Sydney Kramer: Joe, LA is known for having some of the
best ramen in the US.
Joe: That's what I've heard.
Sydney: We're gonna try it all. We're gonna try tonkatsu.
Joe: No idea.
Sydney: We're gonna try tsukemen.
Joe: Never heard of it.
Sydney: We're gonna try shio.
Joe: Sure. Sydney: Let's do it.
Joe Let's do it.
Sydney: Since Joe and I are somewhat new to Los Angeles,
we called in a ringer.
Meet Mark Hoshi.
He's a former ramen chef and runs Ramen Culture.
His mission is to help people understand
more about the ramen industry as a whole.
Joe: We talked to Mark
and combed through the usual suspects,
like Eater, Yelp, and Instagram,
to find the absolute best ramen in LA.
Sydney: There are endless varieties of ramen,
and we wanted to showcase the wide swath of options
available in our fair city.
Despite the difference in broth and noodles,
we're looking for a few key factors,
which Mark helped break down for us.
Mark Hoshi: So, to make a bowl of ramen,
you need five elements, five components.
Number one: the noodles.
Number two: the soup.
Number three: the soup base.
Number four: the topping.
And number five: the aroma oil.
Ramen has always been innovative.
So, if you live in Tokyo,
or if you live in the northern part in Hokkaido
or southern part in Kishu,
they all have their own version of ramen.
The reason why is
they get different ingredients in different regions.
Ramen doesn't have to be this way or that way.
I feel like it's your bowl.
Joe: Our first stop is Daikokuya,
which has been an LA staple since 2002.
Sydney: It's known for its rich,
pork-based tonkatsu ramen,
and there have been lines out the door since it opened.
Mark: Daikokuya has been around before the ramen craze.
So, people who lived near Tokyo
or people like me who's Japanese,
when you wanted quality ramen,
it was usually Daikokuya.
Customer: I love this place. The ramen, amazing.
Like, it's one of the best places I've been ever been to,
for sure, like, and I eat a lot of ramen, so.
Sydney: The tonkatsu broth is made with actual pork bones
for maximum porky flavor,
and it simmers all night long.
Joe: Then, for the signature Daikoku ramen,
they start with shoyu, or soy base,
and add the tonkatsu broth.
Sydney: The bowl is finished with char siu pork,
bean sprouts, scallions, bamboo shoots, an egg,
and sesame seeds.
Joe: This looks incredible.
Sydney: It smells like pork fat.
Joe: It smells perfect.
Allow me to embarrass myself by trying to do this
the way it's supposed to.
Sydney: I like to do it, like, put a little broth in here.
And then I like to put a little noodle, like, in my spoon.
That's, like, my favorite way to eat ramen.
I know that some people like to slurp,
people like to do a lot of other things.
This is what I like to do
because I just feel like you get, like,
soup and noodle in the same bite.
Joe: OK, I'm gonna do it this way.
Sydney: Oh, yeah.
Joe: Wow.
Sydney: It's really fatty, really rich.
Joe: That broth.
Oh, that broth is amazing.
Sydney: But like, low-key,
I'm gonna add a little bit more garlic into mine.
Because I like it to be stinky.
Joe: The noodle just with the broth.
Absolutely incredible flavor, right?
And then the second it hits your lips, you're like,
yup, I can see why everyone's standing in line
and wants this, you know?
Sydney: The noodles are perfectly al dente.
They're nice and chewy,
and I like that they're, like,
a little curly, so they, like, pick up on all the broth.
Joe: I've been eyeing this pork for a while.
Just saw my guy slicing it back there.
Look at that, look at that perfect piece of pork.
Which camera, one?
Camera two? Camera?
Look at that pork.
Sydney: What's the pork taste like? I'm about to go in.
You explain while I eat.
Joe: This is pork perfection.
It's a bit of a fatty cut,
but because it's been simmering so long in this broth,
it melts in your mouth.
Wow.
Sydney: If you're a ramen newbie,
I don't know where you've been,
but this is a really good place to start.
