Ringer Hut - San Jose

This fast food take on a Japanese noodle house is a great choice, especially on a chilly winter day. They have pretty good Japanese entrees and bento boxes, but I primarily come here for their noodle soups.

I always imagined Ringer Hut to be similar to a Japanese Burger King, but it turned out to be more like a Japanese Marie Callender's. The food is decent, and the portion sizes are generous, though it can get a bit pricey. I ordered the Tonkatsu Curry rice plate, which was tasty and kept me full well into dinner time. There don't seem to be many other Japanese-style cafés in the South Bay.

Their signature dish is Nagasaki-style Champon, and they really excel at it. The fresh, handmade noodles paired with a rich pork broth make for a delightful experience. You'll find plenty of tender, fresh vegetables along with your choice of meat or seafood. The Gyoza and Fried Rice are fantastic, and they also offer a solid selection of Ramen.

One of the standout features of Ringer Hut is their unique desserts, which you won’t find anywhere else in the Bay Area. My top pick has to be the Green Tea Heaven; I order it every time I visit. It's a delightful blend of green tea ice cream topped with frosted flakes, green tea mousse, whipped cream, and a scoop of azuki bean paste. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Eclair Fruits. True to its name, this dessert is a delightful explosion of flavor, featuring sweet, mellow toppings and a rich custard that will truly impress.

As soon as I entered, I was warmly greeted and shown to a booth. I mentioned to the server that it was my first visit and asked for a recommendation on their ramen soups. She asked if I had any food allergies, which I thought was a very considerate question and honestly caught me off guard—no one has ever asked me that before! I replied that I had none, and she recommended the Chashu Ramen. About ten minutes after I placed my order, a beautiful bowl of ramen arrived at my table. It featured delicious beef, perfectly cooked noodles, and a half egg. I added some hot oil to it, which gave it that extra kick—if you know what I mean. After the ramen, I decided to try their Green Tea Heaven dessert. It was served in a wine glass, with layers of green tea ice cream at the bottom, what I think was Special K cereal in the middle, and green tea pudding (or flan) on top, finished with whipped cream and a ball of something that resembled ganache. I can honestly say I've never had anything like it before. It was a delightful mix of lightly sweet, creamy, and crunchy all at once. The service throughout my visit was excellent. My only critique would be that the condiment bottles on the table were a bit oily and slightly grimy. Otherwise, everything was really enjoyable. I would give it 4 stars!