Fab Review: Ramen-san

Ramen-san, a casual ramen spot by Lettuce Entertain You, is located in the heart of River North. Although ramen is considered Japanese, Ramen-san is a little more fusion than most other ramen places. The menu has elements and flavors from various Asian countries.

Hi! My name is Senxi (pronounced sen-see) and I’m a Southern California native who has fallen in love with Chicago, bite by bite. I’m always in search of good Asian food so I was excited to try Ramen-san.

{Ambiance}
The interior of Ramen-san is very hip. The main dining area has communal dining tables in the center and smaller booths that line the wall. The space is open with a lot of exposed brick. There is old school hip hop playing on the speakers. If you have ever seen Samurai Champloo or heard anything by Shing02, it has the same 80s-Japanese-hip-hop feel.

There is also some bar seating and, for warm weather, outdoor seating.

{Food}
The menu is a simple one-pager, divided into several sections. You’ll see what I mean when I say they take elements from several different Asian countries: Sticky Chicken Wings from Thailand, Mantou Buns and Mapo Tofu Ramen from China, Kimchi Wontons and Kimchi Ramen from Korea, etc. I really like fusion food, so this menu got me very excited.

Spicy Szechuan Wings
We started off our meal with an order of Spicy Szechuan Wings, which were absolutely delicious! I loved that there was an audible crunch every time I bit into the crispy skin. They were also very juicy on the inside and had a light numbing spice that you would expect in Szechuan food. I would definitely order these again!

Kimchi Wontons
The Kimchi Wontons came out shortly after. They were light, little dumplings filled with Berkshire pork and served with soy sauce. The kimchi flavor wasn’t that strong (which I liked) and the pork was quite tender, but the saltiness of the soy sauce was overpowering for my taste. I would have preferred the soy sauce on the side.

Tonkotsu Ramen
There’s something so comforting about a steaming bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen. Maybe it was a bit of the dreary day outside, or the intermixing smells of the broth and the chashu pork, or that my dad’s favorite ramen is tonkotsu. It can be hard to deviate from the classics sometimes.

The broth was quite creamy (but not overwhelming so), not too salty, and a bit sweet as well. The chashu pork was melt-in-your-mouth amazing. If you order a ramen without the chashu pork, just get it as an add-on. The noodles also had a great Q texture, not too soft with just the right amount of bounce-back (“Q” is used in some Asian countries to describe the chewiness/hardness of a dish, usually noodles. It is a bit similar to “al dente.” I’m also pretty sure Q is going to be the next umami.) Overall, this was a very enjoyable bowl of ramen.

FAB TIP: If you ever want to get ramen to-go or take leftovers home, get the noodles and soup in two separate containers so you don’t have soggy noodles the next day.

Kimchi and Fried Chicken Ramen
The Kimchi and Fried Chicken Ramen was interesting to say the least. The broth was quite good. It was spicy with a light kimchi flavor and the acidity of kimchi itself had been tempered from resting in the broth. The drawback was that the fried chicken had been cut up and put into the broth. It lost the crunchiness of the fried exterior, and the center was a bit soggy. It would have been a great dish if the fried chicken was served separately.

Hong Kong Egg Waffle
Look at this beautiful dessert! The Hong Kong Egg Waffle was very light (not excessively sweet) and so refreshing. The black sesame ice cream was wonderfully creamy and the toasted black sesame itself added a fantastic aroma and texture. The fruit paired well with the ice cream and the egg waffle was a great medium to carry it all. I really enjoyed breaking off bits of the waffle, topping it with ice cream and fruit, and eating it all together.

FAB TIP: You can order “late night fried rice” available after 10 p.m.

{Experience}
Ramen-san is a fun place to go if you’re looking to grab dinner with friends or try something new. It is a bit Americanized (fusion-ized), so don’t expect the most authentic ramen. In the end though, the food is pretty good and the menu is definitely creative.

{Location}
Ramen-San
River North || 59 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 377-9950

{Price Range}
$$ ($11-$36)

{Rating: 3.5 Fabs}

Have you been to Ramen-san? Let me know your thoughts below.

I am excited to be writing for Fab Food Chicago and to share my thoughts with you! Feel free to connect with me via Instagram. My favorite cuisines are Japanese, Chinese, and New American, but I really enjoy almost any type of food. You can generally find me galavanting around West Loop (which I realize is a bit basic).

Live, laugh, eat,
Senxi

Note: This meal was not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.