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~* soup-er star *~
there are always people dining in and always people outside waiting their turn to dine. luckily, when we walked in yesterday evening, we were able to snag one of the two remaining available tables in the back. we browsed through the menu and i decided to get the miso ramen and he ordered the wonton ramen. both came in huge bowls. the ramen noodle soups weren't bad. it was a nice feeling to slurp up some hot noodle soup being that it was bit chilly outside. i don't have any other place to compare asahi ramen to since i haven't been to other noodles places yet, but this one wasn't bad.
note: cash only
After a long and trying weekend in Vegas, I landed in LA wanting something warm and comforting. I realized that I had never had ramen in the Sawtelle/Olympic area that I loved to frequent for Japanese goodies, so I used my tried and true method: asking a local worker for a recommendation. When I asked the girl behind the counter at Beard Papa's where I should go for some good ramen, she looked at me dubiously: "GOOD ramen?" she asked. Well, fine, ramen. Where can this worn and tattered soul get some ramen, period? She pointed me to Asahi.
I should have heeded the warning in the cream puff girl's voice. I used to think that my palate wasn't refined enough to be able to tell the difference between good and mediocre ramen. Now I realize that I had never really had bad ramen before. The broth in the wonton ramen and the shiyo ramen was watery and flavorless. Add to that weirdly chewy wontons and noodles that clump together as if they were once part of a brick, like those instant noodle packets. In fact, everything that the place served lacked flavor, including the gyoza.
I give this place two stars for friendly, charming service. Our kindly waitress reminded me of the mom of a friend of mine, and she insisted on speaking to us in Japanese while understanding our English. it worked, somehow.
Man that was bland. I've made better ramen at home. This place actually got me off of my ramen kick that I've been on for a few months.
Besides that, all I can say that they do well is that they keep the place clean.
And that's about all that's positive about this place. I won't be back.
Help, I've OD'd on MSG and I can't get up!
Their Miso Ramen I will say is good (which is why they have two, instead of one star), but I could barely swallow their Kimchee and Shoyu Ramens. Don't order their Tofu salad because it's like ordering tofu that you could've gotten from the grocery store, chopped up, and thrown on a plate.
Their tap water tastes terrible by the way. I have no idea why.
I'll go here again when I'm too tired to make any intelligent decisions.
It's hard to write this review with a point of reference in LA, but by Japanese standards Asahi Ramen rates an "A-OK", but not much more, at least on the ramen front. The shoyu ramen was somewhere between passable and instant ramen, lacking depth in the critical soup area. Maybe the miso ramen is better (it's harder to screw up in my opinion). I seem to remember it being better many years ago. Maybe it has gone downhill. Or, maybe I have just gone uphill. Anyway, I was surprised that the cha-han was actually the best thing I tried recently and I have always been a big fan of the pickles.
This place is more like a wannabe Ramenya, but not as tasty. If I couldn't get to Ramenya, I would consider eating here, but I am still puzzled why this place gets so packed. Maybe they get all the overflow from Ramenya. The portions here are big and you can pay extra for additional toppings like chashu, egg, veggies. They also have yakisoba and rice dishes if you aren't craving soup. Parking is a little bit better on this side. It may take a couple of circles around the block, but eventually you will get parking.
It's a cold and windy day in West LA... in order to warm up this tiny belly, my friend suggested this place. No disappoint! we both shared Miso Ramen and Kimchi Ramen and both were delicious, I ate a whole bowl but I'm super thirsty afterwards fro MSG overload. Next time is YAKISOBA!
Huge bowl of ramen means you can share your food with another person. Meaning you can order your ramen and a side of fried rice and spend less than $13 for two people. It's kinda of amazing. I don't like the ramen here with all the weird toppings. I stay with the classic char sui ramen. Cash only too. I think there is parking in the back of the building. They also close earlier than the average restaurant.
I recently tried this place out for the first time. The first thing I saw when my friend and I walked into the restaurant was a super-old man practically inhaling a child-sized (and I mean the size of a child, not a child's serving) bowl of ramen in an impressive way. I knew I was in the right place.
I split a miso ramen noodle soup dish (I forget the actual name), with no meat, but with tofu and bamboo shoots. I absolutely recommend. Wowza. Also, their servings can serve a family. Between the two of us we barely made a dent in the bowl, so either their soup is made of magic, or maybe take it home to finish it.
