Even though I am not a huge fan of ramen, I do enjoy a bowl of good noodles from time to time. I decided that my son would take me there for lunch this past Mother’s Day. Being a teenager and not working, his budget was limited. I also figured that I would avoid any crowds by going to a ramen place on such a busy restaurant day.

This place was highly recommended by my friend’s own teenage sons, so I figured it was at least cool to go. The menu was easy, with pictures. We were the only ones there. I was wondering if the cook and the waitress were feeling sorry for me for being there on “M” day. My son ordered the Tonkatsu ramen, while I opted for the Jiro ramen. I loved my bowl of ramen. It came with an humongous amount of cabbage on top of the noodles, with lots of onions, bean sprouts, and minced garlic (I especially enjoy eating garlic and onions). It was my dream come true, ramen with tons of veggies! There were also small rounds of fat floating atop the soup. As unhealthy as it seems, I enjoyed that . The chasyu was tender, and the soup was rich and flavorful.

The Tonkotsu ramen came with around four pieces of chaysu, half-boiled egg, and chopped green onions. I like the fact that there were more meat served with the ramen at this restaurant than most of the other ramen places in town. Upon finishing the bowl, the ramen expert, my son, declared that he still thinks Santouka has the best ramen. I argued with him about the soup being exceedingly salty at Santouka, and that there are only two slices of pork with the noodle; although I must give them credit for the consistently meticulous execution of the ramen.

Thoughts and Questions of the Day:  Why is the broth served with ramen usually so intensely salty? Why is there so very little amount of vegetables served in Japanese restaurant food? Do Japanese eat a lot of sushi or raw fish at home?

Back to Umenoya, the cook came over after we finished the ramen, and presented us with a complimentary plate of gyoza. How great, It was exactly what I wanted to try. The gyoza was not as flavorful as the ramen, but I really appreciated the very kind gesture. It was a comforting, cozy and warm “M” day lunch.

Umenoya: 24222 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90505   Phone: (310) 530-3177