Tabe Ramen Catering - CLOSED
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for Tabe Ramen Catering
12 reviews in English
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Review from Linda T.
Oakland, CA
7/3/2008
Disclosure: I'm friends with one of the owners, John Hayato as he is known on yelp.
I attended the soft opening at Caffeine on 5/31/08, then had the opportunity to go again another time while they were serving at Caffeine, before I left (sadly) the Bay Area.
It was slightly chilly outside, so it was good weather for ramen. When you show up, you take an ordering ticket, check off your order, put your name on it, and give it to them.
It was pretty busy, & John was zipping up & down the stairs (food being cooked downstairs) serving us.
The edamame was warm, just slightly salty, & a generous bowl for $2! The lid of the bowl also doubles as a bowl to deposit your shells in.
The bowl of ramen was also a generous serving, served with pork, spinach, bamboo, hard boiled egg, nori, bean sprouts, & green onions for $8. It's not too salty (I don't like it TOO salty). Several of us want to know how the pork is cooked/prepared! The wavy noodles are cooked just right, with a good texture. You can also customize your bowl of ramen by excluding items or getting extra servings of items (with additional cost for extras). The 2nd time I went, I opted for an extra serving of bamboo, because I love bamboo. I was full after one bowl of ramen, but I have friends who had 2 bowls!
You can order drinks at the other counter. We had a strange experience with that the 2nd time we were there, but I won't go into that, since that's not their permanent location.
I liked the very eclectic music that was playing.
The soft opening was fun, as I was surrounded by fellow yelpers, so we actually hung out for a while after we ate. We did have to abandon our table so others could eat though.
Oh yeah, the 2nd time I was there, we got to meet John's business partner, Matt!
Good luck, you guys! I hope to grab another bowl of ramen whenever I'm back up in the Yay Area (whether on visit or permanently)! -
Review from tinna h.
5/31/2008
Grab a form. Fill it out. Wait for your meal. One form per bowl. You can get the works:
- Pork [Salty, fatty goodness - extremely flavorful.]
- Salty Egg [Soy sauce-flavored.]
- Seaweed [Mine stuck to the bowl, sadly.]
- Green Onion
- Bamboo Shoots [Hooray for not being from the can! Yum!]
- Spinach [Popeye approves. Spinach is healthy!]
Or you can pick and choose what you want in your ramen. The noodles are chewy and clear. The broth is thick and oh-so-good. Eaten separately [because I can only hold so much on my spoon or chopsticks], the soup may seem a little mild [compared to other ramen places] in flavor, and the pork and egg may seem a bit salty. When eaten all together, a perfect blend of flavors. The verdict? LOVED it.
It's a 2-man show in the kitchen, so expect a wait while they work out the kinks. You can order a beer or some edamame while you wait. I can see this growing. Prepare to be food coma'd out. Watch out for Tabe Ramen! Pretty soon, there will be noodles for the masses!
+ + + + + + stars for Hayato's mad ramen-delivery skills. Was chatting it up with the girls, and bowls of ramen appeared out of nowhere!
I love that they're mobile. -
Review from tiffinie t.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2008 6 photos
Nothing says comfort on a foggy, late-spring San Francisco night like a hot bowl of ramen noodles. So imagine our delight when we cozied up to the little bar at Caffeine for the soft opening of Tabe Ramen at Caffeine!
To sum up, the noodles were chewy and perfectly cooked, soaking up just the right amount of the rich broth to give them flavor, but not make them soggy. In addition, there were thick strips of fatty, salty pork, briny nori, slivers of bright green onions, 1/2 of a hard-boiled egg, and a sprinkle of ... what else? I can't remember, but since I'll be back tomorrow night for the Yelp soft opening, I can refresh my memory then.
It's strictly a two-man show serving up the steamy soup, so be patient. It's worth the not-so-long wait (we sipped on a cold Stella & nibbled on warm edamame as we waited) -- a wait that's sure to grow as they get busier. But again, totally worth it!
And once I get over my food coma, I can see that I'll be excited to go back for more!
Caffeine is one of many spaces to come that is sure to bring Tabe Trucks Ramen Noodles for the Masses massive success. One steaming bowl at a time. Good luck guys! -
Review from Berna T.
6/1/2008
Three plus hours later, and I'm still full. God bless you boys (John & Matt) and your noodles.
A big congratulations to Tabe Ramen - they have been developing and perfecting their product and by George, I think they've got it!
