Tadamasa (Japanese ramen) in Union City - It's Good!

[hhc]

First time to Tadamasa for Japanese Ramen, it's Good! It's between Animal Care & Jim's bar on the Blockbuster's side of Alvarado-Niles, East of Decoto Rd.

Got there a bit after 5pm when they open for dinner Sat 8/21/10. Waitress gave us wet towel to wash our hands/face. FREE Garlic edamame - Yummy! Sapporo Ramen - noodles imported from Sapporo.

Go early because it's a small place - only 10 tables (20 chairs) & small bar w/ 7 chairs to watch chefs cook.

I got the Shoyu ramen $8.50 - I huge bowl w/ not a lot of noodles, seaweed, 1 piece of pork, bamboo shoots, vegetables, soft boiled egg. Tasted fine.

B. got Miso ramen $9 - 1 pc pork, some corn, vegetables, noodles, soft boiled egg, in a spicy broth. Extra bamboo shoots .75c

B. got a imported beer $3.5

Subtotal $21.75 + tax 1.78 = $23.53 before tip. Credit cards accepted.

One unisex bathroom in the back. 3 hooks along the wall w/ huge mirror.

FREE Sports J (Japanese newspaper) & Tri-City Voice available.

Tadamasa
34672 Alvarado Niles Rd @ Decoto
Union City, CA 94587
510-475-8600

Closed Mon
Tues-Sun 11:30-2; 5-9

[Melanie Wong]

Thanks for posting. I had noticed the ramen sign when I stopped by the Teochew-Burmese bakery a few doors down last month. At the time I figured it was just another ramen poseur and didn’t bother to investigate. I returned on Monday, figuring that in the sweltering heat I’d have the place to myself. That was pretty much so. I was pleased to find that Tadamasa is Japanese-owned and operated. I liked the family-run feeling.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4931021445/

The complimentary garlic edamame are quickly stir-fried in the wok and served hot. I liked them very much even if they’re messy to handle. Soon I figured out that the best way to tackle them was to pick up a pod with chopsticks, pop one end in the mouth, and then work out the soybeans between the teeth.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4931021441/

Since the miso and soy stocks have been reported, I went for the Shio Sapporo-style ramen, $8.50. The broth was quite light with only moderate intensity of chicken flavor, far less than Sumiya’s delicious chicken stock. Quite clean, well-skimmed of fat and refreshing, the chicken broth needed more salt . . . kind of a non-starter for “shio” that means “salt flavor”. The silky noodles, imported from Japan as noted above, had a firmish texture holding up well in the hot broth.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4931021439/

Only one slice of roast pork, yet it was tender and moderately marbled. The plain jane meat was barely seasoned. This seemed to fit in with the style here of simple, unadulturated, natural taste. Some bits of ground pork boosted the meatiness quotient.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniewong/4931021435/

The soft-cooked, marinated half-egg had a jellied yolk that was a little more towards set rather than runny. Nicely done, and this offered up the bit of salty punch I craved to break up the monotony. Lots of wakame, seasoned bamboo shoots, toasty nori, chopped onions, as well, but far too much bean sprouts entangled every mouthful of noodles.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melaniew...

This bowl struck me as something that Weight Watchers could consume with little guilt or point sacrifice. The non-fatty, clean, fresh flavors and noodle quality make it worth trying if one is in the area. Tadamasa’s shio ramen was not as satisfying as some other that make a lighter style, such as Himawari or Sumiya. Based on this bowl, Tadamas enters the ramen ranking at #26.

