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Russian_Turtles t1_j9km4i9 wrote

The best tonkotsu Ramen I've ever had was at Tamashii Ramen house in Oklahoma City. I miss that place.

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VapeThisBro t1_j9leijn wrote

Yea, the owner, Wakana is born and raised in Okinawa. She uses her grandmother's recipes. Try their off menu chicken fried rice. You never had fried rice til you had fried chicken in it. Source, I worked there long enough that my group of coworkers and I who worked dinner shift all got matching ramen tattoos with Wakana

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vintage-glamour t1_j9lrmqj wrote

that last anecdote makes me immeasurably happy. thank you so much for sharing.

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VapeThisBro t1_j9lsa9k wrote

If it makes you happier, Wakanna and her husband own Tamashii a mom and pop ramen place right? Well they have 2 young daughters. The context is important. When covid hit, asian businesses in OKC suffered greatly. I wanna say we lost 30-40% of them. Tamashii's was struggling, to the point some of us were paid weeks late. The thing Wakana did, while we were all struggling was, guarantee, if any employee or their family were hungry, we would be fed regardless of how much money we had if we showed up to the back door. She did all of this. She supported many families, never once thinking, it could put her own family at risk as her business struggled and she had to find ways to stay afloat.

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DetBabyLegs t1_j9mq1ur wrote

Wish I had known about this earlier, I lived near there for maybe 6 months for work over the last few years. If work takes me there again I'll be sure to check it out.

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fuqdisshite t1_j9mrm2c wrote

i friggen love you!!!

Thank You for sharing your stories. as a former restaurant worker i felt every word. one love!

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Cbanchiere t1_j9lwyre wrote

That's badass. I'd love to try that place. Columbus, OH has a tiny joint in a Japanese neighborhood. Place is called Tensuke and the owners are from Japan. Still haven't found anything as good

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Lillyville t1_j9l985j wrote

Never thought I'd see something like this in this subreddit

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Newbxxor t1_j9lbr0r wrote

I’ve travelled A LOT for work, and no where has had better Ramen than Tamashii.

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dustinator27 t1_j9lovn7 wrote

That's wild, I went there for lunch today and was eating that exact dish right around the time you made this comment

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YarrowBeSorrel t1_j9l8oar wrote

Glassico Sushi in Saint Robert, Missouri also has incredible tonkotsu ramen.

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xRayne93 t1_j9lmsj5 wrote

I’m surprised to see something good named out of this nowhere town I grew up in lol

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aswog t1_j9lcl87 wrote

Is that the place in the art district area?

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VapeThisBro t1_j9lefe7 wrote

Yea, the owner, Wakana is born and raised in Okinawa. She uses her grandmother's recipes

edit if oyu see this comment and go to Tamashii, ORDER THE FRIED CHICKEN FRIED RICE

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felixame t1_j9lys63 wrote

Aw man seriously? I was in the area last month with some friends and suggested we try it. No one else wanted ramen :(

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Russian_Turtles t1_j9m76cf wrote

I highly reccomend you go, even if its by yourself and you just sit at the bar. They serve booze too if you're into that.

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mousersix t1_j9mou0a wrote

There is a ton of great food in OKC, especially Asian food. I travel there often for work but had forgotten this place - thanks for the reminder

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partizan92 t1_j9mvboa wrote

Ichiran Ramen in NYC. I had it once, maybe 5 years back, and still dream about it.

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scrubbabby OP t1_ja1ixoc wrote

That’s going on my list. Thanks for the rec

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thebumblinfool t1_j9lj19q wrote

If you're ever in the Charlotte, NC area then Jinya has some amazing tonkotsu ramen.

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omnigasm t1_j9m0vrp wrote

Jinya is a chain, no?

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highrollr t1_j9mm44j wrote

Jinya is definitely a chain you can get many places, but I’ll say as someone who loves ramen, it’s a pretty good chain.

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workerbee12three t1_j9l24n0 wrote

ahh need to find a ramen shop in my new town now

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blazinazn007 t1_j9l3u6o wrote

I moved to a smaller more rural town last summer. Love the area, good school districts, safe, inexpensive compared to my last place, friendly people.