Oh, PS, they also marinate this egg in pork fat,
so I'm sure it's gonna be really delicious.
Oh, man.
Do you see how it's jiggling?
Joe: Yeah.
Sydney: I think that means that there's a runny yolk
in there, guys.
Joe: The anticipation's killing me.
I'm just floored by this ramen.
I mean, I went to Japan and had lots of ramen there,
but this one is like, oh, wow.
Sydney: This is like the bog standard
for ramen in Los Angeles,
and it's a lot to live up to.
Sydney: Our next stop in this ramen journey is Okiboru
in Chinatown.
It was listed as one of the Michelin Bib Gourmand
restaurants for 2019,
notably for its tsukemen-style ramen.
Joe: And I'm notable for not knowing what that is,
but I'm excited to find out.
Sean Park: Tsukemen is actually dipping ramen.
So, noodles are served on the side,
and they are cold,
and you dip it into a hot broth and eat it that way.
It was invented in 1961, actually,
by a man called Kazuo Yamagishi.
Mark: In Japan, basically, we have soba noodles.
And what they would do in the summer is
cool down the soba, buckwheat noodles,
and dip it in dashi soup base.
And they would slurp it up.
So, he made the ramen version of that dish
and called it tsukemen.
Sean: We wanted to make our own noodles
'cause we wanted to match it with the broth.
Because, you know,
after testing so many different types of noodles,
we realized that for the broth we were making,
we wanted a particular flavor.
So, we wanna be able to be able to control that.
Instead of just purchasing them.
It is a lot more work, but at the end of the day, you know,
I think you'll notice the difference between fresh noodles
and something that was purchased.
Customer: Their noodles are
exactly how I like them, like, al dente.
It has, like, that bounce, that chew.
I'm here at least once a week.
Like, this week, I'm here.
I was here Tuesday, and now I'm here again.
Sydney: Tsukemen soup is more concentrated
than other types of ramen.
It can take Okiboru two full days
to cook and reduce its soup.
Joe: And the soup we're eating today
is made with what exactly?
Sydney: We're eating the pork-based broth
with seafood today.
But you can get chicken or veggie too.
Joe: And what exactly is happening here?
Sydney: The broth has cooled,
and since it's reduced so much, all the fat congeals.
It gets heated to order and mixed with the ramen base.
Sean: All right, I'm gonna show you guys how to eat this.
Sydney: Great, I need help.
Sean: So, first,
the lime is actually for the noodles.
So, you're just gonna squeeze the juice on there.
Sydney: OK.
Joe: OK.
Sean: The broth is rich,
so the lime juice helps balance it out a little bit.
Sydney: OK, cool.
Sean: And then you're gonna take some of these noodles.
Sydney: This is gonna be a test for us.
Joe: I'm the worst with the sticks, man.
I'm the worse with the sticks.
Sean: If you need forks, just let me know.
Sydney: Oh, God.
So, like, what's the right amount of noodles
to pick up, do you think?
Sean: You know, for me,
I like to just do, like, two, three bites at a time.
Because if you put too much,
it's gonna cool down the broth too fast.
This gets a little messy but,
with tsukemen ramen,
slurping is a part of it.
Sydney: Really?
Sean: The louder you're slurping in Japan,
the more you're enjoying your meal.
(slurping)
Sydney: The people love it.
All right.
Ready, Joe?
Joe: Yeah, let's do this.
(slurping)
Sydney: Wow.
Sean: What do you think?
Sydney: That is flavorful.
That really packs a punch.
Joe: This is the first time I've had a dipping ramen.
And I already have noticed that
with the broth being kind of, like,
stuck to the noodles 'cause it's so much more condensed,
you get way more flavor.
Sean: Yes, yes, exactly.
Joe: Because usually when I eat ramen, you know,
it's almost like a bowl of soup.
And, I could be doing it wrong,
but I'm just, like, doing one of these things
and trying to lap it in there.
The pork in the broth.
Sydney: Oh, I've already eaten it.
Joe: Oh, my goodness.
(slurping)
Sydney: I'm bad at slurping.
