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Mon-Tue., Thu-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Tue., Thu-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Am I the only person who gets hungry when they see a picture of Medusa? Some people see snakes and eyes that can turn you to stone but I get hungry for Ramen! Maybe it's the Japanese side of me who is in desperate need of a weekly ramen fix?
Met up with a girlfriend yesterday for lunch and she suggested Yotteko-Ya at the McCully Shopping Center. Could anything really worthwhile live up on the 2nd floor of the McCully Shopping Center? I thought that's where businesses went to die? Or sell some late night "massages"? Well Yotekko-ya does not sell late night massages, at least that I know of, but it does sell some delicious soul cleansing ramen! I knew this was going to be a good place when I saw the sign on the doorway that said " Rocketed from Kyoto". Any business that writes something like that on their door is A-Okay with me!
We were seated by their "from Japan" waitress. This is a good sign. The only thing better would have been a "from Japan" Grandma. Lots of Japanese tourists and Japan transplants eating ramen. This looks very promising! Ordered their "most popular" Paitan ramen with kim chee and vegetables for $9.45. They offer two choices in which they can cook your noodles, Japanese style (slightly undercooke) and Local style (softer). I order it Japanese style because I want to real deal and if I wanted them Local style I'd go to Shiro's.
Our ramen comes out quicky and lord oh lord were they good! I'd never had kim chee in my ramen so by the time I was half way through the bowl I was sweating up a storm! Not ideal if you're on a first date but totally ideal if you're chowing down on ramen with your girlfriend who is also sweating like a little piggy. You know you're besties when you can sweat up a storm, have kim chee breath and still have fun!
Oh mah gah.
Walking into Yotteko-Ya sans a huge line or waitlist, I had my doubts. But daaang, I shoulda realized momma always said don't judge a book by it's cover.
I went with the recommended soup base (Paitan) and ordered myself the D set that comes with chicken karaage and fried rice. The Paitan ramen had quite possibly the most flavorful and tender chasu pieces that my mouth has ever known. The broth was deliciously rich, and the noodles were al dente perfection. The crispy karaage, and fried rice that was just slightly on the sweet side were excellent complements to my ramen. I was seriously satisfied.
Man, to get ramen of that caliber and not have to wait in line, I thought I was dreaming. Plus a claim that their collagen rich broth will make you look younger? Why are you not in LA? Ahh, alas Yotteko-Ya you were good to me.
Tonight I came into town to have an early dinner before my much anticipated John Legend's Evolver concert at the Neil Blasdell Center. Unfortunately, Yotteko-Ya earns a 2 star rating while John Legend deserves a 5 star standing ovation.
I specifically came here before they opened to guarantee an early dinner service. Being prompt is a weakness here because the waitress strolled in at 5:30 when they should be opening up for business. She begins to get ready in the restaurant and doesn't open the doors until 5:40. The interior of the place was painted in bright red and had a few kanji paintings on the wall. Our waitress was a young, inexperienced girl who wasn't into satisfying the customer and gave lukewarm service without a smile.
After reading the reviews and studying the menu, I decided on combo set #C ($12.45) which included:
Tabeteko Paitan (additional $2.50) - "Topped with kim-chee and vegetables and 1 slice of our homemade chashu"
Gyoza-3 pieces pan fried
Mini Yakibuta Chahan-pork fried rice
Because I personalized it to a Tabeteko Paitan, they charged an additional $2.50 which made my meal $14.95. It took exactly 20 minutes for my Japanese Style (traditional versus local style - softer) "Tabeteko" Paitan ramen to arrive. Obviously, the waitress needed help because more patrons were arriving and she could barely keep our water glasses filled.
As I was eating my ramen, I was desperately searching for the vegetables which was described in the menu. I found only 3 slices of kim chee which was disappointing and one 1" strip of negi (green onions) compared to the other ramen. I politely flagged the waitress and asked about the lack of vegetables in my ramen and showed her the quote from the menu. She said they normally put in cabbage and I told her there was none except for the 3 pieces of kim chee. She walked away and I thought she was going to bring me some additional veggies but I was wrong. She completely ignored my concern and went along her business. Her attitude completely changed my opinion of this establishment and left a sour taste in my mouth.
