‘Sup world! I recently had the chance to try a new ramen joint in the Mission district of San Francisco called Ramenwell SF! I’m always a little skeptical when I try a new ramen places because I haven’t been impressed with many of the spots that have opened up around the Bay, but this place is legit! They have a bunch of small plates on the menu, too, and the owner, Harold, actually mentioned they are thinking about switching over to more of an izakaya rather than a straight up ramen place, so there’s possibly even more to look forward to. If you’ve never been to Ramenwell SF, you need to change that ASAP. I’m excited to show you some of my favorite dishes, so let’s go!
Signature Pork Ramen
Having lived in Japan for a couple years, it’s honestly tough to find solid ramen in San Francisco that lives up to the real thing. I’ve found that SO many places don’t prepare the broth properly, especially when making tonkotsu (pork bone marrow) broth. It requires a longer prep time and the broth is supposed to be thick and rich, but so many ramen joints have super watery broths in the city. Well, not Ramenwell SF! I was so pleasantly surprised by the thickness of the tonkotsu broth, as well as the rich flavor. They do it right and prepare the broth for 20 hours and add pork chashu, half a golden egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, scallions, and black garlic on top to form one of the better ramen bowls I’ve had in a while. I 100% recommend you give it a try!
Hamachi
Next up, I tried their Hamachi, and you’re probably thinking, “what’s so special about some sashimi?” Well, they’re not simply putting raw fish on a plate. According to their menu, they layer on some sweet soy bone marrow sauce, umeboshi puree, fried garlic, and scallions, and I’m pretty sure that’s some togarashi sprinkled on top and bits of shiso leaves placed around the fish for good measure. This was so full of flavor, and everything was perfectly complimentary. You’re going to want this one all to yourself, but remember – sharing is caring!
Takoyaki
Takoyaki is one of those things that I love, but don’t have very often, so when I do happen to have some quality stuff, it’s a really special experience. In Japan, I would normally have this stuff from a street vendor or home made in someone’s house, and so the toppings were pretty minimal (usually just the sauce and some mayo). That’s why Ramenwell SF’s version was familiar, yet new, at the same time. Takoyaki is basically pieces of octopus inside a ball of fried dough, and they add a soy glaze, nori (seaweed), bonito flakes, green onions, sesame seeds, and togarashi on top, and once again, the flavors work so well with each other and make the experience that much better.
I tend to be pretty picky with Japanese food, but I would totally recommend Ramenwell SF to anyone looking for some seriously bomb food. They also have a great sake and wine bar if you’re looking for a more casual evening or want to have a drink with dinner. Give it a try and let us know what you think! Till next time, Nomsters!
For more awesome SF Bay Area recommendations, check out our Bay Area tab HERE!