Sean: It takes practice.
Sydney: Does it really?
I mean, clearly.
Sydney: So, this was quite the different
ramen experience, I think.
Joe: I think so, I've not had
this style of ramen before,
and I absolutely loved it.
Joe: Now it's time to drive to the west side
and hit up Santouka Ramen.
Sydney: It's another LA favorite
that's located inside Japanese grocery chain Mitsuwa.
The signature salt ramen comes with cha siu pork,
mushrooms, bamboo shoots, scallions,
narutomaki, and a salted plum.
Mark: One thing I appreciate about Santouka is,
when I go to New York, or New Jersey,
or Boston, or here in LA,
they have multiple locations,
but their flavor doesn't fluctuate, so it's consistent.
That's what I really respect about them.
Joe: So, I'm dumb. Is this actual food or is this fake?
Sydney: This is fake! Joe: Yeah, OK.
They did, we did the video about who makes this, right?
Sydney: Yes, we did.
But it's really funny that you would think this is real.
So, you have to wait until your number is called,
and they just called our number.
Joe: Don't stand up there
and clog it up.
Sydney: Get my ramen.
Joe: I'll hang out here.
Sydney: That's for you. Joe: Thanks.
Sydney: That's right. That's for you.
Joe: Thank you.
Stop it.
You're acting like my mom.
Here's yours, this is mine.
All right, I get it. I understand.
Wow.
Sydney: I like that a lot.
Joe: Oh, I love it, and, you know,
it's not too salty.
Sydney: The really, like, nutty flavor
I'm getting from the sesame
is interesting and really delicious,
and a nice break from, like,
the really, really heavy, fatty broths,
I think, that we've tried so far.
Let's try this pork. Joe: Whoa.
Sydney: The pork's good?
Joe: The pork is fantastic.
Wow.
Sydney: You know when you get, like, an Italian sub
with, like, broccolini and stuff on a nice roll?
Joe: I wouldn't get that,
but yeah, I understand what you mean.
Sydney: First of all, it's delicious.
You should absolutely try that.
Second of all, this is what it reminds me of.
Like, a nice, like, Italian roast pork.
(slurping)
The noodles are chewy,
perfectly cooked, absolutely delicious.
It's a nostalgic kind of ramen, I think.
It's definitely...this is the kind of ramen that
I remember trying, like, for the first time ever.
Joe: The noodle consistency, like, these really thin ones,
almost like the instant ramen you would get.
By the way, instant ramen is the absolute best.
I love it.
So, that's not a dig on noodles or instant ramen.
Sydney: It's not at all.
Joe: What I like about this one is
everything is really coming together perfectly.
Just creating this experience
where you get a little bit of everything.
Sydney: We saved the most gut-busting ramen for last
with Tsujita Annex.
Joe: They serve Jiro-style ramen here,
which can sometimes have up to 1,600 calories per bowl.
Yikes!
Mark: The style is basically known for their thick noodles
and also their rich, fatty pork broth with shoyu base.
And it has bean sprouts and cabbages as a topping.
After I eat a bowl of Jiro,
it's like a bad hangover.
It's good,
you're having a good time eating.
It's amazing,
but then you realize you ate too much.
Customer: The acid's right,
the garlic's right, yeah.
I mean, you smell for a little bit afterwards,
but it's worth it.
Terumi Tokita: I think garlic and fat makes the best broth,
and people love it.
I wouldn't say there's a right way to eat ramen.
Sydney: Tsujita Annex and Jiro-style ramen as a whole
is known for adding extra pork fat to the broth.
Joe: It's so fatty,
you can pick up pieces of fat with chopsticks.
Sydney: So, we have ourselves some Jiro-style ramen.
It's got extra back fat on the top.
Joe: Extra back fat, please.
Sydney: Yup.
It's really, really rich.
It's not, I don't think,
advisable to eat a whole bowl by yourself.
But I see some brave souls around here
that are kind of going for it.
Joe: There was a sign that said each of you have to get one,
so I think people
were getting used to just splitting one.
