68012 Tue Mar 29 19:25:20 -0800 2005 9 2 Los Angeles Area 0 369440 I've got a friend coming to town who is a huge ramen fan. I'm trying to find some good ramen houses in LA to bring her to. In the past, Daikokuya and Orochon in Little Tokyo and Asahi Ramen on Sawtelle have been big hits. Are there any other places that I have overlooked? Unfortunately, I can't make it down to Costa Mesa to see the "Ramen Wars", so LA only, please... Tue Mar 29 19:25:20 -0800 2005 0 rastan 1 369446 You've already been to some of the best. Two other places that get lots of praise around here are Shinsengumi in Gardena (if that's within your geographical boundaries) and my own favorite, Ramen-ya on Olympic about 4 blocks west of Sawtelle (where the wonderful chashu is the biggest attraction). Here is a link to one of many recent ramen threads, this one focused on the relative merits of the various Sawtelle-area ramen places: http://www.chowhound.com/california/boards/losangeles/messages/141872.html Tue Mar 29 19:41:01 -0800 2005 369440 0 PayOrPlay 2 369451 Agree on RAMEN-YA, further agree on the chashumen---they must stick an entire pork roast in there. Cash only, south side of street. Storefront is easy to miss, so look carefully. Ramenya (310) 575-9337 11555 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90064 Tue Mar 29 19:50:51 -0800 2005 369446 0 rabo encendido 3 369458 Must chime in, as I was the op for the ramen chain earlier. Based on the recs given to me, I went to Ramenya and tried the same dish - Mabo ramen (tofu, ground pork, spicy sauce) - that I always have at Asahi. Personally, and given everyone has different tastes, I much prefer Asahi's version. It was a bit spicier, lots of scallions, and a really sharp clean taste. I though Ramenya's rendition, which was made with black beans (I think) rather than scallion, tasted over-salty and heavy. Too dense. More like a stew than a soup. Plus, Asahi has a much nicer atmosphere. I have also read decent reviews of Kinchan on Sawtelle, but have not yet gone. Tue Mar 29 20:07:51 -0800 2005 369451 0 Sasha 4 369518 I also searched for the "Tampopo" experience when I moved to Los Angeles. The closest in quality and certainly in environment is Kotohira in Gardena. Absolutely fantastic ramen and udon made fresh in the restaurant. It is located in a center directly next to a good bakery and coffee shop. The bakery is perfect for an after dinner sweet snack. Wed Mar 30 12:15:04 -0800 2005 369458 0 Krusty Jonez 5 369520 If Kotohira started to make ramen, that would be revelatory news. Can anyone confirm this? They are specialist with udon, and maybe soba, but this is the first time I've heard anything about ramen there. Wed Mar 30 12:29:51 -0800 2005 369518 0 Eric Eto 3 369914 Mmm, I love the Ajo-ramen at Ramenya. So much garlicky goodness. And it is actually on the north side of the street next to FRAME 2000. Last night I introduced a friend to Shin Sen Gumi (2015 W. Redondo Beach Blvd Suite C) in Gardena since I raved about the ramen there. After that dinner, he saw why I was so passionate about that place. Fri Apr 01 01:54:30 -0800 2005 369451 0 Tru like tru dat 4 369955 Yes, sorry. Ramen-ya is on the NORTH side of street. Thanks, tru. Fri Apr 01 12:43:44 -0800 2005 369914 0 rabo encendido 1 369456 If you can head to the South Bay, Tampopo in Gardena and Santoko (sp?) Ramen in Torrance's Mitsuwa are superb. Tue Mar 29 20:07:05 -0800 2005 369440 0 Richard 1 369475 Tampopo Ramen is in the food court at Mitsua Market at Centinela and Venice Blvd. It is my favorite. I did a ramen quest years ago and that is where my personal quest stopped. Don't get fancy. Just get the Tampopo Ramen. Tue Mar 29 22:24:12 -0800 2005 369440 0 Just Larry