It would make sense for one of America’s largest ramen chains to debut their first California location in the midst of rainy weather. Opened February 7, Kyuramen, which has outlets in New York, the Midwest, Texas, and even the deep South like Mississippi and Alabama, takes over a sizable Arcadia strip mall slot serving a signature yin-and-yang ramen with tonkotsu and miso broths, omurice, and yakitori skewers.Visually, the most unique aspect of the restauran...
It would make sense for one of America’s largest ramen chains to debut their first California location in the midst of rainy weather. Opened February 7, Kyuramen, which has outlets in New York, the Midwest, Texas, and even the deep South like Mississippi and Alabama, takes over a sizable Arcadia strip mall slot serving a signature yin-and-yang ramen with tonkotsu and miso broths, omurice, and yakitori skewers.
Visually, the most unique aspect of the restaurant’s interior is a staggered honeycomb table arrangement where diners get tucked into hexagonal alcoves. The cozy (and Instagram-ready) feeling is pretty unparalleled, though don’t be surprised if onlookers take photos of the honeycomb section while you eat. The rest of the space has counter seating, scattered tables, and even private dining areas with curtains. A large wishing tree already contains hundreds of notes and drawings scribbled onto small wooden placards for additional visual interest.
Kyuramen was founded in New York City in 2014 by Gary Lin and specializes in Kyushu-style shio broth, Tokyo-style shoyu broth, and Hokkaido-style miso, essentially three of the most popular ramen types in Japan. He hoped to become the “Starbucks of ramen in the U.S.,” and given its more than 40 locations across the country, it seems to be well on its way. However, California, boasting one of the best ramen scenes in the country, with noteworthy shops from San Francisco to Los Angeles’s Sawtelle Japantown and Little Tokyo to San Diego, was an unexplored territory for Kyuramen — until now. Kyuramen introduced its new honeycomb booth design a few years ago in a huge Chicago restaurant.
The menu here offers something for everyone in the Japanese food canon (with the exception of sushi), including katsuoboshi ramen (shaved bonito flakes), miso ramen, tonkotsu shoyu (rich pork broth), curry ramen, kimchi ramen, chicken ramen, vegetable miso ramen, and even tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) ramen. The honeycomb appetizer is a fun shareable starter with seasoned edamame, tamago egg, unagi, seaweed salad, lobster and chashu ball, and shrimp tempura. Other starters include steamed pork buns, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, and yakitori skewers. The viral Kichi Kichi omurice popularized in Kyoto is served here, sliced tableside by servers for maximum shareability, while a solid set of desserts includes matcha tiramisu, mango mille crepe cake, and Japanese cherry blossom jelly.
Those entering the space will have to go through Tbaar, Kyuramen’s boba and milk tea shop whose drinks can also be ordered at the ramen restaurant. The company clearly knows what the predominantly Asian American community around Arcadia and the greater San Gabriel Valley wants with the one-two punch of boba drinks and comforting noodle soups.
Kyuramen is open at 7 Las Tunas Drive, Arcadia, California, 91007 and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.