HiroNori Craft Ramen

The menu at HiroNori Craft Ramen is concise and simple, the result of the chef-owner’s experiences opening LA’s first location of the well-known Silverlake Ramen chain: There’s one pork tonkotsu ramen, one chicken shoyu (soy sauce) ramen, one vegan miso sesame ramen, and tsukemen, a spicy cold dipping ramen with pork. After choosing one of those options, you can (and should) order Momofuku-style soft buns with pork or eel tempura inside, a small plate of crispy chicken, and perhaps some yuzu-washed edamame – citrus-flavored soy beans – as an extra snack.

In less time than you might imagine, and even having made very few choices, you will likely be feeling more than impressed by the steaming hot, al dente ramen and great appetizers you’ve ordered. You’ll notice that each broth is intensely and properly flavored, the noodles plentiful and augmented by healthy sprouts, and the meat – especially the pork chashu – is perfectly tender and fatty. By design, HiroNori does very few things, but does them extremely well.

There are a few other alternatives on the menu, including rice bowls based on the same pork and chicken used in the ramens, as well as spicy tuna and salmon poke options paired with baby kale and quinoa. Vegan gyoza and a vegan green salad are on the menu to complement the vegan ramen; versions with meat added are not available. The only other bite you might want to consider is a crispy rice cracker loaded with spicy tuna, avocado and jalapeno, topped with eel sauce. Or you can just focus on the ramen.