Wow! The weather has gone crazy hasn’t it? I must say I love it though! Southern California is long overdue a good rain. We need to get rid of the smog that’s been piling up here and blocking our beautiful skies!! And now what tastes good on a rainy day? Nothing beats hot cocoa and snuggling in your own bed I bet, but I was already stuck on the outside when the weather took a 180 degree turn! Luckily for us, we were in the OC area and thus, nearby one of the many Santouka Ramen locations that are ONLY found in Mitsuwa Marketplace.
Now how can ramen in a Japanese food court even taste good? Even compare to the many ramen restaurants in SoCal. Oh wow, you would be surprised. This place beats many. Now how did food court ramen taste so good and become so popular! It all started with Japanese chef Hitoshi Hatanaka who just wanted to make delicious ramen for his family. That idea gave birth to Hokkaido Santouka Ramen. The first restaurant was opened in Asahikawa, Hokkaido and consisted of just nine seats and one ramen menu item: shio ramen. This tonkotsu ramen was created from pork bone broth and had the signature small, pickled plum in the middle.
They wanted to share their delicious family ramen to the outside world, insisting that they use limited salt and artificial seasonings. This is crazy and hard to believe considering how insanely savory it was!!! Now Santouka Ramen is found in many foodcourts of the Japanese supermarket called Mitsuwa Marketplace. They even have more than just shio ramen! Now also miso ramen! However, shio ramen is he owner’s original first creation and the best.
miso ramen – roasted pork, green onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, fish cake, sesame seeds.
I ordered extra pork with this one: super tender, soft, and chewy. Very fatty but all worth the extra cholesterol I’m packing in! Life is short! Eat whatever you want! 😀
shio (salt) ramen – roasted pork, green onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, fish cake, sesame seeds, sour plum. The owner’s original signature ramen bowl and still easily beats many outside ramen restaurants by a landslide!
It is a great atmosphere to eat ramen here. The Japanese food court at the market place is always bustling with many crowds of people of all ages. You can feel the energy and the hunger of everyone around you, including yourself. Don’t worry, there isn’t just ramen here. The foodcourts normally have other food venders too to fit any craving, any desire! However, Santouka Ramen always is in highest demand!
Enjoy the cold weather guys! It’s time to start embracing the winter <3
