Chie J.
Yelp
The first time I came to Venice Ramen, it was because I asked the sushi chef at Matsuhisa where his favorite Japanese restaurant was. He said his wife, who is from Hakata (aka birth place of Tonkotsu ramen) loves this spot, and they believe Venice Ramen serves the best ramen in Southern California. Naturally, I had to try it for myself.
The first time, I ordered the Vegetable Ramen--it looked like a good Japanese Tanmen. It was good, but I wouldn't have called it the best. Over the next several visits, I tried the gyoza, beer, karaage, and Salt Tonkotsu. Everything was solid, but again, not quite the "best" in my opinion.
Then last week, I finally discovered why people love this place: their Shoyu Tonkotsu. It's authentic and delicious --perfectly cooked thin straight al dente noodles, broth is clean but has depth. To my surprise, I also learned that their original location is Ramen Hide Honten in Kyodo, Tokyo--right near where I grew up! Venice ramen serves their original Tokyo-Tonkotsu style (tonkotsu-based soup with a rich soy sauce flavor and a perfect balance of depth and lightness) ramen.
Now that I know what to order, I can confidently say Venice Ramen is one of the best places to enjoy authentic ramen, especially for Japanese people craving a taste of home.