It's cash only, but it's a great place - staff was ultra nice to us, too. It's the best veggie-friendly ramen I've had *so far* in LA.
i've been spoiled by Hakata Ramen. I ordered the miso ramen and it was average. i missed my sesame salt shaker and being able to pick the amount of oil, and hardness of my noodles! upside- food came quick even though it was packed and they give you a good amount of noodles and chashu. u can ask for no MSG
my boyfriend loves this place, but i'm indifferent. I don't think the food has much flavor, but it does come in big portions. also, if you are sharing with a friend, it would be worth it to ask them to add an extra serving of noodles for $1 more. so the perk is you get a large portion for a pretty cheap price. Also, it gets terribly packed during dinner hours, I don't understand why...
I've gone twice, each time getting ramen, both times leaving not completely satisfied. personally, if i were to choose, i would go to kinchans ramen that's only a block south.
This is solidly A-OK for me, but I only order their Mabo Ramen (spicy sauce with ground pork and tofu), which is good, but not great. It's barely spicy, so you need to add hot sauce if you want more kick. Also, the broth could use more boiling time as it's not very rich. On the positive side, there's lots of tofu, the portion is huge and, at $8, pretty cheap for a full belly.
The gyoza is also worth getting.
The edamame comes out cold so I'd pass. I tried their Tanmen Ramen once and hated it.
Cash only and parking can be a real pain in this area.
CASH ONLY. so that's a pain in the ass.
i never get ramen here anymore since i've discovered much better (santouka & chabuya). but i do get:
fried rice- the consistancy is so fun & chewy since it's made w/sticky japanese rice.
chickien salad- mixed greens, noodles, thin strips of chicken. i love their dressing!
tsukemono - these lightly pickled cucumbers are so addictive. i always order extra
egg flower soup - it's simple i know. but it's got lots of flavor.
gyoza- good but have to be eaten there for best maximum taste (to go not so much)
In my world, one dollar sign meant like, cheap Mexican taco stand status, but I think the ramen bowls could keep me satisfied for two meals if I tried, or maybe if I added s'more ramen to the broth on day two. I am probably the cheapest person alive.
Henyway.... good cheap noodles, like 7 or 8 bucks. I had the kimchee noodles which were probably the best of the three meals-- the bf had the curry ramen which he didn't like that much...heavy curry flavor without a big kick, whereas the kimchee noodles were spicifully delish. My roommate had dry soba, it tasted like sweet chow mein. Not my thing. Adding toppings to your noodle soups seems like it could be a fun albeit pricey activity. One day when I'm employed, I'll hit up the kimchee with wontons.
I'll return someday soon, when I get that special craving for noodles and the 10 centers at Ralph's don't cut it.
The kimchee ramen is a great balance of spice and flavor! The broth and actual kimchee compliment each other well and the smell from the fermented veggie was next to zero. The gyoza here was close to homemade and is probably the best I've had in Cali, so I had to place an extra order after completing my ramen because not doing so would have resulted in some kind of Shakespearean tragedy. Although it woud never compete compared to my family's homemade gyoza, just sayin. Munch on their banbanji, it's a great appetizer! I dig this place much more than Daikokuya now. Let's face it, it's safe to say Daikokuya is more hype than taste at this point.
I loved the free pickled cabbage (like Japanese kimchi) that Asahi gives you.
Personally, I also loved my basic Shoyu Ramen. The broth was so good that I wanted to slurp it all day. The accompaniments were generous. And the portion size was so big that I took half the soup home (yep, it reheats well).
My friend's Mapo Ramen (spicy) looked delish, as well.
My (kosher, non-pork-eating) friends fared less well. I mean, really, this is a restaurant serving soup with a foundation of pork broth, so if you need to choose an alternate, it's never going to be as good.
Two friends had a chicken broth soup chock full of noodles and veggies. They couldn't even come close to finishing it. It looked a little bland.
Another friend ordered a salad with tofu, as she is both kosher and vegetarian. She tried to customize it with the waitress, who predictably had difficulty understanding my friend's requests. My friend was not pleased with the salad, but considering my friend's pickiness and the fact that this is essentially a restaurant that worships the pig, not the vegetable, that wasn't a shock to me.
I'd go back any day!
Couple weeks ago, BF and I wanted Noodle but did not want to drive to Little Tokyo (too lazy) and we googled and and just kinda pick this one out. (No time to read all reviews on Yelp!)
