Warren "The Beast" L.'s Profile

My #1 (Kahoo) just got dethroned... by the NEW KAHOO. Your ramen-eating life will never be the same!

I rarely write reviews anymore but when I saw the poor reviews for this place on Yelp! I was shocked. My experience was awesome, so

I came right as the opened for dinner, 5:30pm. I was greeted with the standard Japanese welcome greeting and sat at the bar. Nobody was there yet, so I got to take a look around and see the layout of the place... really cool, modern take on a ramen house. Way better for groups than Kahoo on Saratoga (where you can't take more than a party of four).

Right away I saw that the menu was different. Instead of my favorite mini rice bowl of minced pork curry, I found BEEF CURRY. Win. Automatic order. I saw Spicy Kara-age) which I only order with friends when we can share), and I have no doubt that it's the same amazing appetizer because the proprietary house spicy sauce I got with my ramen later is exactly the same. I noticed there was no Tan-Tan men... oh the horror. But I am no ramen rookie. Having tried every different broth and noodle combo at Kahoo, I was pleased to find something new in its stead:

SPICY DELUXE MISO

It comes with:

-Two big Tonkotsu slices
-Additional pork
-Double the veggies (cabbage/carrot/onion/leek) you get with the normal Miso
-Double the spinach
-Corn
-Scallion (both white and green parts)
-Bamboo
-Half a soft-boiled egg
-That amazing spicy sauce on the side
-DOUBLE THE RAMEN

I only ate half of it and boxed the rest of it... as big as an XL Pho bowl but so much more filling and with a plethora of these amazing toppings.

I would recommend splitting it with a friend unless you are a beast. It is probably best enjoyed by two, and if you are hungry, with a side of spicy karaage or beef curry.

The beef curry was hearty and super flavorful, and not too salty or sweet... Many Japanese places I find straddle this line with great difficulty. But to get a curry that tastes like this is not easy.

So do yourself a favor. Skip Orenchi, Santouka, and even the original Kahoo (blasphemy!), don't bother with Halu or the other over-hyped places in Fremont and San Mateo (you know what I'm talking about), and get the real deal.

They even have their own parking lot!

I doubt many people enjoy check-ups after years of avoiding the dentist... but I will say that my first time back in a while was handled wonderfully. Dr. Sandy Shih and her assistant Ebonnee were super knowledgeable, but more than that, compassionate! I can't stress how awesome and calming it is to know that they not only know what they are doing and can answer any questions, but treat you with the right amount of professional yet friendly concern! Would definitely recommend.

I enjoyed it, but it wasn't mind-blowing.

Popovers - nice and eggy, super fluffy and crisp. Loved these.

Bacon-wrapped Dates... overall they were too sweet for me, but the way they counter-played off of the bacon and capers inspires me to try more stuff like that at home.

Fried Chicken - the little touches were nice... the fried herbs, the slow-roasted and unpeeled garlic, the lemon, definitely elevated it to the next level. But sadly, I feel like I've had better. Can't say it was worth $22 (a la carte) to me.

Fries - Not particularly spectacular, lacked texture/crispiness I expected

"Cowgirl" Ravioli - My date had this dish and I tried it... it was really, really good. There were LAYERS of flavor. Great dish.

They didn't have the short ribs on the menu, so I was bummed about that (not that I could have eaten two entrees). Didn't have dessert. $80 before tip for the two of us. I didn't see Mr. Florence there either, which was another bummer.

I have been a fan of Tyler Florence for so long (watched almost every episode of Food 911 and the original Tyler's Ultimate including the Fried Chicken episode as well as the current Tyler's Ultimate and Great Food Truck Race and Best Thing I Ever Ate... I am a real fan). But I expected more for the price.

Too pricey, some real misses on classic Szechuan favorites. Service was decent, ambiance seemed authentic... but most of the the dishes were just off. For those of you reviewers who think this is affordable and delicious, I hope you check your birth certificate. You may be from another planet. Go to SF and LA for some real chinese food...

Hot and Sour Soup - neither hot, nor sour. I asked for black vinegar.

Sesame Sauce Noodles (Dan Dan Mien) - the flavor was decent, but there was no detectable element of sesame whatsoever. Sort of an affront to a chinese person raised in San Francisco.

Numbing Spicy Beef Tendon - this was good. Generous on the Szechuan peppercorns.

Szechuan String Beans - good, but far from the best I've had. I was raised on chinese food in the SF Bay Area, and have frequented the many wonderful establishments in LA county - Monterey Park, Alhambra, Arcadia...

Mapo Tofu - way too heavy on the black beans (fermented soy beans) and the tofu hadn't absorbed any of the sauce.

