Tony P.
Yelp
The southside has always been plagued with slim pickings in terms of restaurants that aren't chains like McDonalds, Zaxby's, Wendy's, etc. It was only a couple of years ago that we got boba and even more recent -- a Korean BBQ spot. Now we've got ramen.
This place is a small little spot tucked in a strip that sits besides Pho Dai Loi #1 on Jonesboro Rd. There are a decent amount of tables -- both regular and high tops as well as a counter attached to the wall for extra seating. The décor is simple with lots of wood. The light fixtures are very nice as well!
The customer service was nice (employees very kind and sweet), the menu is simple with your choice of either tonkotsu or miso ramen each having three different spice levels (both having the choice of either pork or chicken).
They have ramune (japanese soda), bottled tea, soda, and milk tea.
I ordered the gyoza (a good snack, but I would skip this and maybe try the shrimp tempura next time) and the chicken karaage. The karaage I actually recommend because the portion size is really decent for an appetizer, has nice spices that you can taste throughout, and the chicken is juicy and crispy.
I ordered the Pork Tonkotsu Red and my friend got the Miso Red. The ramen broth was flavorful, not too thick. The noodles were definitely nice, the eggs were boiled perfectly. The chashu for my pork tonkotsu was essentially just a very thin turkey bacon like slice of pork belly, so it was definitely a little disappointing when compared to the thicker chashu cuts you get from more popular ramen spots in the Atlanta area. I also ordered a garlic oil that I thought would be a good addition but it really just tasted of plain oil with maybe an afterthought of garlic.
We also got the Chicken Curry Rice just to give it a try, and the flavor of curry is very strong which pairs well with the plain white rice. Not sure if I'm right, but I'm pretty sure the chicken they use is just the karaage from the appetizer menu.
My only suggestions would be to maybe have thicker chashu even if it's just slightly so. Also, I love spicy food, and when I tried my friend's broth (exponentially spicier than mine) and inquired about it, I was told that the Miso Red is actually the spiciest one. So, maybe have some sort of spice level indicator alongside each so patrons looking for something extra spicy will know which to get instead of simply having "Red Hot Chili Oil".
All in all, it's a really good spot to get your ramen fill here on the southside without breaking the bank or having to deal with I-75/85 traffic. Give it a try, support this spot so we can keep others like it, and here's to the southside getting some good food!