We arrived around 6:45pm or so and there's NO ONE inside, but we decided to go in anyway since they have couple "AOL cityguide" stickers on the window. People filed in after us and filled the whole little place in 20 mins (they should offer us free meals since we brought in more business for them. ;))
Asahi has a small meun. BF had Shoyu Ramen and I had a Miso Ramen. Good portion but I think it's just okay Ramen.
Street parking could be tough but I think we will return when we once again too lazy to drive out to Little Tokyo.
Pretty good! Came over the weekend at like 8something at night and it was packed. Granted, the restaurant is small, but it was still full with a few people waiting outside. We waited for about 10 minutes and a couple tables were opening up around the same time. The two guys before us got seated at a table for 4 and then the three of us girls got seated at a table for 2 shortly after. I thought, they haven't even ordered yet. Why not move them to our table so we could have the bigger table? But I guess they didn't think of that. Owell. We're not big girls so whatever.
Onto the important stuff. All three of us made it super simple and all got the shoyu ramen (soy sauce based with chashu pork, bean sprouts, carrots, and bamboo shoots). About 10 minutes later we get 2 bowls. And then about 4-5 minutes later I get the last bowl of ramen. Why they couldn't get all 3 bowls out at once, I don't know. But the ramen was good. I guess that's what matters. Oh, and you each get a small appetizer plate of 3 pickled cucumbers. So other than the first 15 minutes of us getting there, it was a good meal. I'd go again. Simple, but yummy.
Ok, I like Ramen but I think they could do better. Maybe I should have ordered something other than the Seaweed Ramen or maybe I should have had an egg with it. But something about the Ramen I had was bland. Of course I immediately dumped a ton of hot sauce to spice up the flavor but I shouldn't have to right??? I am not giving up on you yet Asahi! I will come back and try another bowl!
Casual dining.
I don't have much ramen experience but from what I do have, this place is quality. Cheap, huge portions warm you up and make you happy. Plus it tastes way better than anything else directly around that area. Do bring cash because they don't accept card. On another note, their fried rice is some of the best I have ever had in my life.
Asahi Ramen. Wow.
Here's the down low. I didn't understand the infatuation with ramen a while back. Then I went to Asa Ramen, Daikokuya, Santouka, and a light bulb blew up in my head. What have I been missing out on!?
Well Asahi... You have disappointed a ramen lover. Truely disappointed me. Let's just say, without being too mean, the broth was like dishwater. I added soy sauce, pepper flakes, hot stuff, and anything to make this work but it didn't. I don't like to offend people so I ate the sprouts, bamboo shoots, egg, and some noodles but that was it. I was trying to get away from that broth. Thank goodness I had ordered edamame for the table and there was some left over since it was a big bowl because otherwise I would have starved. I had a piece of gyoza too which was good. It seemed like it was steamed and then fried so you get the best of both worlds on each side.
I will not be back.
Sorry.
:(
I usually come here after 8pm when Santouka @ Mitsuwa is closed as there are only a few ramen place on the westside. conveniently located on sawtelle blvd where all the eateries are located. no long lines to wait for. service is good and fast. ramen are descent, but nothing really special. price is cheap/reasonable. i've tried both the shio and shoyu ramen with chashu pork, both are not bad. you do get a fairly huge bowl so its definitely good bang for ur buck.
My friend was very disappointed with this place, but only because she thought they sold "raw men" and she is single right now, on the prowl for love like some kind of ferocious beast. She admits, though, that had she been expecting "ramen" she would have been pleased. Because, as it turns out, Asahi serves up a big, hot, steamy bowl of the goodness that will take you the distance.
I always order the extra large tanmen chicken in miso broth with wonton. This is a big bowl of food that should not be attempted by an amateur. This is sized for people who can eat; it's no province for the dainty young thing. Expect a mountain of noodles piled high in a punch bowl, with tender slices of chicken and smattering of vegetables festooned about.
If soup isn't your jumby, go for some yakisoba. I've had it. It's tangy and pleasant. Oh, it's a hot day, you say? Well maybe you should order some cold tofu salad with noodles and call me in the morning. It's a refreshing dish and worth an order if you want to shake it up.
Cash only, so roll with a mad wad, or you'll be rolling to the ATM first.
