We rolled up around 2 pm on a weekend and the place was pretty empty except for another party sitting at the bar. We chose a booth and started ordering right away. Everything looked good, but then again, everything looks good when you are starving.
The waitress was efficient and semi-helpful only because her English wasn't that good. I changed my order and she didn't seem to mind so definite plus.
Rice balls: One came with bonito and the other had salmon in it. Nice presentation, but I didn't eat any. My companions did and said they were okay. Too much rice, not enough filling.
Mapo tofu ramen: I love mapo tofu. It's one of my favorite Chinese dishes. So, when I saw this epic combo, I was super stoked to try it. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as it sounded. The broth lacked flavor which is surprising considering all the ground pork and tofu it came with. I couldn't finish the bowl, just wasn't good to me.
Popeye ramen: Cool name and sure lived up to it. Packed with tons of spinach and slices of pork, this ramen was tastier than mine. It's in a soy based broth so that could be the reason.
Croquette: Pretty tasty! Potato croquette with ground pork served with some julienned cabbage and some dipping sauce. Wish it came with more than just one per order.
Pork fried rice: My favorite! The portion was a bit small for sharing, especially with how tasty it was. I liked the small bits of egg, carrots and green onion mixed in there. Yum.
Overall, the food and service were good. I would come back and give their ramen a second chance.
3***
Koraku Ramen
14425 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423(818) 906-0045
4 comments:
You need to try the Mapo Ramen at Mentatsu in Costa Mesa. Seriously, one of the best mapo tofu ramen I've had!
With that said, I've been to Koraku before, though it was so long ago I forgot how it tasted :-/
the rice balls don't look grilled at all and i haven't had good luck w/ mapo tofu ramen, as i tried it once at a place in orange county. maybe it just isn't my thing.
The pork fried rice sounds good. I'm one of the few people, though, who doesn't like tofu.
@ KFP- thanks, i will keep that in mind if i'm in OC.
@ joanh- haha, was it at Mentatsu?
@ Buddha- omg, i love tofu!
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