Mensho Oakland - Review - Piedmont Avenue - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"For those who’d rather hydrate with chicken broth instead of water, Mensho is your go-to. The ramen spot on Piedmont Avenue pumps out the same phenomenally rich and creamy soups as its legendary SF counterpart. The East Bay outpost has a larger dining room and menu than the Tenderloin location, so waits go by fast. The extended menu includes solid handrolls, if for some reason you’re not in the mood to inhale a bowl of noodles. Get here for casual weeknight dinners, or when the predictably tepid Bay Area weather requires you to warm your body with broth. photo credit: Julia Chen Food Rundown GKO The Garlic Knock Out is always a hit. It’s got three types of fried garlic and black garlic oil, and is worth the triple-mouthwash situation you’ll find yourself in immediately after. Spicy Miso Lamb Ramen This bowl has a mellow spice that won’t make you want to dunk your head in a bucket of ice. The handful of diced red onion helps to cut through the richness. Classic Toripaitan A stunning version of a popular dish. When you want to go back to the basics with chicken-based broth, thinly sliced chashu, and bouncy noodles, this is your order. Always add on one of their smoky eggs. photo credit: Julia Chen Unagi Roll The handrolls are decent and we like the unagi version the most—the three-biter has a generous portion of saucy eel. Enoki Chips These are probably the least-mushroom tasting mushrooms ever, but we’re not mad about it. The mountain of fungi is fried until crispy and served with shichimi pepper for a little kick." - Julia Chen