PERSONAL RAMEN RANKING
1. Ramen Halu, 375 Saratoga Ave Ste M, San Jose
2. Santouka @ Mitsuwa Hokkaido Festival, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
3. Himawari, 202 2nd Ave, San Mateo
4. Orenchi Ramen, 3540 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara
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. Alexander’s Steakhouse Lounge, 10330 N Wolfe Rd, Cupertino
9. Orson Restaurant Bar + Lounge, 508 4th St, San Francisco
10. Ramen Dojo, 805 South B St, San Mateo
11. Ryowa, 859 Villa St, Mountain View
12. Tanto, 1063 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
13. Santa, 1944 South El Camino Real, San Mateo (post-move)
14. Do-Henkotsu House of Tokushima Ramen, 4330 Moorpark Ave, San Jose (closed)
15. Sumiya, 2634 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara
16.Gen Ramen, 47890 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont (closed)
17.Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Dr, Rohnert Park
18.Izakaya Restaurant, 1335 N 1st St, San Jose
19.BY Grill, 3226 Geary Blvd, San Francisco (closed)
20.Norikonoko, 2556 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley
21.Dohatsuten, 799 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto
22.Hana, 4320 Moorpark, San Jose
23.Ozumo, 2251 Broadway, Oakland
24.Muracci’s, 244 State St, Los Altos
25.Katanaya, 430 Geary Blvd., San Francisco
26.Tadamasa, 34672 Alvarado Niles Road, Union City
27.Masa's Sushi, 400 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
28.Nombe, 2491 Mission St, San Francisco
29.Gochi, 19980 Homestead Rd, Cupertino
30.Oyaji, 3123 Clement St, San Francisco
31.Halu Restaurant, 312 8th Ave, San Francisco
32.Sanmi, 3226 Geary Blvd, San Francisco
33.Maru Ichi, 530 Barber Lane, Milpitas
34.Hatcho, 1271 Franklin Mall, Santa Clara
35.Kahoo, 4330 Moorpark Ave, San Jose
36.Tomoe, 810 3rd St, San Rafael (closed)
37.Ringer Hut, 1072 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
38.Noodle Theory, 3242 Scott St, San Francisco
39.Watami Shabu Shabu and Ramen, 5344 Geary Blvd, San Francisco (closed)
40.Where’s Buta by Elgin Espiritu and June Lee, Eat Real Festival, Oakland
41.Kumako, 211 E. Jackson Street, San Jose
42.Japanese Restaurant Hoshi, 246 Saratoga Avenue, Santa Clara
43.Ramen Club, 723 California Dr, Burlingame
44.Ryowa, 2068 University Ave, Berkeley (after ownership change)
45.King Won Ton, 1936 Irving St, San Francisco
46.Tazaki Sushi, 3420 Judah St, San Francisco
47.Ramen Rama, 19774 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino (closed)
48.Ogi-San Ramen, 10789 Blaney Ave, Cupertino (closed)
49.Kaimuki Grill, 104 S El Camino Real, San Mateo (closed)
50.Tanto, 1306 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
51.Okazu Ya SF (Noriega), 2445 Noriega St, San Francisco
52.King's Garden Ramen, 39055 Cedar Blvd, Newark (closed)
53.Sushi Bistro, 445 Balboa St, San Francisco
54.Genki Ramen, 3944 Geary Blvd, San Francisco
55.Mitsuwa Hokkaido festival booth, 675 Saratoga Ave, San Jose
56.Lakuni, 325 E 4th Ave, San Mateo
57.100% Healthy Desserts, 1155 Taraval St., San Francisco
58.Mifune, 1737 Post St, San Francisco
59.H2A Noodle, 42318 Fremont Blvd., Fremont (closed)
60.Iroha, 1728 Buchanan St, San Francisco
61.Miraku Noodles, 2131 N Broadway, Walnut Creek
62.Manpuku, 2977 College Ave, Berkeley
63.Tanpopo, 1740 Buchanan Street, San Francisco
64.Sushi Yoshi, 39261 Cedar Blvd, Newark
65.La Shang Niang Ramen (OEC), 42 Dixon Rd, Milpitas
66.Oidon, 71 E. 4th Avenue, San Mateo
67.Taraval Okazu Ya, 1735 Taraval St., San Francisco
68.Suzu Noodle House, 1581 Webster Street, San Francisco
69.Bushido Izakaya, 156 Castro St, Mountain View
70.Fresh Taste, 2107 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
71.Asuka Ramen, 883 Bush St, San Francisco
72.Sapporo-ya, 1581 Webster St, San Francisco
73.Tokyo Ramen, 678 Barber Lane, Milpitas (closed)
74.Kamakura, 2549 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda
75.Mama-san!, 312 8th Ave, San Francisco (closed)
76.Katana-ya Ramen, 10546 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito
77.Hotei, 1290 9th Ave, San Francisco
78.Bear's Ramen House, 2521 Durant, Berkeley

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Tadamasa
34672 Alvarado Niles Rd, Union City, CA 94587

[achefsbest]

Wow, great and extensive ramen house list. I've been reading David Chang's Momofuku cookbook and have been wanting noodles.

Do you know, by any chance, if the ramen houses in your top 10 make their own noodles?

[Melanie Wong]

Welcome to Chowhound! Orson's noodles are housemade. Ryowa in Mountain View (#11) has a handmade noodle, but you have to ask for it and pay an upcharge. Ramen Halu's various noodles are made to its spec in San Jose somewhere.

