Jennifer B.
Yelp
I had a craving for ramen.
And there are a few choices in DTES.
I narrowed it down to one place, and believe it or not, this wasn't it.
Yeah, I'll be honest: I went to that other place a block away. I was already parked and got out of the car and all, and as I looked through the menu, this place, oddly enough, had this sudden (not to mention strong) pull on me. (Weird, I know.) So, I followed my foodie instinct and got back in the car and made my way here.
I had regrets at first because there was NO PARKING!!! But a spot opened up not too long after, so there's that...
There was a couple ahead of me waiting to put their orders in and get seated. (That's pretty efficient, right? Have your food prepped THEN get seated? Clever.) Anyway, I didn't plan on dining in. It was a work lunch run, so I needed to get back ASAP and multitask eating and working at the same time. I went for the black hanasaku ramen and a side of egg rolls.
I got out of the way to let others get their grub orders in.
They really stick with the theme of "blossom" because that's the decor you're going to be inundated with. But it wasn't tacky or anything, everything was really well placed. I was so busy looking around that I didn't even notice this place getting filled up rather quickly. Boy, that kitchen was about to get busy!
It wasn't long before my food was good to go. It wasn't a long drive back, but the aroma lingering through my car was almost torture!
EGG ROLLS: Average at best, nothing out of the ordinary. Although it remained crispy during transport, there was nothing special about it.
BLACK HANASAKU RAMEN: Delicious. There was garlic flavor screaming all over that broth (which I loved!) Once the toppings melded with it, it was another different experience. Loved the chew of the thin noodles (which is my personal preference), the chasu was seasoned and sliced thin and some of its fat melted into the broth which added flavor. The egg was cooked a perfect soft-boil. Every bite was great and hit that ramen-mood spot.
FOOD: 4. (5 for the ramen, 3 for the egg rolls.)
SERVICE: 5. They appeared understaffed, but every staff member I saw hustled and really maximized the time to good use for service.
VALUE: 4. (Again, 5 for the ramen, 3 for the egg rolls.)
PARKING: Private lot shared with others. Street parking also available.
OVERALL: 4.25.
One thing they got right, though: packaging. They didn't seal the box for the egg rolls which aired them out and kept them crispy. They separated the broth from the noodles and toppings, so it didn't make them soggy. I loved this to-go bowl so much, I decided to clean it and find a way to repurpose it - which I have. All noodle soup packaging should be like this!
The goal was a happy tummy and that was what I got. There will be future visits. Might skip the egg rolls but definitely trying another app. Until then... HIGHLY RECOMMENDING!