But there is a distinct lack of authentic Asian food. All the Chinese is Americanized, stereotypical sushi, faux fusion food, etc.

While I love that stuff sometimes I just want a good bowl of ramen. Heck I can't even find pho around here.

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workerbee12three t1_j9lbgsa wrote

yup...sometimes you can order tonkotsu broth online and make your own

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KaziArmada t1_j9m09ep wrote

Hell, you can make your own broth if you can find a good butcher to get materials from and are able to leave a stove going for hours and hours.

Look up "Just One Cookbook." Fantastic ramen and broth recipes.

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DogsRule_TheUniverse t1_j9m9sgt wrote

Holy fuck, who has all that time? After working 40 hrs per week, I don't wanna have to spend hours making the broth - that sounds like more work! When I want some damn good ramen, I want it NOW!

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KaziArmada t1_j9ma53c wrote

While that's fair, a lot of the time isn't active cooking, as in you fiddling with and adding things and all the like. It's at best baby sitting to check it every once and a while, make sure it doesn't burn your kitchen down, maybe add water if its boiling too hot, etc.

Time taken vs actual time spent working is super low.

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DogsRule_TheUniverse t1_j9mcf89 wrote

yeah sure, watching it boil is the easy part, but buying hard to find ingredients isn't exactly "joyous" -- it is very TIME CONSUMING. Then there's time involved with chopping up all the ingredients and finding the right kind of bone to make broth isn't my idea of fun. Overall, it's probably best suited for people who live in a rural area or town with little to no ramen restaurant choices.

EDIT: grammar.

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sydneydanger t1_j9nhoj8 wrote

Some people enjoy cooking and don’t see it as work. It’s a labor of love. Knowing how to transform humble ingredients into something far more than the sum of their parts is rewarding. It takes time, but as others have pointed out, much of it is passive. Throw some bones, spices, and water in a pot. Let it boil while you unwind. The fragrant broth will make your house smell awesome while you hang out and wait for it to be ready.

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Worthyness t1_j9nv1rr wrote

Instantpot some bone broth. Throw it on when you leave for work and when you get back you can warm it up and throw some ramen noodles in

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DetBabyLegs t1_j9lgums wrote

If I had a quarter for every time a ramen store employee corrected me when I said "tonkotsu" to "tonkatsu" I would have... a dollar. Not much but still shockingly more than zero.

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gollyandre t1_j9lwkwc wrote

Yeahhhhh I don’t know if they’re trying to “correct” me or if they just say what they’re used to but I just keep on keepin on. Especially since tonkatsu is a distinctly different dish. The difference between pork bone broth and fried pork cutlets

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DetBabyLegs t1_j9lxmx6 wrote

I have to keep myself from saying "that sounds delicious but I don't think you serve that here..."

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gollyandre t1_j9lykou wrote

Yeahhhh, although some good places do serve tonkatsu as well! I love me some katsu curry

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barbatron t1_j9nka1k wrote

TIL. Thank you, it's been frustrating me!

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Gumichi t1_j9l1yls wrote

That looks super tasty. They say this is the era of the tsuke-men, but I still like my ramen in soup.

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drgut101 t1_j9m69av wrote

I’m a ramen addict. I would go 2-3 times a week when I lived in Salt Lake City. Now I live in a small town in southern Utah. There is only 1 restaurant. It’s awful and the service is terrible.

Now every time I travel, one of my first stops is a ramen restaurant.

I miss good ramen so fucking much.

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wastntimetoo t1_j9m8k0e wrote

We had back to back quarantine kids. Ramen shops are not the most toddler friendly experience. A couple weeks ago i was dying for ramen and then had the epiphany, “I could probably make my own, then I can have as much as I like.”

I did that and I’ve been pigging out on noodles for the last two weeks.

The main thing is not short cutting the broth. Pig bones and a lot of time (unless you have a large pressure cooker to speed it up). Since you’re somewhere rural you probably don’t have easy access to a well stocked Japanese market. Checkout the momofuku (David Chang) ramen. They have an excellent method that gets around some hard to source ingredients.