The ramen broth and noodles were very tasty, rich and luxurious and the fried rice had a good flavor. The char-siu was tender with a slight sweetness to it.
Do *NOT* order:
Tabeteko Ramen/Paitan Ramen-They do not put in the vegetables as listed.
Gyoza - It's similar to the frozen kind you see in the market.
My suggestion: don't get the combos but rather order your own ramen and split a chahan (fried rice) with your company.
As I went up to pay for my meal, I was upset that the waitress showed apathy to my complaint and didn't both to mention it any of the staff. She never apologized for not providing what was listed and I expressed my disappointment and felt cheated by the description of the menu. Again, she was expressionless.
Thank goodness John Legend saved the night from her crappy, unprofessional, apathetic attitude.
After a long 5 hour flight, this was our dinner stop on the way to our hotel from HNL.
I'd put the Paitan Ramen from this place up there with the Miso Corn Butter Ramen at the Umaimono Fair at Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance, and the ramen from Hakata Shinsengumi!
Order it Japanese style with extra noodles and you'll be good to go. Their Chasu was "Oh so tender!"
My wife and I went on a Tuesday night toward closing, so it wasn't too crowded. We were seated right away and got our food just as fast.
The lot in the front can get crowded so park around the back in the lower parking structure.
You decide if Yotteko-Ya's claim that their ramen makes one look younger is true, but their ramen IS unique, rich, and simmered to close perfection!
Relax, stay calm - it's worth it! Remember this as you circle the lot for parking, especially after 6pm, even worse on Friday and Saturday evenings. There's basement parking if you dare, but a spot can be found usually within 5 minutes. After parking and hoping your car doesn't get door dinged (bike racks and safety is questionable), you'll find Yotteko-Ya nestled on the Ewa side, second story.
Open the door and you'll immediately be welcomed by staff, a terrific ambiance, and likely patrons looking at you. Relax, stay calm again, while it might take a few minutes to sit down and order, the staff is small, they work hard, and are very friendly...local style.
Now for the food - the chashu is among the most tender and flavorful chashu on the island, regardless of the price, and rivals those I've had in Japan (albeit, differently). Can you appreciate the subtle difference of Kyoto ramen and others? I don't and it doesn't matter - it's THAT good. The shoyu Japanese style are favorites and are must have's here. For those who like softer noodles, local style is offered for all ramen. Recommended: Yataiaji Ramen, Chashu Ramen, Tonshio Ramen, it's all tasty.
For those seeking more substance or gohan-based meals, the yakibuta and garlic chahan won't disappoint. Reading the description, a half-decent cook may think they can rival what's presented...you might find yourself with the rest of us who thought that! If you're from out-of-town or simply like to eat a lot of good food, try a ramen and chashu gohan. The chashu and shiro gohan's come in small bowls but unless you're a hearty eater, food will be left on your plate and you might carry a slight guilt as you leave.
For those who want to try a little of everything, 4 "sets" or combos are offered. They all consist of a ramen, side, and gohan. At quick glance it appears to be a good deal, but considering the amount of food and just okay sides, you're better off skipping them all. While the karaage is moist and tender with a crispy outside, there's better restaurants at similar prices scattered throughout the island. The gyoza is standard fare and not a far cry from others.
If you aren't a ramen, chashu, gohan type, or simply are looking for something easily recognizable, the sweet and sour chicken is a safe choice. Served off a pineapple stem that hints Hawaiian, it's just that - safe. No worries though, after hearing your company rave about the other meals, you'll be back.
One of the few places whose food can ride with the large restaurants, check it out nice time you're in McCully...possibly after getting shaved ice. It's 5 minutes outside the Ewa (West) side of Waikiki. If you someone with an impossible amount of food in front of them, that's me.
Got some take-out from here. Got the Paitan Ramen with extra noodles, spicy, thanks to Yelp. It was delicious. The spicy was right on and added tons of flavor to the already-flavorful ramen. The pork was good, noodles were great.
They were out of sides, which was disappointing, but ultimately unnecessary thanks to the plentiful ramen.
Paitan chashu ramen FTW
I was craving some ramen and yelp reviews steered me to Yotteko.
