(Porkless) Chicken Ramen, Chicharron and Yakitori at Sumiya in Santa Clara

[Melanie Wong]

The new and improved Sumiya re-located and opened in Santa Clara about a year ago after a fire. Now open seven days a week, it started serving lunch a few months ago with an expanded menu of ramen offerings. So far I’ve tried the miso and shio stocks. Both variations are based on chicken stock without the addition of pork. I’m highlighting this for those who’ve asked about non-pork ramen options. I can recommend these two well-crafted, pork-free ramen offerings at Sumiya.

Tori miso ramen, $8 – Two weeks ago I stopped in to order chicken miso ramen for lunch. The noodles were better this time, cooked firm without having to make a special request. Crinkly and bouncy with a texture reminiscent of HK-style thin soup noodles, these had a nice springiness on the tongue. A small dollop of ground chicken blended with cashew and miso paste and buried under julienned scallions was the only visible meat topping and seemed rather skimpy. Other toppings included Korean red chili threads, marinated bamboo shoots, and a couple slices of psychedelic fish cake. However, the tasty stock more than made up for this spareness. Deep mahogany in color and relatively fat-free, the soup’s flavor spectrum ranged from roast chicken to salty miso richness, then toasted nuts and garlic, and circled back to minerally chicken bones, shoyu and roasted vegetables. While a pork-based stock might be deeper, this intensely umami, lighter version should satisfy any ramen craving.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4350082551/
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Shio ramen (salt flavor noodles), $7 – This was the last dish, added on to end a bountiful dinner of items from the grill. Focused, crystalline clean flavors and the light step of well-made chicken stock were just the ticket for washing down the salt and smoke. Melting part of the pat of butter (didn’t add all of it) served on the side provided extra roundness and richness. Lightly marinated bamboo shoots, a slice of fish cake and a scatter of scallions were the only other toppings. The ramen noodles softened too quickly, but we still loved the cleansing qualities of this perfectly salted, delicately constructed chicken soup.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4348438450/

At this point, the lunch menu offers noodle and donburi combinations. The yakitori grilled dishes are not available at lunch time, but bento boxes are promised soon.

Dishes ordered so far from the dinner menu:

Crispy chicken skin dip (crispy chicken skin with octopus salsa dip), $6 – My favorite here, what’s not to love about crispy chicken skin? A playful homage to Mexican chips and salsa, the ultra-crackly chicken skin “chips” were seasoned with a scatter of sea salt and tiny snipped chives. We’re still trying to figure out how these golden brown chicken chicharrones cook so evenly and stay flat like this. The well-balanced “salsa” with chewy bits of octopus was so delicious as an accompaniment, and in August, featured sweetly ripe tomatoes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4347708021/

Kurobuta sausage links (five grilled Berkshire natural pork sausages with sauerkraut and Dijon mustard), $5 – Another West-looking prep, the finely ground meat in these Berkshire pork tubes was rather hot dog like. Nice snap of the natural casing, deliciously complex heritage porkiness, and great job of grilling with smoky char. I loved the sauerkraut and mustard accompaniments and would gladly take these kurobuta sausages over a Top Dog any day. If I remember correctly, these juicy links might be housemade.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4347708019/

Grilled gyutan (beef tongue), $2.50 – A bit on the tough side, but good smokiness from the bincho tan charcoal grill.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4347708015/

Teba shio (salted chicken wings), $3 – Salt minimalism in the seasoning showed-off the unadorned taste of the succulent chicken and griller’s skill so well. Classic.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4347708013/

Ponzu and green onion kalbi (Kobe style beef), $3 – A little overdone.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4347708011/

Tsukune (sauced chicken meatballs), $2 – Our one example with the sauce here, and it’s a goodie, more savory and less sweet than anticipated. Juicy meatballs kissed by the bincho tan grill.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4348438458/

Butabara (pork belly meat), $2.50 – Direct flavor of just charry, fat-striated bacon cut pork seasoned with salt, a bit too chewy for my brother’s taste.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4348438456/

Salt hiza nankotsu (chicken knee cartilage), $2.50 – Not quite sure what to think about our first experience with knee cartilage yakitori. While I’ve always loved that yellow, fatty nubbin (what’s it called anyway?), the white part of the joint was unpleasantly crunchy, sharp, and almost painful to chew on.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4348438454/

Panna cotta-like dessert – Nice texture, lightly sweet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniew...

Lastly, Sumiya earns slot #11 on the ramen rankings based on the high quality of the tori miso ramen.