By now... I think i know a thing or two about ramen, even though i still have to go and try one in Japan... ;)
But... Asahi, when i came here about 5 years ago... was considered, really good... but at the time, i wasn't trying all these ramen place... and it used to be 4/5 ranking for me... now... maybe 2.5/5. Only because i think i am more selective when it comes to ramen... and even hubby agrees... it is not as good as we used to think, maybe because we advanced on our knowledge of ramen studies? Hahaha...
So as we ate our ramen, we found it to be on the bland side... the broth was not as tasty as i would like, also the stir fried noodle was too sweet... anyways, I think depending on what you are looking for, this can still be your tasty ramen house... :)
In the heart of Westsides Japanese block, Sawtelle..
Steamy big bowls abound, with fresh vegetables to add. The GYOZA at only $3.95 is not greasy, and you can get a half order of fried rice.
Cash only, clean and friendly service, worth the wait, if any.
Gross. Just gross. I have driven past Asahi Ramen several times and there is always a line. I figured where there is smoke there is fire. I was wrong. Apparently where there is smoke there is nasty broth and crappy ramen noodles.
I still have to try the other ramen places listed on Yelp but there is literally nothing about Asahi that would compel me to ever go back. NOTHING.
But if you are into disgusting food, you will be happy to know that the service is fast and efficient and the portions are enormous, definitely a great deal if you don't care about taste.
If you crave ramen, go elsewhere. Even if you're just in the area and looking for a place to grub, there are several tastier options within walking distance.
Driving by on the weekends, I always see a line outside the small restaurant (15 tables max) and made a mental note to try this place. Don't know why I didn't think to check Yelp first! I ended up visiting on a weekday, which luckily meant no wait. Good thing, because if I had waited half an hour for this ramen, I would have probably rated it even lower.
The miso ramen left much to be desired. The noodles were thin and way too soft, almost blending into the soup base, which was just mediocre at best. The pork was a joke. Who has ever heard of CHINESE BBQ cha shu pork in authentic miso ramen? In addition, it was HORRIBLE cha shu, so dry it was like eating pork jerky.
While the ramen wasn't totally overpriced, some items on the menu were. For example, if you wanted to add corn to your ramen, it would cost you $1.25. At that price, you could hop across the street to Nijiya Market, buy a couple cans of corn kernels, and add some yourself.
The only thing that saved this place was the fried rice, which is actually not bad. Although it was also made with cha shu, you can't taste the effects of the dry pork when it was served in tiny pea-sized bits.
This is the best ramen I've ever had! I highly recommend both the wakame and wonton ramen dishes. That said, I'm no ramen expert. Growing up, the only kind of ramen I was familiar with was Top Ramen and Maruchan. The flavor profiles I knew were beef and chicken, aka MSG. So imagine my delight at my first -real- ramen experience over the holiday season of 2008. It was a cold winter day (for LA), and I found myself in the little Japanese Collection on Sawtelle. After a brief debate with my friend, we opted for the place that had the largest crowd. After all, I figure throngs of people can't be wrong. Yay mob mentality!
Here's the nitty gritty:
- Cheap! (under $10)
- Cash only, so come prepared.
- Filling!
- Be prepared for a mild wait.
- TASTY!
Service can be hit or miss, but overall I enjoyed the food here and even returned once more over the duration of my time back in Los Angeles.
the actor Tom Everett Scott was sitting across from me. Not the biggest actor, but i've seen him on tv and film here and there...
But anyways, i came here with two buddies of mine. Personally, i didn't think it was bad at all. Pretty descent, but didn't stick out like other ramen houses i've been to in Gardena and Torrance. If it was "pretty good", i would have given them 4 stars... but 3 stars will do
if you're in the neighborhood, check it out. But i think there are a few other Ramen houses along Sawtelle as well
I have always had good experiences at Asahi Ramen and actually think their soups are much tastier and less greasy/oily than other restaurants. I've tried a variety of ramen, including Shoyu, Shio, Mabo, Miso, and Wakame. The broth is flavorful and the noodles are the perfect comfort food!
Usually, I choose between the Shoyu or Wakame (seaweed) Ramen. The bowls are pretty large and filling. My friend prefers the Mabo Ramen. Sometimes we share a bowl and add an order of the seasoned cucumbers and gyoza--it's just the right amount of food.
I've enjoyed everything I've had at the restaurant. The service is fast and the prices are affordable. I usually pair this place with a boba from Volcano Tea (just down the block). Parking is available east and west of Sawtelle, some streets are permit only.
Lastly, Asahi is cash only and the nearest ATM is across the street in a boba joint.