The restaurant itself is pretty small. About 7 tables, 1 booth for large groups, and a bar with stools. I walked in and got to choose the table since I got their when it just opened.
I ordered the Paitan Ramen charshu (5 pieces), traditional, no green onions, spicy. The order came out with the broth, noodles, chunks of charshu, and Kikurage mushrooms. Mm, the charshu was so tender and tasty. It was like half meat- half fat for each piece. The noodles were traditional and not as tender, but it was good. The paitan broth is really good. I think I like it better than the rest.
Not sure if ordering it spicy is worth the extra dollar. I think there is hot oil on the table, just no sesame seeds.
Very limited drink menu (bud, bud light, kirin). No sake?
Service is very attentive.
Thanks yelpers. the ramen really hit the spot.
My favorite ramen place so far by a long shot.
You must MUST order ramen with the paitan broth. It's white, creamy, and high.. in.. protein... (That's what she said.) ANYWAY, apparently the collagen is good for your skin and joints but whatever- I just think it's delicious. Their chashu is also really tender and tasty!! The kakuni special was always sold out when I went, but I'm determined to try it one day.
If you're really hungry, I recommend the C set which comes with your choice of 2 sides- charsiu rice/fried rice and gyoza/chicken karaage. The fried rice was good- a little heavier on the shoyu and glistening with oil. However the paitan broth seemed to lose some of its flavor on my taste buds in comparison. The gyoza was disappointing.. I thought Ling-Lings from the freezer tasted better.
Just remember they close in the hours between lunch and dinner, otherwise you're setting yourself up for total sadness. This happened during my first 3 attempts to eat here.. but so worth it in the end=)
The ramen here is very good, but only if you order the paitan. The shoyu one tasted a little weird (thankfully my boyfriend ordered that) and I couldn't quite tell what made the difference. The fried rice is very moist with lots of garlic and shoyu to make it oh so tasty. And the gyoza was nicely pan fried with yumminess in the middle. You do have to pay a little bit more for this location (I think the total for the two of us was about $23.) But I would definitely come back here again.
i want to give this place 5 stars so badly but the service i received was the slowest EVER!
i must admit, the ramen here was amazing! the paitan broth was delicious and i drank every last drop as the menu told me to do lol. i would give it 5 stars on the ramen alone, hands down.
we waited forever to get a table since there was only one girl working. poor thing since she was the hostess, server, busser, food runner, and cashier all at once. by the time she got to us, she was kind of rude. i don't blame her but still, smile a little, it makes a huge difference! once the other girl came on the floor, things went a lot smoother.
4.5 stars. i'll be back and will update this review since it might have been one of those days.
Paitan Charshu Ramen!!!
No, people it's not the square ramen you buy for $0.49 cents. And if that's the only kind of ramen you've tasted then you're depriving yourself.
This stuff is unbelievable!
I especially love the sesame seeds that are sprinkled on top, it just MAKES the dish!
This place is small but good for groups of up to 6 or possibly 8.
It's also dangerously close to where I live and I find myself frequenting the place quite often.
Overall, magnificent and simple but worth every penny!
My friend Melissa and I went to Yotteko-ya after I'd been eye-balling this place for quite a while. I tried to go a couple times before with my husband but the wait was too long and when I'm hungry, I'M HUNGRY. Feed me Seymour!!
I ordered the Yasai Paitan Ramen thinking I'd be a little healthy (yasai means vegetables) since I was lunching with a vegetarian. What I SHOULD'VE ordered was the Paitan Chashu Ramen like the waitress recommended. Who knew my people can make char siu??! I'm still baffled. It was totally different from Chinese char siu and totally delish!! It was almost like eating a good piece of filet mignon because it had the same melt-in-your-mouth effect. Mmmmm...
Service was friendly and attentive, and the restaurant had a nice cozy vibe. I'm looking forward to going again...but next time will be sure to load up on the char siu because one piece just isn't enough.
Giving this place 4 stars because Goma Ichi on Keeamoku is still my favorite. Their broth is addicting!
Paitan ramen, Japanese style: Firm chewy noodles. Rich, meaty, almost milky broth. Super tender sweet cha shu. Scatters of chopped green onion.