PERSONAL RAMEN RANKING
1. Ramen Halu, 375 Saratoga Ave Ste M, San Jose
2. Santouka @ Mitsuwa Hokkaido Festival, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
3. Santa, 805 S B St, San Mateo (pre-move)
4. Himawari, 202 2nd Ave, San Mateo
5. Maru Ichi, 368 Castro St, Mountain View
6. Izakaya Mai, 212 2nd Avenue, San Mateo
7. Ajisen Noodle, 47890 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont
8. Ryowa, 859 Villa St, Mountain View
9. Tanto, 1063 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
10. Do-Henkotsu House of Tokushima Ramen, 4330 Moorpark Ave, San Jose (closed)
11. Sumiya, 2634 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara
12.Gen Ramen, 47890 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont (closed
)13.Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Dr, Rohnert Park
14.Izakaya Restaurant, 1335 N 1st St, San Jose
15.BY Grill, 3226 Geary Blvd, San Francisco (closed)
16.Norikonoko, 2556 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley
17.Hana, 4320 Moorpark, San Jose
18.Dohatsuten, 799 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto
19.Katanaya, 430 Geary Blvd., San Francisco
20.Masa's Sushi, 400 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
21.Gochi, 19980 Homestead Rd, Cupertino
22.Oyaji, 3123 Clement St, San Francisco
23.Halu Restaurant, 312 8th Ave, San Francisco
24.Sanmi, 3226 Geary Blvd, San Francisco
25.Maru Ichi, 530 Barber Lane, Milpitas
26.Hatcho, 1271 Franklin Mall, Santa Clara
27.Kahoo, 4330 Moorpark Ave, San Jose
28.Tomoe, 810 3rd St, San Rafael (closed)
29.Ringer Hut, 1072 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
30.Noodle Theory, 3242 Scott St, San Francisco
31.Watami Shabu Shabu and Ramen, 5344 Geary Blvd, San Francisco (closed)
32.Where’s Buta by Elgin Espiritu and June Lee, Eat Real Festival, Oakland
33.Kumako, 211 E. Jackson Street, San Jose
34.Japanese Restaurant Hoshi, 246 Saratoga Avenue, Santa Clara
35.Ramen Club, 723 California Dr, Burlingame
36.Ryowa, 2068 University Ave, Berkeley (after ownership change)
37.King Won Ton, 1936 Irving St, San Francisco
38.Tazaki Sushi, 3420 Judah St, San Francisco
39.Ramen Rama, 19774 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino (closed)
40.Ogi-San Ramen, 10789 Blaney Ave, Cupertino (closed)
41.Kaimuki Grill, 104 S El Camino Real, San Mateo
42.Tanto, 1306 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
43.Okazu Ya SF (Noriega), 2445 Noriega St, San Francisco
44.King's Garden Ramen, 39055 Cedar Blvd, Newark (closed)
45.Sushi Bistro, 445 Balboa St, San Francisco
46.Genki Ramen, 3944 Geary Blvd, San Francisco
47.Mitsuwa Hokkaido festival booth, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
48.Lakuni, 325 E 4th Ave, San Mateo
49.100% Healthy Desserts, 1155 Taraval St., San Francisco
50.Mifune, 1737 Post St, San Francisco
51.H2A Noodle, 42318 Fremont Blvd., Fremont (closed)
52.Iroha, 1728 Buchanan St, San Francisco
53.Miraku Noodles, 2131 N Broadway, Walnut Creek
54.Manpuku, 2977 College Ave, Berkeley
55.Tanpopo, 1740 Buchanan Street, San Francisco
56.Sushi Yoshi, 39261 Cedar Blvd, Newark
57.La Shang Niang Ramen (OEC), 42 Dixon Rd, Milpitas
58.Oidon, 71 E. 4th Avenue, San Mateo
59.Taraval Okazu Ya, 1735 Taraval St., San Francisco
60.Suzu Noodle House, 1581 Webster Street, San Francisco
61.Fresh Taste, 2107 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
62.Asuka Ramen, 883 Bush St, San Francisco
63.Sapporo-ya, 1581 Webster St, San Francisco
64.Tokyo Ramen, 678 Barber Lane, Milpitas (closed)
65.Kamakura, 2549 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda
66.Mama-san!, 312 8th Ave, San Francisco (closed)
67.Katana-ya Ramen, 10546 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito
68.Hotei, 1290 9th Ave, San Francisco
69.Bear's Ramen House, 2521 Durant, Berkeley

[Claudette]

A great report as usual, Melanie - thanks! I haven't been there since their move, but will have to put it back on my list.

[Melanie Wong]

You're welcome. There's a $7 shoyu ramen, which I assume is plain like the shio bowl, and also $8 cha shu shoyu ramen with bbq pork.

I was there last night . . . a separate chowdown report to come soon . . . and the dinner menu has expanded with many more choices.