Santouka Ramen @ Los Angeles

SANTOUKA is the best ramen ever. Legit. Hands down. I've been to a few of the "best" ramen places and this is the one place I'm still dreaming about. When I went to Ippudo, I thought it was great. Then I went to Totto Ramen, which was better. I've had Tanpopo in SF, and that was just ok. I have yet to try Daikokuya in Little Tokyo, LA but I will.

Santouka is inside the Japanese supermarket, and at first I was confused. I was disappointed, I mean how great can a ramen joint be if it doesn't have its own store front. I was wrong. I walked in and while there were other food joints, Santouka was the only one that had so many people slurping their noodles. I knew that we went to the right place.

The ramen was delicious. Everything about it was perfect, from the broth, to the noodles, to the chasu, to even the other little toppings. I loved my broth, it was so flavorful and definitely stewed for hours if not days. They really use the finest and freshest ingredients. I loved the chasu too, especially mine - I got the special that uses pork cheek. Heaven! It was the perfect ratio of lean to fattyness. I may go back in a day or two because I'm having a major craving now. I can't even describe the delicious experience I had with my bowl of ramen.

 Salt Ramen

doesn't it just look like a perfect bowl of yummyness?

Small Bowl of Pork Belly and Rice

so if you order the combo set, you get a bowl of ramen, a small bowl of rice with your choice of topping and a soy-sauce egg.  

I got the special ramen - miso flavor broth. The noodles and broth were in one bowl, and the toppings were on a separate plate, which I then proceeded to just throw it all in. Of course I tasted the broth first, and wow. It was quite the experience. My taste buds exploded! 

 Chasu via pork cheek, wood ear mushroom, green onion and bamboo shoots

all slopped together!