Saturday, November 12, 2016

Daikokuya Original Noodle & Rice Bowl (Little Tokyo) Review

I love coming to Daikoyuya Original Noodle & Rice Bowl (Little Tokyo) Not only is it an amazing place to eat, but it also has a great deal of nostalgia factor for me. It was one of the first places I visited as a first year in college.  I remember borrowing a bike from Oxy Bike Share, taking a ride down and having an amazing bowl of ramen.  Looking back, I remember that first bowl quite fondly.  I remember walking into the shop after chaining up my bike nearby, sitting at the bar and just delving into a bowl of delicious ramen.  The tastes, the smells, even the atmosphere, brought me back to my brief childhood in Japan.  I loved it.  I've explored other stores for ramen in L.A. as evidenced by this blog, but Daikokuya is always fun to go back to.

When I go, I always order the Daikoku Ramen with firm noodles and the kotteiri flavor, which is added oils to make the ramen richer and thicker.  Daikoku ramen is their "famous tonkotsu soup base, infused with their secret blended soy sauce."  It comes with chijire style egg noodles, kurobuta pork belly chashu, soy sauce marinated boiled egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green onions and sesame seeds.  To make it a satisfying meal, I always get the combination which adds a salad and a rice bowl of your choosing.  I get the Oyako Don, or Japanese Chicken & Egg rice bowl.  They have the option to add your own minced garlic and benishoga (pickled ginger).

The quality is always the same, superb.  The tonkotsu, or pork bone broth is simply fantastic.  There's a depth to the flavor that is indicative of a broth that has been cooked for a very long time.  With the added oils, it adds a bit of creaminess that adds another degree of satisfaction.  I always add some minced garlic to help accentuate the broth, but also add a subtle kick that really completes the bowl to my liking.  The firm noodles add a degree of chewiness which I prefer, as it provides a contrast in texture between the crunch of the bamboo and the bean sprouts as well as the soft pork belly.  Finally, the soy sauce egg is sweet and satisfying, that helps wrap up the bowl.  As I finish the broth, the garlic I add reveals that spiciness and kick that helps finish the meal.  

With the oyako don, its always simple.  Sweet and savory, coming together in a small bowl that helps sate my appetite.  That soft cooked egg and chick combine with the rice that honestly, makes a satisfying meal in itself.  Not to mention the onions that have been cooked into the bowl that are soft and crunchy in a paradoxical fashion.  It's not too salty, and actually a bit underwhelming in flavor when compared to the ramen.  Still satisfying nonetheless.  

I always recommend Daikokuya to my friends and family who visit because, in my opinion, it's one of the better ramen places in Los Angeles.  It's a mainstay in Little Tokyo, with its walls decorated with old Japanese movie posters and the bar, designed to be like a typical ramen joint in Tokyo.  All that is missing is the vending machine that prints out ramen tickets.  The atmosphere is busy and electrifying as the door spins constantly as patrons walk in and out.  Food comes at a frenetic and passionate pace in order to keep up with the demands of an always full restaurant.  I arrived at 10:00 PM and waited 15 minutes for a spot at the bar.  For 18$ including tax and tip, this is always a must-visit for out of town visitors looking for ramen.  I always leave satisfied.  

Address is 327 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012.




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