Ramen One - San Jose

I was never much of a ramen fiend until I was introduced to Ramen Halu. People always raved about Ryowa, which I never thought was all that great. I liked the negitoro donburi combo at that other ramen place in Milpitas that I can’t even remember now. And then I found Ramen Halu. The first time I went, I had the Shoyu (soy sauce) ramen. it was good. The cha-shu was memorable though – perfectly fatty and tender and tasty – which is the reason I came back again. On my return trip, I tried the signature Halu Ramen dish, and let me say, I have never stopped eating it. The broth, which has visible tiny chunks of pork fat afloat is so perfectly sweet and tasty. I usually don’t drink my ramen broth b/c it tends to be too salty for me, but with Halu Ramen, I can’t stop drinking it! The thick ramen noodles are crunchy and silky and smooth. The texture is just supremely satisfying. Add in the perfect cha-shu, and I come here every week. On top of that, their service is really friendly. They are a little slow at times (they’re always completely full and don’t have many servers, so you can’t blame them), but I was blown away by what I experienced yesterday. I had a bit of a headache, so after we placed our orders, my boyfriend rushed out to try to find me some tylenol. It took a bit longer than we thought, and the waiter noticed his bowl of ramen sitting on the table, untouched, for quite a while. He graciously offered to make him a brand new bowl when my boyfriend returned. It turned out he came back just about a minute after they took his bowl away, but they did make him a brand new bowl and didn’t charge us for it either! I thought that kind of service was just impeccable. I love Ramen Halu. I eat there almost every week.

I’ve been on a ramen quest before one summer. It was the summer after I got back from Japan. I had ramen in Kyoto, and following that my parents took me to Ramen Halu. People tend to think of ramen as Chinese, and while the noodles themselves come from from Chinese cuisine, this type of dish is from Japan. No, this is not your Top Ramen in a package, or any of those cup and noodles you’ve eaten. This is the TRUE and authentic Ramen. Ramen Halu offers a small and cozy venue that’s fun to eat at. The menu is simple for those who haven’t had ramen before. The portion is fair, and I have to say I’m satisfied with a bowl of rice (this is how the Japanese eat their ramen. Noodles rice, although that’s not as instinctive to me being Chinese). The taste of the soup makes ramen special. They leave it brewing for 18 hours and so you get a very strong and flavorful broth that accompanies the noodles well. The price is a little high and they’ve raised prices since outstanding reviews from The Mercury News. Authentic? You bet. Like all Japanese foods, MSG and saltiness are to be expected. That’s exactly what you get here. If you’re not used to it, that’s understandable, but this is what you would be getting in Japan. You can always tell them to lighten up on the salt which is what my parents prefer. The only problem with this place is the wait. I usually show up 15 minutes before opening, and there will be a line already. If you show up anywhere in the middle of opening hours, expect to wait. After all, the restaurant only seats 20 or so

I just recalled that the black sesame ice cream is truly delicious!

This ramen restaurant is one of the most authentic I have visited in the United States. The atmosphere feels like a traditional Japanese eatery, with a small and unassuming interior. The staff, who are mostly young and have bleached blonde hair, rush around speaking Japanese as they serve up bowls of hot ramen. The menu is simple, offering 4 types of ramen with assorted toppings, including both thin and thick noodles. You can watch the noodles being cooked in a giant pot in the back of the restaurant. The food is served quickly, and there are also side dishes and small desserts available. While the prices are not cheap for a ramen place, I still believe it is worth the cost.

This is my favorite ramen spot in the Bay Area. The ramen is always fresh, packed with Asian vegetables, and served with a real homemade authentic broth. The portion sizes are huge. While it may be a bit pricey, it's worth it for the quality. It's not a place you can afford to eat at every week, but definitely worth a visit.