Hi everyone, Joan again.

Here’s another overdue post! I finally got to see what all the fuss was about with Silverlake Ramen and I have to say… it was awesome! So awesome that I went twice! So… here’s a post of my two visits.

The first time I had heard about this place was from my friend, Chris, who described Silverlake Ramen as “not too bad for hipster nipster!” He had been there several times so I had to take his word for it. Chris, his girlfriend Jenny, and my friend, Stacy and I, all met up one cold evening and joined the long lines of the hip ramen joint.

Ramen unite!

Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen

We all ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen, perfect for the chilly evening. I know I gave it away at the beginning of the post, but whatever. I was surprised at how good the ramen was! It had a unique milky broth, packed with all the right amounts of flavor and spice. The crispy yet tender chashu was something I have not had before and I loved it. The noodles were perfect and all the toppings were great, and I especially liked the spinach. Everyone was pleased with their ramen and Stacy, who’s not had ramen before, loved it too! And I have to say, although I’ve had the same ramen during the ramen festival, it tasted much better at the restaurant.

That was two weeks ago. I went back with my former summer intern, Daniel, a few nights ago as a late “thank you” gift for being an awesome intern. He’s vegetarian and when I found out that Silverlake Ramen offered a vegetarian ramen, I had to go back!

Vegetable Ramen

Daniel devouring his ramen!

Tsukemen Dipping Ramen

I normally don’t like to pose for my blog posts

Again, we were pleased with our ramen. I had a few tastes of Daniel’s ramen and it was so freakin good! The best vegetarian ramen I have ever tasted. The broth was made of vegetable broth with miso paste, and it was so rich and delicious! It was loaded with a variety of vegetables and I’m pretty sure it was all together amazing because Daniel finished his entire bowl. I almost wished I had ordered the same thing.

My tsukemen was delicious though. One of the best dip ramens I’ve ordered. The broth was a thick tonkotsu and fish broth but it was a nice balance between the two flavors. I loved all the toppings that came with it, especially the tofu! That was a nice surprise. I’ve never had broccoli and mushrooms in my ramen before but after dipping them in the broth, it was a nice touch. The corn was great too but it wasn’t easy to pick at them with chopsticks! It also came with the crispy and tender chashu chunks that were very tasty and the noodles were thick and chewy.

As far as service, it was alright. I felt like both times, the servers did not attend our tables enough. The place was packed with lines out the door so I guess I can understand. But still! It shouldn’t be difficult to ask for a water refill! The second time, the server gave us our check right away, without us asking. They were definitely trying to get people out of the door as soon as they can.

Nonetheless, the ramen was great and I definitely recommend it!

After ramen both nights, we went next door to a great whisky bar, The Thirsty Crow. Some of you may know this about me, but I LOVE Old Fashioneds. It’s my favorite cocktail and they make a nice one at the Thirsty Crow.

Old Fashioneds

I left my heart in… Silverlake.

Silverlake is a very fun and interesting town. There are a lot of… well… hipsters, but there are also many great places to eat and drink and has an overall artsy vibe. Nothing against hipsters! But they all seem to congregate in Silverlake.

Thanks for reading!

Joan

Restaurant Information:
Silverlake Ramen
2927 West Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026

There is $5 valet parking right in front of the restaurant in a tiny complex, or you can find street parking that’s free after 8 pm. Otherwise, bring lots of quarters!