ramen california

ramen california
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

ramen california looks like your typical ramen house, but it's not. you'll not find the heavy, salty pork broth here. if that's what you want, go to santouka or shinsengumi or one of the many restaurants in the greater los angeles or orange county that offers traditional ramen. ramen california offers a different experience, one that basks in the abundance of local, fresh produce that us californians are so lucky to have. despite the unorthodox approach to ramen, the noodles are still perfectly al dente with a nice springiness characteristic of quality ramen noodles.

their namesake california ramen has a light broth and is piled high with a variety of brightly colored vegetables that included cauliflower in three colors, beets, and wax beans. with a simple broth, this particular bowl is a celebration of the natural flavors of the ingredients. the heirloom tomato ramen is a fusion of italian flavors which include a delicious olive oil, fresh sweet tomatoes and basil with a light broth accented by tiny fragrant flowers. the rich, earthy broth of the curry ramen may be what you're looking for if you want something a little heavier. it will be a good option when the weather cools.

one of the pluses here is the option for three different sizes of ramen bowls, so you can have more than one kind or stick with the favorite in a large or medium sized bow. to my disappointment, they didn't have the cheese tofu ramen on the day we visited, and the selection of small plate appetizers which sounded like intriguing izakaya type dishes is only offered for dinner.

a couple weeks later, i returned. ramen california called to me with it's fresh, local produce in a bowl. rarely do i visit a resto within six months much less one, but i wanted to try some of their appetizers and sample ramen bowls missed on previous visits. while we waited, they brought us complimentary bread rolls. though simple, these were not ordinary rolls. they had a lightly oiled, thick skin with bits of sea salt and a soft chewy center.

the snapper kanpachi, which was delicately sliced and sprinkled with black sea salt, was simple and delicious. the lobster ravioli with mushroom sauce, sounded more interesting than it was. flavor-wise, it was fine, but the mushroom sauce consisted of little more than sauteed mushrooms. i like mushrooms, but i thought more could have been done with the sauce. the other dish we ordered, the mushroom saute was just that, and after already getting something similar with the ravioli, it was a little disappointing. for some reason, i thought they would be different based on the descriptions. i really do love mushrooms and the natural flavors of ingredients, but these were a tad boring.

the much-touted cheese tofu ramen was indeed rich and evidence that fat does indeed equal flavor in this case. it added a slight creaminess, but i also found that i was reluctant to eat an entire bowl of it. this is probably the closest you'll get to the traditional pork broth. i also enjoyed the smoky flavor of the chicken, which was juicy and seasoned well, in the grilled chicken ramen.

the pescetarian bf is happy he can enjoy ramen with me. even though the appetizers didn't wow me, i still found that i really enjoyed the freshness and lightness of the broths. we're headlong into summer finally, and call me crazy, but the thought of eating a hot, heavy bowl of pork broth doesn't appeal to me as much as having a refreshing bowl filled with lots of vegetables. those cute little flowers that they throw in there are a nice reminder of where the food comes from. so for get for a moment what you think you know of ramen. their enjoyable bowl of soup won't leave you feeling heavy and will lighten your carbon footprint.

service was good, although the place is not large and fills up quickly.