Braised Beef Filets w/Napa - for $16.95, I expected this dish to knock it out of the park. Instead, the beef was flavorless, the dish was full of enoki mushrooms to the point of overwhelming the other flavors, and the napa wasn't even cooked (thrown in last minute). Napa in Szechuan cooking should be wilted enough to soak up the sauce... a real let down.

Came out to $21 a person. Disappointed.

Cozy space, great food. Croque Madame, Boulange Club... yummy. French Onion soup, too oniony (and I love onions).

Decent price for the quality... the Croque Madame was amazing. Just the right amount of cheese, ham, and bread which was cooked to perfection with that great, toasty-cheesey crunch. Boulange Club was very nice, super crispy bacon, generous amount of avocado, right balance of turkey with all of the above. Thick and satisfying.

Would go again for sure, and hopefully on a warmer day so I can sit outside!

Extra moist brisket, baby back ribs. Two demands I'd make as I held my children hostage if I were a terrorist and a horrible parent.

Seriously, though. A CUTTER CAM? PAPER INSTEAD OF PLATES? GAS STATION OUTSIDE? SAUSE?

I will come back again again. Every damn time I'm in Austin. Every time.

Signed, Warren from California (a sad place with few legit options for BBQ such as this fine establishment)

My third experience really ruined my love for this place. My first and second experiences at Fleming's were wonderful. Steak was perfect, sides were perfect, atmosphere and service where perfect. It was what you'd expect for $50+ dining and more. And the way they thank you after you've dined with them, the way they follow you on Twitter when you mention them... all that stuff is great. But back to the third experience...

I brought my family here because we don't spend a lot of time together these days. I thought it would be the perfect xmas gift. Instead, what we got was a very pushy waiter who tried to up-sell us at every step. He started off really long-winded, going through the specials for what seemed like a good solid two minutes... and when it came time for us to order, he would try to push this side, bone-in, this bottle of wine with the proprietary grape which was twice the price of the other one we looked at... and then when my ribeye was rare (reddish-purple) instead of medium rare, he insisted a tiny bit that I was wrong. The chef quickly came, apologized, took the steak back, made it right, and they eventually comped us a dessert and brought a new side because I hadn't finished it on my first plate.

The waiter also gave mini-lectures to the server who was clearly new and learning. I felt that this was rude to him, but also to us for correcting his mistakes in our presence, making us feel bad for him.

Overall, the chef, the side, and the comped dessert MORE than made up for the steak, but that still leaves the pushy waiter who was rude to his own. Watch out for the brown-haired middle-aged used-car salesman-type guy.

This is a 3.75 rating, rounded up. Had the curry ramen.

NOODLES - unimpressive. Way more fresh/QQ (Chinese description of springy, chewiness) at Kahoo or Orenchi or Maruichi or any of the other better places in the South Bay/Peninsula.

PORK - The single slice of pork, however, was one of the most amazing pieces of Chashu I've ever had. I literally said out loud after eating it, "Wow, that pork was fan effing tastic."

BROTH - The broth was overly salty, to the point where your mouth is dried out afterwards. And I like salty, don't get me wrong here.

APPETIZERS - The tofu was also good, loved the amount of minced scallion and garlic paste on top. The sauce was too salty. Would have been better if it were balanced with some sweet, IMO.

PLUS - One huge advantage this place has over other Ramen joints is their choices. While more traditional places typically focus on a few different broths, this place had a Volcano (spicy) broth, Tan Tan (sesame), Miso, Curry, and many other types.

MINUS - It's in Fremont. JK, Fremont people. I love Fremont. But for its Indian food and mala hot pot. Not for ramen.

I REALLY want to give this place five stars, but they don't do refills on soda. COME ON.

I love the minestrone here. Almost every time I've had it, it warmed up MY SOUL. The sandwiches here are fantastic and a GREAT value. $8-9 gets you a HUGE chicken parmigiana/neapolitan steak/veal sandwich + fries/salad. They're all tasty, and the bread is super good sourdough. The only thing the bread lacks is crunch, but they have that SF sourdough taste down to a T. I love coming here with my friends because we all leave happy and full, and it's light on the old wallet. Pizza is very good as well, but I come for the sandwiches and the minestrone.

Best story I have about this place is when I was hanging around, waiting for my takeout order, and I talked to the owner. I told him how much I loved his minestrone. And he had a big to-go bowl of it just packed up in a paper bag, ready for someone else to take home, but he just gave it to me, and said, "Enjoy." The pride he takes in the soup... he probably knew it would end up in me blabbering about how awesome this place is.

Almost legendary status. Just give me the Coke, dammit.

Chicken Katsu Loco Moco... SO YUM. The two eggs are runny and perfect. The gravy isn't heavy. The chicken is fried lightly. Mac salad is throwaway. Love the bar. I only wished these guys would get some more of the bar food that Hukilau SF has.

Hukilau chicken is also a not to miss dish.

Group seating in the back!