I like all these negative pompous ramen expert reviews,It makes it easier to get a table for their great miso ramen.hold the msg ,add vinegar.
It's fine.(great fried rice,gyozas too)
Or go up the street for a small bowl of luke warm ramen.
Everyone raves about Daikokuya being the best ramen in Los Angeles. From my experience, Asahi's Tanmen Miso with pork (and a personal preference, lots-o-vinegar) has yet to be beaten. The broth has a deeply intense flavor that is unmatched by any other ramen place I've been to.
Every time I visit Asahi, I can't help but order the same thing, even though I go with the intent to try something new. I love this place, and am thankful it's not close to home; otherwise, I'd be there everyday!
mmmh, no.
on the ramen hierarchy, asahi comes pretty close to last..
This was my first time having real ramen, not just those 50 cent ones from the store.
I got some veggi one, and stole some of my friends corn one, both where gross, but the bowls where huggee.
To bad those huge bowls where filled with something i'll never eat again. Is it bad id rather have the cheap fake ramen from the store then this real one?? XD
When you're craving a big bowl of MSG-laden chewy ramen noodles with Japanese goodies piled on top, don't come here.
For a Friday lunch, there was a ridiculous wait, which made my companion and I think that this was the place to be. Hot shit, it was not (unless you count the hostess with her cute little headband). The Ban Ban Ji, shredded chicken with cucumber, was left in the marinade for too long. The Shoyu Ramen came with two slices of dry pork, a sprinkling of bean sprouts, and a bleh soup. The pork wontons were lacking also.
It was only after we left (with full tummies at least), did we figure out why the correlation between the number of people and yumminess of the food was off - the line was full of white people. No offense to them, but if it ain't packed with the a-z-n's, then you know something just ain't right.
This is a cute little place with a short to medium wait to get a table (not that many tables inside--maybe 15 at most?).
The service is quick and friendly, and the prices are reasonable.
It's a nice joint to go to for a quick lunch, but I wouldn't actively recommend it. The ramen's decent. Nothing to write home about, though.
Got introduced to this place a couple of years ago and still i love it! Whenever I go to a Japanese place, normally it's the usual sushi etc etc. but at Asahi there is only noodle/soup dishes (ramen as the name implies), gyozas, and a couple of fried rice dishes to be found.
the gyozas are delicious and are the perfect way to whet your appetite while you wait for your main dish. my advice: don't order anything besides the ramen, that's what they're good at, and if you order something besides ramen or gyoza, you will be disappointed.
there are many choices of ramen, and most dishes made with pork--but i usually stick to the chicken or beef miso ramen (if i remember correctly). The portions are HUGE, neither me nor my boyfriend have ever managed to finish our respective ramens at the restaurant--so it's good for two meals. served with veggies meat and noodles in the broth, this delicious concoction is greatly improved with the addition of the hot chili sauce and pepper provided.
so the food is great, but the only problem is that often it's a bit of a wait, especially on the weekends since they don't take reservations (which can be troublesome if you are part of party larger than two), but there is are a few cool stores on the block to peruse while you wait, and also an atm if you forget cash. also, there are no parking lots that i have ever noticed there, and so you have to search awhile on the residential streets around sawtelle, but it should only take 15 minutes MAX to find parking.
so eat up, it's worth the wait! (ps it says on their menu no msg on request, so be sure to ask if you worry!)
Love Asahi Ramen - only downside is they only take cash!
I always get the dumpling ramen, the broth is delicious and the noodles taste WAY better than that 10 cent microwavable stuff from the store. This was my first experience with a real ramen restaurant, and I absolutely loved it. HIGE portions, and huge bowls! Ate till I was full, and still had plenty leftover for the next day.
I love eating at Asahi Ramen. The portions are very big, and satisfying.
Whenever I eat here, I leave with left overs.
The customer service is always tops. You're always greeted when you arrive and acknowledged when you leave.
One minor issue I have is with vegetarian options. When I was vegetarian, there were very few selections. Luckily I love Asahi's Miso Ramen. Very Tasty.
Came here last nite with my new host student.
I like this place. the atmosphere is relaxed
service is good
i always order the same thing
big bowl of ramen with chik.
it was delish, as usual.
my only complaint would be the limited menu
and of course, no dessert to speak of
sherri went home full and satisfied :)
All Drinks Half Price Thu. &…
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Sushi - Free Delivery!
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Japanese
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