So delicious on a rainy night!
Ebi Mayonnaise was a treat for the eyes. Fat deep fried shrimp slathered in a semi-sweet mayonnaise sauce. Piled up on an orange slice, topped in slivered almonds and surrounded by slices of cherry tomato and chunks of orange. Pretty good, but a little soft.
Cha shu rice was good. Hot white rice topped with chunks of sweet cha siu. Simple and tasty.
Service was friendly, water was refilled just on time.
OMG...yum! You haven't been here yet? So delicious. I agree with Ellen Mae V. Paitan Charsiu Ramen rocks! I like to get it Japanese style which means a little al dente. My recommendation is to get the set with the charsiu fried rice (OMG so good) and gyoza. It's about $13 for all that.
Just writing this I'm craving to go there!!
OMG !! I LOVE their Paitan Noodles, Japanese style. And their Cha Siu is out of this world melt in your mouth oishi to the max. When you think of Char Siu, don't think of the disgusting red char siu from Chinese restaurants...it's NOT like that at all.
But they do lie about 1 thing...They say their broth which is slow cooked for 10 hours makes you look younger...well, I don't think so.
Strangest little place ( you will understand when you get there), up in the corner of McCully Shopping Center. We went by 3 frickin times, and it was closed. So after Joy of Sake we hit it up, and yes it was open. Paitan ramen rocks! Please transport this restaurant to Seattle. My husband wasn't even hungry but he still ate it all. PS: thank you for not have outrageous prices... your proximity to Waikiki make it uber convenient.
Paitan ramen japanese style! Rich good for you collagen broth! MmMm guud! Such great noodles. Such comfort fuud!!
Yeah i like Gomatei is guud but they don't claim its "guud for you"
Tenkaippin is bit too rich for my taste almost taste liek your drinking butter.
It's not fat, it's collagen...and it's good for my skin. Luminosity. Yup, that's what I tell myself.
Here's my Yotteko-Ya vs. Tenkaippin throwdown:
Noodles - Yotteko-Ya. Fresh, homemade and boiled to order (local style is boiled a little longer for softer noodles, Japanese style is more al dente).
Soup Base - Tie. Tenkaippin has the thicker broth (kotteri), but some may find it too thick and rich for their liking. Yotteko-Ya's paitan base is a little lighter and thinner. Both taste awesome.
Chasu - Yotteko-Ya. So tender and tasty.
Karaage chicken - Tenkaippin. Juicy without being overly oily and a crisp golden brown and delicious. The Yotteko-Ya version tasted a little strange to me. Flavor was off somehow.
Gyoza - Tie. Both were well made, but I think Tenkaippin gives more.
Service - Tie. Both places have a few (or only one person) working very hard.
Ambiance - Yotteko-Ya is a little cozier in set-up as well as lighting. You don't feel as rushed here (see pics).
Found this place from Yelp and decided to try it. The Patian ramen was tasty. A Little disappointed that they ran out of the special bulky pork when we're the second customer to enter the restaurant. Overall, it is an average ramen place.
5-stars for the ramen. My favorite/usual is the paitan, spicy, often with chashu. It's the best broth I've yet to try anywhere. Rich, flavorful and thick (but still well short of Tenkaippin's gravy). Their cha shu is also among the best I've had in ramen.
Their gyoza's decent. I'm not too impressed with the shrimp fried rice, but I go there for the ramen anyway. Their ice cream is also weak, but if you want ice cream go to the overrated Cold Stone downstairs, or better yet, hit Bubbies.
As a bonus, they have a stamp card, so if you're a frequent patron you get a free or discounted ramen after 10 stamps.
Good Ramen!!!!! 1 of the handful ramen shops I eat frequently. Oahu lacks good ramen
I've been wanting to eat at this ramen place for quite sometime, but every time I go there seems to be a line outside so I just leave. Well last night after waking up from a nap at 9pm (I had a long day) the bf and I decided to try here since we were craving noodles.
There were only 3 other couples in the restaurant, I guess the later the better. After reading everyone's reviews I already knew that I was going to have the paitan base with the chashu (5 slices of ramen). My bf had the same thing and then we also ordered deep fried gyoza and ebi in chili sauce to share.
