Home              
 

Santa Ramen 1 (Ramen cuisine)  $$

 9.5
JaT Rating

1944 S El Camino Real, San Mateo, 94403  (Directions)


650.344.5918


Website  Menu  vCard

            
  
Legendary Ramen house in the Bay Area


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 1040
Reviewed: 4/20/2009
Rating: 9.5
My photo gallery 		If there's hall of fame restaurants on Jatbar, Santa Ramen makes my list. It's one of the best ramen houses in the bay area and it shows with the very long lines out the door. Santa Ramen used to be located in a smaller location off b street (http://www.jatbar.com/reviews/San_Mateo/Santa_Ramen.asp) but have since moved to a larger spot of El Camino Real. The newer location is 5x larger but I kinda miss the old location's quaint feel. It's what I imagine a ramen shop would look like in Japan.

A friend of mine was in town and usually visits once a year for what I call the food olympics. I can't believe it's taken this many years for Santa visit.

We waited in line for about 10 minutes and grab seats at the bar. We ordered large Sapporo's and started off with Karaage. I swear the chicken karaage recipe has change over the years, I recall the pieces being much smaller. No biggie though, the karaage was still impressive as I remember.

The ramen to try is the Pork Flavor $7.95 and extra noodles $1.25. I've learned the extra noodle technique is to ensure a belly busting experience. Santa's noodles hold firm throughout the meal and are made fresh in house.

Get there early because Santa's runs out of certain flavors, once they're out, you have to visit another day.

There's 3 things to remember about the most incredible bowl of ramen

1. It's pork meat, pork broth, and pork fat. Don't be scared if the broth melts in your mouth, that's the fat. If you feel light headed, that's the intense pork flavor sending your taste buds into overdrive.

2. Yes, pork broth is bad for you. If you have dietary restrictions, sign the waiver because you might not wake up after this high fat/caloric meal.

3. Pork flavored ramen was a gift from the gods. If you don't enjoy it, god will not love you. You will be cursed for the rest of your life.

If I'm making a list of 10 meals I need to eat before I die, a bowl of pork flavor ramen will do me in nicely.
 
Disclaimer
User submitted quickies (help)

Login to write a quickie.

muymal ate...

Stewed pork/pork broth

“We eat here once a week as it is just around the corner from our house. Never fails to please. The karage (fried chicken) is the best in the area as well. Wife swears by the miso corn. I've had kakuni/tonkotsu in Japan Santa's is a close 2nd.”

5/7/2009 4:31:10 PM