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drgut101 t1_j9md9sz wrote

Ahhh that’s a great idea. I think we do have 1 tiny Asian market it here. I’ll have to check it out and see what I can come up with.

Thanks for the input! :)

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DetBabyLegs t1_j9mqe1s wrote

Learn how to make it! I grew up in Japan and loved ramen. But my wife can't eat gluten. Turns out that's a blessing in disguise as I've learned to cook all my favorite Japanese dishes!

Tonkotsu is really tough to make, but I make a mean shoyu and spicy miso ramen

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MelodicFacade t1_j9n9ezt wrote

Tonkotsu at home is fairly difficult and takes time

Shoyu or miso ramen is super easy and good tho!

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drgut101 t1_j9nc1hg wrote

Shoyu def looks easier and is close enough for me. I prefer tonkatsu, but I’ll take what I can make. 😂

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MelodicFacade t1_j9n9hlb wrote

Where in Salt Lake City? I've lived here my whole life, and have only found mediocre ramen at best

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drgut101 t1_j9nbr8u wrote

SLC definitely doesn’t have the best ramen on the planet, but better than the 1 place in St. George.

I really like Tosh on State.

The Ramen Bar downtown is good.

And I also like Kobe out on Wasatch Blvd.

Ozora in Sugarhouse is also pretty solid.

Yoko downtown can either be really good or ok. Depends on the day. Very inconsistent. Service is usually pretty mid as well.

I really like Jinya as well, but that’s a chain so idk if that matters to you.

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bfitzyc t1_j9nmc1p wrote

Tosh’s tonkotsu ramen would hold up in Japan, coming from someone who lived there. Best ramen in Utah, hands down.

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drgut101 t1_j9o9ycx wrote

It’s good. I feel like it’s as “authentic” as you can get. But I’ve never had ramen in Japan so I have no idea. Haha.

I like the authentic kind of places best, but I do like some good Americanized ramen as well.

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kulpushu t1_j9l569a wrote

Best. Food. Ever. You should try Ichiran if you're ever in NYC.

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SapFireMC t1_j9livfy wrote

Definitely a unique experience for sure. Though personally, will probably not go a second time. Prices are a little on the high side for a ramen bowl that I feel like is just solid, but nothing special. The atmosphere is definitely something worth trying out though

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RyeAnotherDay t1_j9m0ae4 wrote

Ichiran is a chain in Japan so inflated prices in NYC makes sense.

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TroupeMaster t1_j9mpsuc wrote

Ichiran is also pretty expensive in Japan relative to other non-chain shops.

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d70 t1_j9mt662 wrote

In the US, the Ichiran broth is second to none unless you like the Ipudo style. It’s certainly expensive since it’s considered an import. That said, it’s not far everyone. If one happens to visit nyc, they should definitely try once.

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rileyspice t1_j9nuufx wrote

Ichiran is fine but not worth the obnoxiously long queues. Danbo is better if you're into Hakata style ramen.

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nt261999 t1_j9lj98e wrote

I could eat tonkatsu ramen every day for the rest of my life and not get bored. My defacto favourite meal :)

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CsHead t1_j9mkejd wrote

This was life living in Japan… got fat while I was injured

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TheB1GLebowski t1_j9laf3q wrote

What's the black noodle looking things?

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Best_Finest_Surgeon t1_j9lem3b wrote

I'd guess wood ear mushrooms as they are a common addition to a tasty ramen bowl!

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DatXFire t1_j9lqnv7 wrote

yep, instantly recognizable, see them in like every ramen bowl ive had in the states

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Campmasta t1_j9lpfz8 wrote

This post made me go get ramen for lunch from a little place down the road. Thank you, it was delicious.

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duh_metrius t1_j9mj5vd wrote

A really well made bowl of (spicy) Tonkotsu ramen is one of the very best culinary delights there is. Especially if you tuck into a steaming hot bowl on a cold, rainy, windy night. I always like a little pickled ginger in mine. I've thought so often about making it at home but it is a laborious, time-consuming process that seems better left to the pros.

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reznox77 t1_j9m5o3l wrote

I legit ate it a few days ago for the first time. Man.. i loved it !!

