't going to lure me. I'm saddened that I may have to travel to Hollywood or some other farther away spot to sample a good dog. I just watched "Hot Dog Paradise" on the Travel Channel and boy, did that make me want to visit Chicago.

The search definitely continues...

How timely of the LA Times to do a feature and ranking of best dogs in LA, although two of my duds, including The Stand, are on the list. I will try the other ones on the list with some skepticism and report back.

From Beirut with Love: Care for a Kefta?

I've never had Lebanese food until as luck would have it, I ended up living very close to a Lebanese restaurant -- and a good one at that. Sunnin Cafe is a great neighborhood haunt -- it's affordable, has reasonably healthy and good-tasting food and is a family-run hole in the wall.

Walk in to Sunnin on a Saturday morning and you'll see delectably plumb eggplants crowded onto the grill, getting prepared to let out all their great smoky flavors.

My favorite appetizers are rekakat, which are rolls made out of filo dough stuffed with feta cheese, onions and parsley; spicy potatoes flavored with cilantro, garlic and spices; and babaganouj, the always-popular grilled eggplant dip.



The falafels aren't bad but what I really like is the refreshing "Lebanese salad" that comes with most entrees. The salad, consisting of chopped romaine lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes, is dressed with a super light combination of oil, lemon and parsley. There may well be some other secret ingredient that I don't know about, but these are the ingredients I can taste.

The salad almost makes the other deep-fried appetizers guilt-free. Bite into a rekakat and the crispy filo dough comes crumbling down, only to find a burst of creamy feta goodness inside. Because it is rather strong, I wouldn't want to have more than one rekakat. One is enough to awaken your appetite and have you look forward to the main dish.



I am partial to the spicy kefta, which is grilled skewers of ground beef with chopped onions, parsley and spices, baked in a spicy tomato sauce. Despite its moniker, it's not overly spicy and the fluffy rice mixed with short strands of brown noodle-like garnishes is the perfect accompaniment. If you fancy some balance to the tomato-y sauce, top it off with some yogurt salad, which is a mix of yogurt and cucumber slices seasoned with garlic and mint.

If I'm feeling like something a tad healthier, I get the chicken kebab, a plate of grilled chicken skewers that comes with the Lebanese salad and the same rice. I generally avoid chicken skewers for fear of being disappointed by dry blobs of chicken breast, but Sunnin's are moist and juicy with just the right hint of the burnt grilled flavor on the edges of the chicken cubes.



I consider the spicy potatoes to be a side more than an appetizer, as I like to have the cilantro-tinged potatoes -- that have been deep-fried and smothered in garlic and other spices -- in between bites of the spicy kefta, rather than before. The potatoes could be a little less oily, but the chopped fresh cilantro adds a slightly citrus-like flavor that make the potatoes taste less heavy.

As for the babaganouj, what's not to like? I will say, however, that I prefer the mutabbal, the Armenian equivalent, at Zankou from my previous posting.

My companion is a fan of sfiha, baked dumplings stuffed with ground beef, tomatoes, onions and pine nuts, but I find the dough of the dumplings, well, too doughy. If you must try one of these, I recommend fatayer, which is a vegetarian one with spinach, onions and pine nuts that is a bit less doughy. The tabouleh salad, burgul with tomatoes, onions, parsley and lemon juice, is another favorite of my usual dinner companion because of its refreshing qualities. I can live without it.



I didn't care for the various sausage varieties touted by the friendly owner, the mousakaa despite my love of eggplant, or that Mediterranean favorite, grape leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables, which are called warak enab.

For on-the-go lunch-seekers, most of the entrees can be had in a pita as a sandwich with the notable exception of the spicy kefta.

There is also a Long Beach branch.

Sunnin Cafe
1779 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 477-2358

Eating Healthy at a Westwood Greasy Spoon

I'm on a roll with comfort food. Next up, we head to our trusty ol' brunch destination, the no-frills, 50's-themed greasy spoon where portions are decidedly huge and atmosphere student-friendly: Headlines Diner & Press Club, aka. Headlines. Unless you're a truck-driver or a college student with a voracious appetite and sky-high metabolism, one order of the omelet should be enough to feed two.

My favorite omelet is the healthy omelet, which isn't that healthy save for the fact that it has vegetables. It also has optional cheese that I gladly opt for.



I like that a host of chopped green bell peppers, zucchini, onions, tomatoes and avocados are fully integrated into the omelet with the cheese holding everything together. Too often I have encountered omelets where the egg is separate from the filling like a pocket and everything falls out when I lift to eat it. Believe it or not, it's pretty rare to see such well-integrated omelets, even in fancy establishments.

The omelet comes with a choice of toast or English muffin and hash browns or fruit. I usually get the wheat toast and hash browns (I can only do so much healthy). It's hard to resist the tempting pile of potatoes stacked on the griddle in the open kitchen, in plain view of customers sitting on the counter nursing their coffee. The hash browns aren't exactly the thinly-shredded-and-cooked-to-brown-perfection kind I am partial to, but they still have some brown bits and more importantly, are hearty.



If you're not a butter and jam person, extract chunks of the avocado from the omelet and spread them on your crunchy wheat toast and sprinkle with some salt. It's healthier (yes, it's a theme) and so much more flavorful! In Chile, people spread palta, or avocado, on bread all the time, not to mention hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.

I have tried other omelets but this one is my favorite. I have also tried the breakfast burrito, which come in two's and are appropriate if you're desperate but inappropriate if you're heading to East LA or Orange County, where you can get a better one for a fraction of the price.



One thing I didn't have this day but highly recommend are the classic diner fare -- curly fries. It's spicy, crispy and plentiful. What's not to like? My companions were also seduced by the inviting look of the fries on somebody else's plate. While you're at it, you may as well try the fish and chips, which are surprisingly good. Sure, Headlines is no Irish pub. But it's decent. I wouldn't get the burger, however, which was not that different from Fatburger across the street.

It gets crowded on weekends, so come before 11am and you'll be ok. I can't speak for its coffee, but I always order Naked Juice OJ, which is good enough for me. So visit your friendly neighborhood diner, sit on the counter and devour that massive omelet. Occasionally, you'll sit next to hung over kids or extremely loud kids, but they're generally innocuous. Besides, it's owned by Koreans so we support the peeps and it's run by the super-efficient and friendly Mendez brothers, who have worked there for years and love soccer.