The paitan soup base tasted like there was a little sesame seed oil (there are sesame seeds in it as well) in the broth. It looked like a cream broth, but it didn't have that thickness that you would think; I guess it's just the color of the soup. The chashu was very tender but it was a little on the sweet side. I decided it must be marinated in terriyaki sauce. I asked for the noodles to be cooked traditional Japanese style which is a little more al dente than "local style" or softer noodles (you have a choice b/w those 2). I really liked the noodles, though I should've read the menu carefully b/c all the soups come with chashu, but some come with less pieces, some come with veggies and chashu (would've gotten that one. Darn), one can even come with a block of chashu (dine in only). The deep fried gyoza (5 pc) was cooked to perfection, golden brown and great crunch. Taste was great too. The ebi (6 pc) didn't quite go over too well with us. It was deep fried in tempura batter and then this jelly like sauce dumped over it. Texture of the shrimp vs. the sauce was not well thought out and we both stopped eating it. Side dishes aside, I'm going to have to say this is one of the better ramen places to go on Oahu and will be back for the paitan!
thanks to fellow yelpers, i found this place to please my taste buds after a week of boring cruise ship food.
Paitan ramen is very tasty, so is the kimchi ramen. The latter has a little zing to it, but not terribly hot.
Definitely worth a return visit, if I go back to Hawaii.
Tried this spot after all the hype I have been hearing lately. It's true there is only one waitress and she is working her butt off.
The ramen was good. I got Japanese style which basically just entails the noodles arent cooked until they are super soft (local style).
The Gyoza was ono too.
I would ear here again, but it still doesnt beat Goma Tei for me.
I really really liked this place. I know I did because at the end of the meal, my stomach was asking me what it did to deserve so much pain.
I went on a monday night and surprisingly, there was a line at the door! The decor and set up of this little restaurant was very bright and easy flowing - I don't know why but I was so happy to sit in the little nook to the right of the restaurant that provides enough seating for larger parties.
Reviewers on yelp suggested and recommended the paitan chashu ramen, and I'm very glad I went with that order! Delicious ramen (japanese style: chewier noodles, boiled for a shorter amount of time; local style: softer noodles, boiled for a longer amount of time) came with those five tender, sweet pieces of chashu, all soaked in the thick, hot paitan broth. I ordered the C Set, which was $12.95. My ramen was accompanied by 3 pieces of deep fried gyoza (yum!) and pork fried rice. The rice was alright, but I much prefer the ramen.
Service was a nonissue as the waitress was quick and friendly. I'll be back!
After some nondescript sushi, veggies, cheese, fruits & wine / drinks at an art exhibition, then dessert @ Little Oven, needed sumpin to tide me over until breakfast. Palace Saimin in Kalihi hasn't opened at night for some time, so I had to find another place.
Stopped here around 9:30pm for their paitan ramen. Ordered it (noodles cooked Japanese style), enjoyed eating it, went home to go sleep. With superb noodles, an excellent thick broth and tender chashu, my highest recommendations.
I was in and out in less than 25 minutes, just like at Palace Saimin.
Parking not that much of a problem later in the evening.
4.5 stars
I haven't tried the ramen places in Waikiki where I would assume the best ramen may be found, but Yottekoya is the current standard for Japanese style chashu.
I wouldn't call Kyoto one of the famous centers of ramen in Japan so I'm not really sure where they're going with the Kyoto ramen thing. In general, Kyoto cuisine is supposed to be lighter and less heavily seasoned than other areas of Japan. The ramen here is strongly flavored, but thankfully not too salty like other ramenya I've been to.
If you're looking for something lighter, go for either the shoyu (soy sauce) or Hawaiian salt base soup. Even though you're in Hawaii and this isn't really the place for a steaming, heavy broth, sometimes you just have to have the milky paitan.
Dinner sets are pretty reasonable but a whole lot of food. Maybe if you have two people you should get one dinner set and one bowl of ramen. I prefer the chashu gohan (chashu on top of white rice with sauce, pickled ginger, and green onions) over the chaahan (fried rice). The chaahan has a typical Japanese fried rice flavor, but is a bit too greasy. The chashu gohan features the chashu better in my opinion, and the sauce is quite tasty. Gyoza were fine and the karaage (Japanese fried chicken) was done well. Could have used some lemon perhaps.
