Mickey T.
Yelp
NOTE: Dined in on 6/25/24.
Torisoba refers to the chicken (tori) and buckwheat noodle used here at Tonsho. There aren't many shops that specialize in chicken-based ramen here, but it's certainly a common sight in Japan, where you can even consume raw chicken safely. Don't be fooled by thinking that chicken broth can't possibly as rich, deep, or enjoyable as pork or beef broth - if you drink all of this broth, you'll be sent into a major food coma. Torisoba Tonsho is unassuming, which isn't that much different from most ramen shops in Japan. There's a bar and a few tables, with no frills and minimal decor.
The chicken "chashu" here is incredibly cooked - solid enough to not crumble apart when picked up, but somehow comes apart gently once you take a bite. There's so much flavor in there, despite it being chicken breast, due to it soaking up all of the fat and creaminess from the broth. It's certainly some of the best chicken breast I've had, and it reminds me of the chicken dish at Michelin-star restaurant Camphor.
I opted for the lemon butter variant, which I felt would cut into the rich broth and provide a better balance. I was advised to add drops of "truffle" oil to taste, but that stuff hardly makes a difference. It's more about the aroma more than anything else and there's hardly any actual truffle in it. At first, the bowl looked like a relatively small portion and I was afraid that it wouldn't fill me up. I ended up drinking every last bit of the broth, and while I certainly don't regret it, I was absolutely stuffed. I'll probably try the original or spicy variant next time, but I have a feeling that the lemon butter is the way to go here. I don't think I'd be able to handle all that broth with the other versions. You could honestly get like a side order of rice or something and enjoy a second meal with leftover broth - it's that good. And it's pretty aesthetically pleasing, since they seem to whip the broth until it's foamy. Not sure if this made a difference in terms of the texture or viscosity, though.
The noodles complement the broth perfectly, as they have a medium amount of firmness. I was a little worried, as sometimes soba can easily be served too soft or slightly overcooked. Not an issue here. The broth clings onto the soba, bringing all of that richness with every slurp. Service was quick and attentive, and you can pay on your phone via Toast.
In my opinion, this is one of the best ramen shops in SoCal, and I'm very excited to come back in the future.