They're like, nah-ah-ah-ah-ah.
Sydney: It's rich.
This is the richest ramen we'll have on this adventure.
Joe: Wow.
Sydney: There is something extra special in here
aside from all the fat.
I'm not quite sure what it is, but it's delicious.
Joe: The pork, as thick as it is,
melts in your mouth.
It just falls apart the second you bite into it.
Sydney: All right, I'm gonna go for it.
Joe: It is so juicy and soft.
Right?
Sydney: Oh, my God.
Joe: This is sensational.
Sydney: The pork itself is incredibly flavorful,
and a little sweet on the outside, too.
Joe: The noodles, they go up, like, lightning fast
'cause they're just dripping with fat.
(slurping)
I was a bit, to be honest,
visually, I was like, oh, no, thick noodles?
Sydney: These are awesome.
Joe: But these are actually pretty incredible.
Sydney: All in all, like, for as heavy as this is,
it's delicious. It's rich, it's fatty, it's greasy.
It's almost like
the junk food of ramen.
Joe: You think so?
Sydney: Yeah, absolutely.
And now, it's finally time to choose
the best of the best.
All right, so we've eaten a lot of ramen.
Joe: A lot of ramen.
Sydney: Four kinds of ramen.
Joe: Four great kinds of ramen.
Sydney: And now, we're picking the winner,
the best ramen in LA.
Joe: Let's do it.
I'm gonna look at my phone
'cause I don't wanna spell it wrong.
Syd, life's about hard choices.
I'm gonna have to make an incredibly hard choice.
Which of the four
were the best of the best in Los Angeles?
Sydney: I felt like it was an easy choice for me.
Joe: OK, I did not.
Sydney: Really? Joe: I was down...
there was three that I was like,
that on any day could be the best one.
I had to really think about it.
Sydney: All right, ready?
Joe: Ready! One!
Both: Two, three!
Joe: Ah!
Sydney: I knew you were gonna pick that.
Joe: Why'd you know?
Sydney: You have better handwriting than me, I will say.
Joe: Thank you, thank you.
Sydney: All right, so.
We've gotta break this down.
There can only be one.
Joe: There can only be one.
Sydney: The reason I'm picking Okiboru is
those handmade noodles, man.
They were so good.
Joe: Yeah.
Sydney: I love that you could add lime to the noodles.
I loved that citrus element to, like, the rich soup.
Joe: I don't even remember that.
(laughs)
Yeah sure, that was nice.
Sydney: Yeah?
And I really just, you know,
I loved dipping the noodles in the broth and, like,
getting a good amount of everything in one bite.
As opposed to trying to, like, you know, figure out
how to get, like, soup and noodle in the same bite.
Joe: Points off for that place for the exact thing,
that dipping. I know that's the style,
but for me, this was, first of all,
a classic ramen bowl.
And also, I mean, hey, man,
the whole thing was super fatty,
and that makes it taste really good.
The second we tasted it,
I was like, oh, man,
I know this probably isn't the best for me,
but this flavor is incredible.
Just something about it just cranked it up to 11 for me.
And every bite with the broth, the meat, the noodles,
everything was just soaked in this rich fat
that I just couldn't get enough of.
Sydney: We have to decide on one winner.
Joe: Yeah, OK.
Sydney: And the reason that I'm going to go ahead
and agree with you and pick Tsujita
is because it was my second favorite.
Joe: Mm-hmm.
Sydney: And it is really, really delicious.
And Okiboru is tsukemen,
which people could potentially argue is not, like,
a traditional ramen.
Joe: Fair enough.
Sydney: And Jiro-style is
not as well known as it should be
and absolutely delicious.
So, we can go ahead and declare Tsujita
the winner. Joe: Yeah!
You hear that, Tsujita? When I come in,
I want a table right away,
I'm not waiting.
I just hooked you guys up.
Sydney: All right, well, until next time.
Let us know what we missed.
There's a lot of ramen in LA,
and we just scratched the surface.
Joe: That's right.
Sydney: So, until next time.