The most baffling thing about the Ramen here is that the majority of the shops are not Japanese but Korean owned and operated. Not that you can't get a decent bowl of noodles from non ex-pats but to me it just doesn't taste the same. It's like saying you can get great dim sum from a Korean restaurant. But what do I know.
Let's take a look at a few in no particular order...
Umaido (2 Stars). The spicy level 100 challenge was easily conquered under 5 minutes... And purged under 5 minutes as well. But how's the ramen? It's acceptable, if you're in the area. With gas prices these day, driving 40+ minutes to eat this stuff even with my lifetime 10% discount is just not worth it. Do not get the Gyoza, they are inedible and laughable. But +1 for the hand made noodles. The broth, eh, just pile as much shit in it as you can and think about rainbows and unicorns.
(Umaido - Regular Spicy (not Spicy Level 100))
(Umaido - Plain old prok based Ramen)Miso Izakaya (3 Stars). I'll give them props for making the Tonkotsu broth from scratch and trying to do it the right way. The broth is not there yet but it's a good start. The noodles were passable, it's hard to get/find Ramen noodles that are just right, kinda like the perfect toothy Wonton noodle. And making them by hand is time consuming and difficult to get right. The construction and ingredients are well thought out but a little tweaking wouldn't hurt. But having pretty satisfying Ramen inside the city is a major plus, the sheet of nori is kinda goofy and really serves no purpose in this dish. The baos (steam buns) alone are worthy of a visit, the sushi, not so much. The owner/cooks don't shy away from reinventing the menu which is a good thing for this city. Keep it up.
(Miso Izakaya - Tonkotsu Ramen)Yakitori Jinbei (Not rated). "Once a great champion, now a study in mopphishness." I really liked this Japanese owned restaurant... About 5 years ago. After the owner passed, this place has really gone down hill. I feel sad but it's a business after all and this place just doesn't do it for me anymore. It seems like less and less ex-pats are making their rounds here, even on weekends. After a very lackluster display of Tonkotsu Ramen, my disappointment was amplified 10 folds when I saw the storage room with dozens and dozens of individually wrapped bags of noodles laying around all over the place, some even on the floor. The Yakisoba, a dish that only a few can get right, added insult to injury. Basically, a $13 plate of bland plastic bag noodle nuked for 2 minzies. When the staff finally came around after 10 minutes with me doing ants in the pants in my chair... I paid and high tailed it outta there, STAT. The "young chicken" yakitori and et al was middling at best. Even for a town that's desperate for anything that looks remotely like Ramen, how can anyone take this Ramen seriously anymore? Just save yourself the trouble and make a bag of Maruchan Lime Chili Shrimp Ramen at home. Never again.
(Yakitori Jinbei - Tonkotsu)
(Yakitori Jinbei - Yakisoba)Raku (1 Star). The newest Ramen joint from the fine people of Honey Pig. I like the Korean BBQ at Honey Pig but they should really stick to what they know and that is Korean food. Riding on the Ramen train just to make a quick buck is almost as pathetic as all the burger joints popping up like acne on a 15 year old's mug. The Ramen broth was just ok... Ok, as in scoop, stir and heat. The noodles were plain old stuff from a factory. Nothing exciting but not terrible. Decent enough to get a bite if you're shopping at H-Mart. Maybe in time, they will improve, maybe not.
(Raku - Tonkotsu)Shoya (3 Stars). One of my favorite go to spots for incredible food across the board. I love this place. I've eaten the entire menu at least 3 times around and that's a big menu. The Yakisoba is very good and the Ramen didn't disappoint either. While it might not be the best I've ever had... The Tonkotsu is creamy, flavorful and simply dericious. The noodles may not be hand made but they are toothy and does the trick. The Shoyu broth is a little sweet, tangy and just salty enough but yet light on the palate. When Ramen is good, there's not much else to say except... Burp!
(Shoya - Tonkotsu)
(Shoya - Shoyu)
Sushi Huku (3 Stars). A place that people overlook. They have a bunch of udon and soba, but the only available Ramen is off the menu and only Shoyu style. The broth was clean, flavorful and just the right amount of saltiness... Only if I can find a broad like that then I'll be set. The noodles were on par, not the best and not the worse. The pork was incredibly tender. A very satisfying bowl. On a side note, I order the Ramen as dessert. The Omakase dinner was surprisingly very good, amazing assortment of fish for Atlanta. Definitely, on my top 5 list of good sushi joints.
(Sushi Huku - Shoyu)Haru Ichiban (Not rated). It's been around forever and old age has taken its toll here... While the service has become on par with a school's dining hall, the food is not even fit for students. The service is absolutely oblivious, the kitchen has Alzheimer's, and the Ramen broth was so watery and tasteless it tasted like 3 day old soapy dish water scooped up from the sink. I'm not even gonna get into the noodle, sushi, et al. (No pic, not worth the memory space on my cam).
Of course, there are a few more places that offer Ramen but I'm too full to write anymore... Stay tuned for updates. I'm about to implode.
Squirt.
Squirt.
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