Review: Okiboru House (Los Angeles)
Authentic Tsukemen house delivers great plant-based Ramen experience
I LOVE RAMEN – I have never been to Japan, so I cannot be sure I’ve ever tried the real deal. Nonetheless, basing my opinion on the many ramens I have tried across cities in the Western hemisphere, the Los Angeles ramen scene is pretty hot. Every time I visit LA I try at least one new ramen restaurant as part of my hunt to find the most memorable one. This time I tried Okiboru House in Chinatown and it did not disappoint.
As a person who does not eat meat, I am aware that I may be missing out on some pretty great and authentic ramen experiences. Having said that, it is 2020 and not having a vegetarian option is ultimately unacceptable. Okibiru wins automatic points just by being up to speed with modern day dietary trend and having a delicious vegan option that you can upgrade to vegetarian with a fermented egg. The creamy mushroom ramen is utterly delicious. Unlike many places who pre-make the noodles or buy them frozen, at Okiboru, the noodles are made on the spot. This is defiantly noticeable in the texture, and this extra step alone is enough to elevate this restaurant above others. I can’t go without saying that the fermented egg is probably the best I’ve tried so far.
Anyone who has read anything about ramen knows that the secret is in the broth. While it can take days of simmering until the liquid reaches the desired flavor and texture, the broth can be extremely rich and has the power to dominate all other ingredients. Some of the least exciting ramens I’ve had were ruined by a homogenous experience of a single (either too rich or bland) flavor throughout the dish. I’m certainly not a ramen connoisseur, but simply by comparing all the ramens I have tried in my life, an amazing ramen, in my opinion, is able to maintain the delicate and vivid flavor of each individual ingredient, without succumbing to the richness of the broth.
The Okibiru veggie ramen succeeded in doing just this, and all the ingredients played their indispensable part in composing a well-balanced ramen experience.
The restaurant space in itself has a bit of a fast-food vibe, with modern concrete decor. I personally enjoy a cozier ambiance when I eat ramen, but this is the least positive thing I can say about Okiboru House.
The specialty of Okiboru is not actually ramen but Tsukemen, which is essentially dry and cold handmade noodles served with a side of hot broth for dipping. While there was no Tsukemen veggie option, the veggie ramen at Okirobu House is competing for the win of the most memorable veggie ramen in LA. Got any more recommendations?
Sabetty Hernández
Se ve riquísimo!!