The chashu here is spot on. Slightly sweet with a good soy sauce flavor and the pork fat melts in your mouth for heavenly, porky, unctuous deliciousness. Noodles are medium thickness and can be ordered Japanese style or the softer local style.
This would be a great spot for a cold winter day, but as that does not happen very often in Hawaii, it is a little hot and heavy for regular eating. Maybe a cold rainy day.
4 solid stars! Wife and I had lunch here this weekend and the place wasn't that busy so the service was actually good. There was only 1 woman working at first but a 2nd woman joined in shortly thereafter.
After having the Paitan ramen from Tenkaippin (didn't like it) I was hesitate to try it here but decided if I don't then I wouldn't be able to compare the two. I had the C set which came with the Paitan ramen, 3 pieces of gyoza and pork fried rice. To my surprise the Paitan ramen here was really good. The broth was rich and creamy but not thick and overpowering like at Tenkaippin. The gyoza was good but I've had better fried rice else where. The homemade chashu was really good. Very tender and had a nice shoyu flavor to it.
A bonus is the clean restroom facilities. Yotteko-Ya changed my mind about the Paitan ramen. It can be tasty and enjoyed if you actually have broth and not gravy.
I guess I'll give this place 4 stars since the BF really liked his Paitan Ramen. But I have to warn you...the place looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. Everything was sticky, the chairs, the tables, the condiment tray had sticky stains ALL over it...honestly I didn't even want to touch anything while I was in there. As far as ramen goes I guess this place is really good. I also ordered the Shrimp mayo thing...omg...avoid at all costs. I don't know what the hell they were thinking. There were halved grape tomatoes, oranges, and tiny pieces of lettuce or something circling the plate. The fried shrimps were soggy and thick with batter and simply tasted GROSS. They were also SOOOO busy that they could not clean up tables so we stood there waiting at least 10 minutes to be seated. No one even acknowledges us so we finally just seated ourselves at the dirty bar area that was surrounded by boxes.
The place is always busy as heck when I've gone, even if two people are running around like nuts trying to serve the place, and they always keep you waiting before they even acknowledge that you're waiting, but it's easy to see why. But the place is so small that it's easy to see the progress of people's meals, whether they're nearly done, or haven't been served yet, or are inexplicably sitting around with no food left on their plates but aren't leaving yet. So it's easy to decide whether to wait a few minutes in the hopes that some table will be free soon or give up and leave. I've never opted for the give up and leave option, though. It's worth standing around and waiting.
I've seen people do takeout, but if the server(s) are busy, they don't answer the phones, which is a perfectly sensible move because you can't wait to serve noodles, because they'll go soggy. So I'm really hoping that whoever gets takeout is getting the fried rice dishes or lives across the street somewhere.
We meant to eat at another Japanese resturant, but couldn't find it, so we made our way in here. I'm not a big fan of Ramen, but I might be now.
The paitan soup was delish to the last drop. I mean, my first reaction to the tatse was this is good! I like it better then Tenkaippin.
They gave a lot in the set. I had to give my husband some of my noodles. Amibiance is okay, nothing bad, but they could make it a little more cozy for a better experience. Lucky for them, their noodles more then compensated.
I'd go back!
I can't remember the first time I ate here. What I do remember is eating here often. What brought me back here over and over is their Paitan Ramen, which is now the staple of all noodles that will come after for me. The creamy soup base just kept me slurping non stop regardless of how hot (japanese style) it was. I had it with Cha Shu and Kim Chee Paitan Ramen.
I must say that it is so tasteful. Yummy! Only one problem my girlfriend and me are lactose intolerant, and have a case of the tooties afterwards. Still, wouldn't pass this up. If you are lactose just go for the not so creamy soup base...but if you do you have no idea what you're missing. SLURP!!
Ramen - noodles good, but have had better soup bases, kind of plain. Gyoza nothing to write about. service had one waiter serving a fully packed restaurant. A for effort!
