Kashiwa Ramen
A Japanese noodle paradise serving popular ramen, less well-known tsukemen, and trendy mazemen
Ramen has a become a known concept worldwide: The Japanese-style noodle soup ranges from inexpensive and modestly sized to entree-class bowl volume and pricing, spanning a variety of different broths and noodle styles. By comparison, tsukemen isn’t as well-known outside Japan, but has recently grown in popularity around Orange County: “tsuke” (dipping) “men” (noodles) are cold or warm ramen noodles with a side bowl of dipping broth.
Located immediately next to Rance’s Chicago Pizza and only steps away from Kanok Thai and Eightfold Tea, Costa Mesa’s Kashiwa Ramen could hardly be in better culinary company – yet lives up to the same high standards. Owned by the chef behind NYC’s Totto Ramen, which is known for its atypical chicken broth ramen, Kashiwa serves bowls of both ramen and tsukemen, including multiple unique ramen flavors.
Aided by atypical lime wedges to punch up the flavor, the Soupless Chicken Ramen with dry curry was fantastic, combining huge pieces of top-quality karaage fried chicken with marinated, ground chicken thigh and curried ramen. It provides a compellingly different but similarly inspired take on the pork-heavy soupless ramens (mazemens) offered by Mogu Mogu and Menya Hanabi. If you’re interested in just having the karaage, it can be ordered separately, as well.
Kashiwa Ramen says that it’s the only ramen shop in Southern California with chicken and pork broth – a claim that’s hard to verify. But it’s one of many with black garlic and spicy black garlic ramens, two of our favorite flavors, as well as miso, spicy miso, and vegetable broths. And it frequently offers limited-time versions, including a Hokkaido scallop ramen, spotlighting either Japanese ingredients or unique concepts. One common ramen ingredient, chashu pork slices, are on the small side here, but tasty.
Two different Tsukemen versions alternated between cold noodles with pork dipping broth and warm noodles with matcha dipping broth, each thickened and garnished with scallions and bamboo shoots. Although only one of two sizes of noodles was in stock on our visit, we loved the high-quality noodles and veggies, and thought both broths were good; the pork version more memorably intense. A curry dipping broth is also available on request.
We really enjoyed our experience at Kashiwa Ramen, and are looking forward to future visits. The ability to choose from ramen, mazemen, and tsukemen makes this a particularly compelling option as all three Japanese noodle variants continue to grow in popularity – Kashiwa’s strongest feature is its willingness to experiment and continue offering new options that may well become the next big thing.
Stats
Price: $$
Service: Counter
Open Since: 2018
Addresses
1420 Baker St. C
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.942.4416
Instagram: @kashiwaramen_oc