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Ramen Halu
375 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129

Ryowa
859 Villa St, Mountain View, CA 94041

[achefsbest]

Great, thanks for the answer and welcome. I have to plan a visit to one of these places in San Jose.

[Melanie Wong]

And I forgot that Maru Ichi also makes noodles in-house. The machine is in the front window.

[drewskiSF]

the Ryowa in Berkeley no longer offers the handmade noodle option. maybe the ownership change?

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Ryowa
2068 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

[Melanie Wong]

I went to Ryowa in Berkeley not too long after the ownership change a couple years ago and it still had the handmade noodles. I haven't been back since but subsequently others have reported that this option is no longer available. Don't know why.

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Ryowa
2068 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

[eatzalot]

FYI Melanie, on the strength only of experience with Ramen House Ryowa (MV) and the former joint ownership, I referred some Berkeley native friends to the now-unaffiliated Berkeley location fairly recently -- one of them is a very experienced ramen-house expert and seeker (and regular reader of yours). They reported Forget It. (Maybe I should have mentioned it here at the time.)

NB, I wonder if you've tried Ryowa (MV)'s tsukemen plate, or the hiyashi chuka that they introduced this past summer? Both employ different, wider, translucent noodles and I wonder if the tsukemen's noodles at least might routinely be homemade. At Maruichi, the noodle maker also is the manager. Different recipes are used for fresh noodles in different soups there, and of course some of Maru Ichi's secondary noodle types (soba, udon) are brought in.

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Ryowa
2068 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704

Ryowa
859 Villa St, Mountain View, CA 94041

Maru Ichi Restaurant
368 Castro St, Mountain View, CA 94041

[Melanie Wong]

Ryowa in Mountain View has offered hiyashi chuka for several years, but it is a warm-weather only offering. I had it recently and need to post about it.

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Ryowa
859 Villa St, Mountain View, CA 94041

[hhc]

Melanie, anything to report on that Teochew-Burmese bakery?

Went to dinner at Tadamasa again - curry ramen $10 is not very good. Curry was poured over ramen, but then it was very water like they added broth to it. Only about 4 tiny pieces of chicken meat in the curry sauce.

Hot tea is FREE if you ask for it. I wonder if I could have gotten a second helping of the garlic edamame.

B. got an order of fried calamari - he liked the panko part, but thought the calamari was too rubbery, only 1 pc he thought was good.

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Tadamasa
34672 Alvarado Niles Rd, Union City, CA 94587

[Melanie Wong]

Yes, soon.

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Donut Delight Oriental Pastries
34554 Alvarado Niles Rd, Union City, CA 94587

[hhc]

Went for dinner on Wed 12/28/11 and I was one of 2 tables at 5:30pm. That was great. I got the Garlic Edamame $2 - I love them.
Also got a bowl of Sapporo Shoyu Ramen $9.25 - requested no bean sprouts - I don't like them. Comes with veggie, some pork, some noodles, soup, soft boiled egg. Liked it fine.

Now they have Kara shio spicy $9.5 - will have to try another time
Coconut miso ramen $9.50 - wanted, but waitress said it comes w/ bean sprouts & no other veggie. Should have still gotten that.

My total $12.29 before tip. Charged it.

One unisex bathroom in the back. 3 hooks along the wall w/ huge mirror.

FREE Sports J (Japanese newspaper) & Tri-City Voice available.

Closed Mon
Tues-Sun 11:30-2; 5-9

[hhc]

3rd visit. No more FREE garlic edamame. Now if you want edamame it's $2!

Tried the gyoza 6 for $6! They were thin, some meat & garlic. Just ok.

I got the Shoyu ramen $9.25 (Prices went UP!) - I huge bowl w/ not a lot of noodles, seaweed, 1 piece of pork, bamboo shoots, vegetables, soft boiled egg. Tasted fine.

B. got Kara Shoyu Ramen aka Spicy ramen $9.75 - He liked it ok, but he thought the Miso ramen is better. He asked for extra bamboo - extra .75c

Our total was $28.26 before tip. Credit cards taken.

[ankimo]

aww the free garlic edamame was the best part!

[Tripeler]

If it is fresh (not frozen) edamame, then there is a very delicate flavor and texture that would likely be ruined by garlic.

[drewskiSF]

they still have the garlic edamame. giving it free was a Grand Opening special.