Delicious ramen
For a staff of three or four
They do a fine job
We showed up early and I'm glad we did -- the waitress was able to spend a few minutes with us to explain our options (we are ramen novices), which she did very well and very patiently. I ordered the C combo with Paitan broth; my partner ordered the C combo with Shoyu broth. Both were excellent -- the Paitan was rich and absolutely delicious, and I had to be talked out of ordering extra chashu.
As we were eating, the restaurant filled up and we stuck out like a sore thumb as the tourists we were, making me even more grateful we'd gotten there early so the waitress (who was, indeed, running the whole floor herself!) could point us in the right direction. She really made us feel very welcome.
I wish we'd discovered this on our first day in town rather than one of our last; I highly recommend it.
Tabeteko Paitan Ramen at $9.50! The best ramen I have had so far in Hawaii! I took a picture of it, and its in the restaurants photo album! So let me try to describe this scrumptious soup... Imagine miso with a milky base, not to salty, not to spicy, kim chee, sesame seeds, ChaShu and noodles!
Don't recommend it for the lactose intolerant individuals... :-(
Parking in front of the building is hard to find, I recommend going to the parking lot located within the building, Enter from the left if you are facing the building... parking is free!
My friends and I really enjoy eating at Yotteko-Ya. The ramen is very good and I love their fried rice. I usually get the Combo B, Paitan Chashu, with fried rice... SO GOOD!! This combo runs around $13 but you can get a nice bowl of ramen with a couple pieces of chashu for about $7.
While the location is a little small, you are not limited to eating at a counter and that can make for good conversation. Tables turn slow because they run with a lean crew, but the ladies are very nice. There are maybe eight tables that can seat 4, a booth for around 8 hungry people, and short counter for 5 more. If you are coming with a group, I'd send an advanced party to secure your position or try calling ahead if they will allow it. If you come after 6:30 and they are full, be prepared for a wait.
We went here after a horrible, horrible disappointment from Anime After Dark (art museum thing). It's on the second floor of the McCully Shopping Center in the far corner.
The fifth star is given only due to The Chashu (yes, without the "r") is f'n awesome. The side order portion is super small but SOOO worth it. I'm not much of a fan of meat but... *Homer Simpson beer drool* it's so soft and practically falls apart in your mouth....
We got (pictures):
Set C - Tonshio Ramen, 3 pc gyoza, and mini yakibuta chahan 11.95
Set D - Tonshio Ramen, 3 pc karaage, and mini yakibuta chahan 12.45
Curry Chahan 6.95
They offer 4 different sets where you can choose from 2 of the ramens, either Yataiaji or Tonshio. (with an extra charge you can get ANY one of their ramens) Also Set C & D offers a choice of either mini yakibuta chahan or Chashu Gohan.
There are many ramens and chahans to choose from. Plus, you can request your noodles to be traditional Japanese style or local (softer).
Original visit 3/28/08
I went to Yotteko-Ya when I was on vacation, but my last attempt at finding a good ramen joint in Bay Area on the mainland prompted me to finally write this review.
San Francisco needs a Yotteko-Ya. The ChaShu is OFF-DA-HOOK!!!! Me and my sister both ordered combos (I think I had the goyza and my sista had the fried rice). We took one bite of the ChaShu and decided to order a plate on the side.
It was thattttt gooodddddd! Yummmmm! Melts in your mouth with just the right amount of flavor and fat. The place I went to in the East Bay (I won't mention names....) that was suppose to be da bomb had ChaShu that was very generous in portion but had no flavor what so ever; I think I took a few bites and couldn't justify intaking extra calories for flavorless over-glorified crap!
The ChaShu here has a hint of smoky aroma that meshes so well with the broth. When you take a bite of the ramen/ChaShu along with a sip of that yummy broth, I swear I hear a heavenly chorus playing in the back of my head. Just thinking about it right now makes me hungry for some of that yum yum chop! Hummmmm.....
You come here for one thing: Fatty Char Siu.
You gotta get the special 'cause they only make a certain amount (20 bowls) a day.
You gonna look younger~ broth is collagen-rich!
Nuff already, get off your okole and go brah.
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
Honolulu, HI
Category: Japanese
The best food across any price range and type.…
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