Ippudo V - Review - West Hollywood - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"When you hear a ramen shop is vegan, the expectation is usually bland broth and a big pile of bean sprouts. But Ippudo V—the all-vegan version of the beloved Japanese ramen shop with a location in Culver City—pulls it off. This West Hollywood outpost looks like a resort lobby filled with succulents and, true to the chain's form, loads up its bowls with toppings. But here, the “tonkotsu” broth is made with Japanese soy milk, giving it a creamy, slightly sweet finish that’s not quite as decadent as the real thing, but still comforting. The noodles are springy, the fried enoki mushrooms add a nice crunch, and the tofu does its best impression of chashu (it’s clearly tofu, but there’s some char to sell the illusion). To round out the menu, there’s also sushi, mushroom tempura, and gyoza, all of which are solid enough so that no one will be saying they’re only good “for being vegan.” photo credit: Cathy Park" - Cathy Park