Ryan S.'s Profile

There's no getting around the fact that the fish tacos are tasty.  But, there is one item on the menu that is making me salivate at this very moment, just from thinking about the savory green sauce and the juicy carne asada.....

THE CHILE VERDE WET BURRITO.  

Damn that burrito is good.  I consider myself to be quite the burrito lover, so when I say that this is probably the tastiest burrito I've eaten in Berkeley it's code for "You have to go there right now and eat it!"

Prices are decent, especially considering the size of the burrito.  Service is a little on the slow side (there's usually only a couple people working there at any given time), but I don't mind waiting a little longer for my beloved chile verde burrito.  Too good, too good.

Favorite boutique in Northern California, HANDS DOWN (...ok, Self Edge is right up there, but for the sake of dramatic effect...)

The Darkside Initiative is located in North Beach, away from all the other "streetwear" shops in SF (HUF on Sutter, True/Stussy/etc. on Lower Haight), and for good reason: they are NOT just another streetwear boutique that stocks the same old stuff from the same old designers.  

What you will find at The Darkside Initiative are the absolute freshest clothes straight from Japan, including brands like Neighborhood, WTaps, NSW, HideandSeek, and Hysteric Glamour.  The only other boutique in the States that I can think of off the top of my head that stocks such hard-to-find brands is Union Los Angeles (since Union New York closed), and even then, I was told by one of the employees at The Darkside Initiative that what you see at Union isn't necessarily what you can get at The Darkside Initiative, and vice-versa; the two stores actually make an effort to stock different pieces in order to provide a more exclusive selection.

Oh yeah, the employees.  They are the polar opposite of your typical streetwear boutique asshole; friendly, helpful, and down-to-earth, despite being decked out in outfits that are worth close to a grand.  I don't shop here too often ($80 t-shirts and $400 jackets on a college student's budget is tough!), but every time I do, I know I'll have a great experience.

I'm reviewing Orochon Ramen as a Japanese ramen shop that is located in Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.  Be sure to note that we're in the "United States of America."  If you are Japanese or Japanese-American, or are a white dude that goes to Tokyo every summer, then you will probably dislike Orochon Ramen.  I'm pretty positive that no ramen I eat in America will compare to what I've had in Japan, but if you take Orochon Ramen for what it is - a ramen shop in Los Angeles that caters to a primarily non-Japanese customer base - then it doesn't do half bad.  

Orochon is a pretty bustling place (although I've only been there for lunch).  The crowds have increased even more since it was featured on Man vs. Food, but even before its little television debut, Orochon had a fair amount of notoriety amongst people in the know.  This is probably due largely in part to the "Special #2 Challenge" that they offer - that is, eat a bowl (noodles AND soup) of their spiciest ramen in under 30 minutes, and get your picture taken and put up on the Wall of Bravery.  I went with three friends who tried the challenge, all thinking that they were going to conquer Special #2.  The result?  Only one of my friends made it through, and he was hardly unscathed.  He nearly vomited a number of times, and was weeping (I'm assuming because he was in pain) for the latter half of his meal.  Needless to say, it is really spicy.

But, most normal people will not take the challenge, and that's perfectly fine.  Once you get past the whole gimmick of eating a ridiculously spicy bowl of ramen, you'll realize that the broth (I always get miso with extra pork) is pretty decent, and while the noodles aren't anything to rave about, they work.  Orochon puts some extra veggies and such into their ramen that might make Japanese people tilt their heads in confusion, but for the average American, I don't imagine any of it is out of the ordinary.  

If you're looking for a more traditional (and, IMO, tastier) Japanese ramen place, try Daikokuya on 1st street.

As for me, I'll continue to go to Orochon once or twice a year, because the ramen is decent and its a good place to have fun with some friends.