Ichiraku Ramen

5336 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Tonkotsu Warrior

Ichiraku Ramen is one of the hundreds of ramen restaurants in San Francisco. Although the menu is small, each dish stands out in its own way.

My favorite dishes are the Ikageso Kaarage and the Tonkotsu Warrior.

The Ikageso Kaarage is deep-fried squid in a dry flour batter, a technique and dish is called kaarage, and gets served with a pepper and mayo sauce. The squid is tender and chewy, but the outside is crispy and light. The pepper balances out the greasiness with its aggressive spice. The mayo sauce adds a touch of richness.

The Tonkotsu Warrior is a pork-based broth with ramen noodles. The soup gets topped with bean sprouts, black fungus, bamboo shoots, a soft boiled egg, chashu, thin-sliced braised pork belly; and thinly sliced green onions. The broth is rich and perfectly seasoned, not too salty, and the noodles have the perfect chewy texture. The chashu is crisp on the outside yet tender on the inside. The egg is golden and runny, which blends perfectly with the soup. The rest of the toppings meld perfectly with it.

Ichiraku Ramen serves food with outstanding quality in its polished dishes. Not many places can have such affordable perfection.