Ramen Nori
Japanese restaurant · Bellevue
13112 NE 20th St #200, Bellevue, WA 98005
Highlights
Authentic sushi, ramen, and Japanese bites with fresh ingredients
Authentic sushi, ramen, and Japanese bites with fresh ingredients
"Speaking of ramen, this Bellevue spot specializes in both noodle soup and sushi, and their showing is so good that it’s hard to decide between the two. Pesto swirls and parmesan melt together to elevate a bowl of creamy tonkotsu broth. Crackly pan-seared gyoza don’t even need a sauce dunk. And nigiri is sculpted with precision, wasabi dollop and all. It's great for a lazy lunch, and we plan to return post-haste for the $60 omakase." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo, aimee rizzo
"Lazy lunches that happen to involve Japanese food don’t get much better than Ramen Nori. This oak-covered spot specializes in both sushi and ramen, and their showing is so good that it’s hard to decide between the two—even though the mechanical noodle bowl at the entrance makes a good case for tonkotsu. Pesto swirls and parmesan melt together to elevate a bowl of creamy tonkotsu broth. Crackly pan-seared gyoza don’t even need a sauce dunk. And nigiri is sculpted with precision, wasabi dollop and all. Bellevue has no shortage of casual meals, but this is one to prioritize. Food Rundown Pesto Ramen Basil adds this bright vegetal quality to our old pal ramen, and the result is terrific. Clumps of parmesan cling to noodles, the broth has a welcome burst of freshness, and to top it off, the super soft, caramelized chashu is some of the best we’ve chomped. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Black Sesame Ramen Set aside the fact that this bowl of squid ink-infiltrated ramen looks like a Halloween prank. Black sesame and the aforementioned ink don’t influence its flavor more so than its color, but it’s still a delightful bowl of soup. We just prefer the pesto. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Agedashi Tofu There’s a nice panko crunch surrounding dashi-soaked tofu spears, and it’s a pleasant fried app. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Gyoza These craggy-crisp dumplings are extraordinary, with a filling so savory you can even skip the soy-based dip. (But don’t—it’s very good.) An abundance of coarsely chopped scallions adds an onion-y burst of sharpness, too. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Nigiri Excellent cuts of fish, an appropriate amount of slightly warm sushi rice, and a little dab of wasabi to mean business. We’re fans of the seared salmon and otoro. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Temaki You get your money’s worth with these handrolls—they’re practically overflowing with tasty toppings. The creamy scallop has a mustard-like zing, and the salmon avocado has a surplus of both. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Spicy Tuna Roll Spicy tuna rolls get lost in the shuffle sometimes. That’s not happening here. There’s a lot of stuffing in the mix, and it has a good kick. Get it. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo" - Aimee Rizzo
"Despite the tasty nigiri and pesto-swirled ramen that's coming out of the kitchen at Ramen Nori, we'd pop in simply for a platter of their pork gyoza. At first glance, everything looks predictable, with a craggy-crisp exterior, a little puddle of soy-based dip, and some lettuce frills for presentation's sake. But these dumplings are extraordinary, with a filling so savory you can even skip the dip. An abundance of coarsely chopped scallion add a nice onion-y burst of sharpness, too." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"This Bellevue sushi-and-soup haven has a wide range of ramen to choose from—like shrimpy bowls of broth plunged with a tempura-fried prawn, or a black sesame riff stained by squid ink. But we're here to talk about Ramen Nori's pesto ramen. The basil influence swirling around is bright enough to keep things fresh, yet doesn't detract from the otherwise textbook tonkotsu style. The chashu has a biting sake finish. And a sprinkle of grated parmesan melts in certain places and clumps together in others, making each slurp kind of like a fun game of umami roulette." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo
"Opened in Bellevue by the owners of Sushi Nori, this spot serves both ramen and sushi." - Harry Cheadle