I love ramen. But usually I find ramen broths to be too salty (I am the Anti-Salt). Tabe's is great - the broth is light yet flavorful, and isn't crazy briny. The pork is well flavored and not overly fatty (another thing I am quite particular about). The other additions (green onion, bamboo shoots, nori, spinach) were well balanced. I asked them to hold the egg, since I'm not a big fan of the hard boiled. The noodles were just chewy enough and the portion size - well, I had to give some of mine away because I was absolutely stuffed.
I think they're gonna be big. Just my two cents. -
Review from neil c.
San Francisco, CA
6/1/2008
The noodles were delicious and chewy. The broth was flavorful without being heavy. The chashu was tasty and just the right amount of fat. The egg was deliciously salty and PROPERLY WARMED. The other add ons were also nearly perfect.
But yes, everyone has talked about their delicious ramen, which comes in a great big bowl for $8. I finished it all, because it was good, not because I was still hungry. What I want to talk about is the edamame! For 2 dollars you get a big bowl of properly cook (still crispy, and warm) and salted edamame. There is enough edamame in the bowl to provide a light, nutritious meal in and of itself. -
Review from Keiko S.
7/20/2008
Closed?! Why, please reopen soon, in a truck or wherever.
I enjoyed it the first time, but want to eat it again - preferably in a fashionable YATAI style - before writing a review!Listed in: All Japanese, My Men List
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Review from Stephen P.
San Francisco, CA
5/31/2008
Super Tasty Ramen..Can't wait to go back tonight for 3rds..
Keep up the good work ladies. -
Review from Gabriel R.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2008
With exceptional ingredients, fast and friendly service, and a bowl of ramen that is authentic and delicious, Tabe Ramen is well on its way to being a big hit in SF. Yelpers John Hayato B and Matt C serve up an excellent bowl of traditional ramen and a small selection of edibles like edimame and other little things that are making their way onto the menu weekly.
Currently serving at Caffeine on Friday and Saturday nights, it's a convenient location to get your Ramen on! Pay these hard working guys a visit and try it out. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from GIR ..
San Francisco, CA
6/7/2008
If the question is Tabe or not Tabe, the answer is to take arms (and cash) against a sea of noodles.
Very good ramen accompanied by tasty kimchi and chased with fresh Stella turned me into a happy piglet (hamlet?).
Looking forward to the trucks with their roaming ramen, as I am such a big noodle fan that sounds like it is really meant Tabe. -
Review from miriam b.
San Francisco, CA
6/7/2008
Props to John H. for helping with bringing the news and actualizing of better ramen that what you could find in Chinatown ,a place that is not like that weird Downtown place that was self named OILYramen...but it still a skevetchy part of Tender-loinedhookahs. Do not wear your rolex and walk with your YSLs grrrllss..this is the casual, casual. think Tu-Lan like scarry part of town, but brave it with a group
Check it out now before it disappears....POOF. -
Review from CINDY K.
San Francisco, CA
6/1/2008
Currently co-operating within the store front that is Caffeine, this is a pretty awesome business partnership. John & Matt are cranking out their well-perfected Tabe Ramen from some secret basement lair, while the Caffeine guys offer you the beverages at the cooler/counter and comfy couch & bar stool seating throughout the cafe. This is a CASH business, folks - but no worries, you don't need a roll of bills, with the price-point starting at $8.
The standard ramen bowl already comes with all the right fixings - chasu pork slices that aren't just stewed but slightly seared and smoky, an almost-hard-boiled soy 1/2 egg (which I could easily devour a full dozen), bamboo slices, spinach, green onion and nori....but you can pay to add more or subtract any of the above to your bowl.
I'm so impressed with this whole set-up, and their efficient service! Everything came out within 10-15min and it was all hot and tasty.
I'm gonna enjoy telling people, "Tabe Ramen? Oh yeah I know those guys..." -
Review from ray e.
San Francisco, CA
6/1/2008
hmmmm... i can't help but bring down the hipster ga-ga factor a bit for Tabe Ramen. as much as I 'm thankful that there's a ramen place outside of nihonmachi that serves late, I certainly don't think the ramen here was the best. the roasted pork and boiled egg were definitely tasty and notable. but the rest? hmmmm... maybe a bit more flavor in the broth would be good, and why so skimpy? more flavor and more broth please. and the noodles would be better if they were house made (which they're not). in any case, not bad for the first try but definitely room for improvement.
update:
i was informed that although the noodles are not housemade, they are from a Bay Area Japanese noodle shop (ok, ok, I'm cool... i just have a weakness for housemade noodles!)
in any case, i'll be back for more, just 'cause I 3 starred it, doesn't mean I'm out, y'alls!