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sigridsnow t1_j9moazi wrote

This looks so delicious. I’m gonna need to eat some ramen, stat.

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ShyMoca t1_j9mrp8q wrote

Due to my driving anxiety, I don't get to have restaurant ramen very oftan. Thank the food gods that a ramen store was opened just next to my doctors office. I can go whenever I go for my monthly appointments now. And it's also close to my therapist, so i don't really gotta wait once a month to have ramen

I love ramen

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gm2 t1_j9n2g65 wrote

This looks good but what I really want on a cold day is just plain ramen noodles in broth. No eggs, no meat, just noodles in broth. Is there a clear way to order that? Not trying to stereotype but sometimes the workers don't speak English as a first language and I feel like they want me to order something from the menu, but usually the menu items have a bunch of things in the bowl that I don't want - I just want plain noodles in broth.

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Londer2 t1_j9nupss wrote

Itadakimasu! 🙏

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moonman86 t1_j9m0hst wrote

I live like 4 mi from this place. Why have I never heard of it? Okc has a lot of cuisines all through the metro!

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VincentsPriceIsRight t1_j9o8odw wrote

Why do I keep seeing all these tonkotsu ramen posts? It's making me too jealous! Tonkotsu ramen is one of my favourite dishes in the world when we used to live in Sydney there were tons of ramen places I could get it, but now I'm back in the UK it's almost impossible to find...

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scrubbabby OP t1_ja1j6c8 wrote

Josh wiessman had a good recipe on YouTube !!

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Lizxberry t1_j9oaztf wrote

Looks amazing! I hope you enjoyed, OP!

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sauleszieda t1_j9lkmoa wrote

I think my taste buds just did a happy dance looking at that.

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AlrxandriaDizas t1_j9mfl6m wrote

I feel as if this was a punishment 😭🤚tell me why I’ve been craving this and it’s on my feed. You have some good taste OP T.T it’s beautiful btw, I hope you enjoyed it!! ((:

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mexicanred1 t1_j9n4mem wrote

For those of you who are starting to wonder if the ramen titles have any significance or if Tonkotsu is just a town in Japan sort of like "Philly cheesesteak":

Tonkotsu literally means pig bones (Ton=pig and Kotsu=bones)

Case solved

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Chaos_Ice t1_j9nl584 wrote

Reminds me of Minca Ramen in NY pre-Covid. They sold these pork chashu rolls that were to die for. Not sure why they dropped, but it was the main reason I went there several times a month.

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SolasHealth t1_j9nmn2d wrote

It is really a labour of love. Perfect noodles, Silky eggs ,unbelievable pork. And I love it.
A ramen dish that originated in Fukuoka. Tonkotsu in Japanese means "pork bones" ..

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EntranceNewhhh t1_j9o2dws wrote

Looks super yummy, I love ramen so much.

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sadnificent t1_j9ob976 wrote

Oh man that looks so good

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JRBrock t1_j9ouei3 wrote

Grats me too on a weekly basis. I want someone to pat me on head now. I'll post weekly about my ramen eating till someone tells me grats.

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TheBear516 t1_j9lkpba wrote

I love Ramen but hate using chop sticks lol. They continue to be my mortal enemy when eating authentic Asian food. 😂

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SOJUMAN t1_j9lqb0z wrote

Just ask for a fork if you don't care to learn. There's no need to make a big deal out of it.

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TheLadyEve t1_j9omtmv wrote

It just takes practice, but you don't have to use them. Forks and spoons work too!

That said, I have a couple of pairs of training chopsticks for my young kids to help them. They're sort of like these. Maybe you could try that?

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dustcore025 t1_j9maxs0 wrote

Ichiran in NY. Best Tonkotsu ramen ever.

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GRV01 t1_j9lrmpu wrote

Udon is the superior noodle and ramen is overrated

I will fight you.

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CHOOCHOOCHOACH t1_j9lmxa2 wrote

Sad eggs. Christ.

Edit: lol apparently this sub doesn't know a happy chicken.

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scrubbabby OP t1_ja1jg06 wrote

Yeah I’m gonna agree with this actually, loved the ramen but it’s so hard to find a place that actually doesn’t fuck up the egg.

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