Dining Review: Simple is simply good at a new ramen house
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“Keep it simple.” That’s what my mother-in-law always says when we’re planning a family dinner gathering. Of course, it never is. At a new Glendale ramen house, they really do keep it simple and it works.
It wasn’t long ago that I wrote glowingly about Poke N Roll, a fast-casual raw fish place in a mini-mall on Central Avenue in Glendale. R101 is the new restaurant by the same owners, and it’s just a few doors down. Keeping it simple right off the bat.
PHOTOS: Have your ramen your way at R101 in Glendale
At R101, they employ an approach similar to Poke N Roll where you build your bowl as you like it. Instead of telling the chef behind the counter what you want, however, customers fill out a form, “X”-ing the items they’d like to see in their bowl of noodles. While it seems like it could get complicated, it works because they keep it simple.
There are only two types of broth, hot pork tonkotsu and cold white shoyu yuzu, a mild broth of tuna flakes and kelp. Cold ramen? Don’t knock it, it’s nice on a hot summer evening.
Three meat choices are next: pork, chicken or bulgogi. Korean bulgogi on Japanese noodles? Don’t knock it, it’s delicious.
Here’s where you might have to take some time deciding: the toppings. There are 16 of them. I recommend you keep it simple and choose all sixteen. You can do that here.
They arrange the items artfully in a big, black, wavy-rimmed bowl. Now, the mixture of noodles, broth and colorful additions is no longer simple. It’s a complicated hodge-podge that stays interesting and fresh to the bottom of the bowl, if you can get that far. The toppings I recall the most vividly were the seaweed, ginger, jalapenos, rayu (spicy oil), naruto (fish cake), hard boiled egg, and American cheese. American cheese? Don’t knock it, it’s fun.
You can knock the karaage. I was not smitten with this side dish. It’s basically a plate of fried chicken nuggets. With no exotic sauce either. Mama likes her Asian sauces. I guess I find it hard to keep things simple. They have other interesting side dishes, such as chashu pork, grilled freshwater eel and gyoza for around $4.
Finally, the space itself is clean and simple. There are no tables for two or four. Just a long, skinny one with stools and a bar that hugs two walls of windows. We thought it was pretty smart that they used what looks like composite wood flooring as table and wall finishes. The whole place has a Little Tokyo feel, young, hip and welcoming. You even might say R101 is better than a place in Little Tokyo because the parking is easier and, at least for now, there’s no line. Simply wonderful.
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What: R101 Japanese Ramen Bar
Where: 415 S. Central Ave., Ste. G, Glendale
When: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:30 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 3 to 9 p.m.
Prices: (approximate) bowls, $10; sides, $4; beverages, $2; lunch special, $8.50 with fried rice and salad.
Contact: (818) 241-2400
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LISA DUPUY welcomes comments at LDupuy@aol.com.