Ramen Yamadaya
Not sure how I ended up at this place. It sat on the second floor in the blocked out street of Buchanan. I think it was relatively new, because come on, I’d notice the ramen sign walking by this area on the way to karaoke. Oh so many karaoke memories. “These guilty feet have got no rhythm…” Wait, I digress. Karaoke write up some other time, some other blog. Anyways, this place originated from LA. Known for their tonkatsu ramen, they flourished, opening several shops in Southern California. And now, they have a place up here. Pretty sad I didn’t know anything about it. Both in SoCal or about how they were bringing their magic up here. If I’d known, I’d warn them about the competition. Not so much San Francisco, but NorCal. Yeah buddy. There are good bowls up here once you get you’re head out of your ass on which city has the best ramen. Let’s just focus on the wonderful bowls of heaven.
I got in before lunch so it was easy getting seating. There’s a communal table in the middle so I guess I would have been in good shape if it were lunch time. Brownie points for catering to single eaters. And yes, I hate eating alone. Still glad I didn’t take up a whole table. Service was quick and after my meal, the line outside started to form. Glad to have eaten and run.
Ramen Yamadaya
1728 Buchanan Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Japantown, Lower Pacific Heights
+1 (415) 359-9983
ramen-yamadaya.com
Verdict: I’ll be back to try out the other bowls.
p.s. – sorry about the bad picture quality. Only had my iPhone.
It’s the self-titled bowl of Ramen of the place, so I had to give it a shot. What gives it the thumbs up would be the braised pork belly. So glad they delivered a good chunk of happiness. The broth was hearty, the chilli paste gave it a nice kick, and the thinner noodles gave more emphasis to the soup as you slurped away. The chashu and egg were better than your average Ramen house in the city. With that being said, the average Ramen house here aren’t too great. The eggs could have been more runny. Everything else sat in the shadow as I wondered if I should order more braised pork belly. $9.95USD
Oh how I wished I had a larger portion. This was nicely done. Delivering all the savory flavors while keeping the delicate balance of meat and fat. If I could just order a bowl of ramen with this stuff, I’d be in heaven. Though you’ll cart me out after I have my heart attack.
Here’s the sign that greets you as you walk upstairs. A bit neck breaking as you walk up. You’ll have a better view when you wait in line. That’s one way to torture yourself.