Wednesday, March 18, 2015

HYAKUMI NOODLE STATION (SHERMAN OAKS, CA)

Hyakumi Noodle Station
13608 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
www.restaurantshermanoaks.com
Tel: 818.783.1384
$$ ($15-$30)
Mon, 03/02/2015, 6:30pm walk-in
    (3.5 Piglets)



Set on busy Ventura Blvd in the Valley is a fairly new noodle shop. Hyakumi Noodle Station offers various noodle dishes that include ramen and udon. The restaurant is simple and modest. It tries to stick to traditional Japanese dishes with a hint of Chinese influences. Take for example the Hyakumi Beef Ramen: noodles with stewed beef, bok choi, bean sprouts and other condiments settled into a light and rich beef broth. These ingredients and flavors are reminiscent of Chinese beef noodle soup. If ramen doesn't suit your palate, rice bowls and assorted appetizers are available. 




California Roll ($4.00 with ramen order): 8 pieces. A good California roll. Rice was slightly on the warm side, which is to my preference. The crab was fairly fresh. For the price, this dish was great!



Pork Gyoza ($3.00 with ramen order): 4 pieces. The gyoza was perfectly crisp on the outside with juicy pork on the inside. Fresh and homemade. This was a good accompaniment to the ramen.




Tonkotsu Black ($12.00): Pork broth with noodles topped with special black garlic oil, braised pork, bamboo, kikurage, fried onions, green onions, dried seaweed and soft boiled egg. The broth was thick and rich. The braised pork was nicely fatty. The egg was delightfully runny. The black garlic oil added a nice finish to the dish. The only issue I had with the dish was the desire for the ramen to have a bit more depth and flavor but, comprehensively, this was a good tonkotsu ramen. 



Spicy Miso Ramen ($10.00): My favorite dish. Spicy miso pork broth with noodles topped with braised pork, kikurage, green onions and bean sprouts. There's something about having a spicy miso ramen on a rainy day that gives you a sense of pure satisfaction and this did the job. The pork was great. The noodles had a perfect consistency and cooked al dente. Great flavor with a nice spice and slight sweetness to round out the dish. I only wish the dish came with an egg, but I guess you can add it for an additional $1.00 (which I failed to notice until after I slurped my way through the ramen). 



Overall, Hyakumi Noodle Station is a pretty darn good ramen spot to invade the Sherman Oaks area. They offer a variety of noodle dishes and cater to others who are not a fan of the ramen. My only request would be that I would want the ramen broth to have more bold flavors. Although it is no Daikokuya (one of my favorites), it is a good alternative if you can't venture out to Los Angeles. 


Notable dishes: Spicy Miso Ramen

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