In a visit to a highly-rated chain, I’m reminded how every detail of the ramen experience matters.

The bowl was placed in front of me, and I knew. Could I really tell just by looking? I sent a quick photo (with no comments) to fellow Clubber David, and even he knew: this ramen wasn’t going to be special. And so began my recent trip to the Pacific Northwest. I was at Ramen Danbo in Seattle which had the most highly-rated Yelp reviews in its category.

The clues started with my gyoza appetizer. Sitting at the counter, I noticed the chef preparing an order and haphazardly dropping them on a plate. I hope this order isn’t mine! Well, it was. Entirely absent was the Japanese attention to elegant plating. 

I took my first bite and was pleased the gyoza tasted far better than the presentation. The wrapper was light and slightly chewy with a nice charred base; the pork filling was very good. 

Then my ramen arrived. I’d ordered the Classic tonkotsu. Something seemed flat. The visual distinctiveness of the individual toppings I appreciate in great ramen wasn’t there. The chashu seemed submerged in the broth, not gently resting on top. It was a pretty boring looking bowl. 

Ramen Danbo says it serves “Fukuoka-style tonkotsu ramen” and this bowl looked much like the classic tonkotsu from the famed Ichiran, also from Fukuoka. So Danbo’s ramen holds to form, at least in the basic preparation. While Ichiran serves a good bowl of ramen (see my Tokyo review), my expectations were sky high and I left there disappointed. That same pattern was to repeat in Seattle.

Danbo’s broth was fine, but a bit salty and with little depth. The noodles were nice, served firm. The chashu was OK but a bit soggy. The egg was perfectly cooked. I’d call it a just barely OK bowl of ramen, but with a little more attention it could have been much better. 

Service was perfunctory and spotty. Decor was modern and spartan. Chairs were wood and basic. Menu was via QR code. The cleanliness at the counter wasn’t at the highest levels. I had the overall feeling that things were being missed and standards ignored. Bathroom was just OK. Of course, the physical space of a ramen restaurant can often be lackluster. But if the ramen is great, those considerations seem to disappear. At Danbo Seattle, many of these elements just reinforced my experience of the bowl. 

I arrived at 5pm on a Saturday and managed a seat at the counter. The place was packed with a line outside by 5:45, so this place is popular and well-regarded. With lines out the door, is it easier to slack off and lose track of your standards? Danbo’s ramen photos from Yelp and Google appeared far more delicious than what was served to me. Perhaps I came on a bad day? Might it have been the post-pandemic staffing problems many restaurants are experiencing? 

I’m not saying a plain appearing dish always indicates a lesser experience, and you may disagree that the photo above looks “plain.” The tonkotsu at Ippudo in Osaka and New York had a pretty simple appearance but the flavors had complexity and the ingredients were at a much higher level. What I ultimately concluded was that a certain lack of care and finesse was apparent at Ramen Danbo. 

Ramen Danbo has over 20 locations in Japan and outlets in Vancouver and New York in addition to Seattle. Since these observations are based on only one visit, I’ll give Danbo another try, but with a different set of expectations.

Luckily this was not my only ramen adventure in the Pacific Northwest. I was about to be surprised by a small shop where the care and attention to detail shined. Stay tuned for Part 2.

https://ramendanbo.com

Ramen Club 5-Star Rating System:

Food:                                  2.25 stars

Service:                               2.75 stars 

Atmosphere/Comfort:       2.75 stars

RATINGS LEGEND:  

1 star:   weak

2 stars:  just ok 

3 stars:  good      

4 stars:  very good      

5 stars:  superb or special

This visit had me wondering if Ippudo US is wavering into mediocrity.

Ippudo now has over 125 restaurants worldwide. I’ve eaten at its New York west side spot (wonderful), at Osaka Umeda (great – see my review) and now twice at its Berkeley location. I’ve always been satisfied with its Hakata style tonkotsu ramen – always good to very good.

My Osaka review suggested that at Ippudo, “tonkotsu simplicity shines.” That has been its claim to fame. For any restaurant chain, achieving consistency with your signature dish can be challenging. Ippudo has succeeded in this regard, but my recent bowl at Berkeley had me wonder otherwise. 

Ippudo Berkeley has a full menu with six styles of ramen plus seasonal tsukemen, and a full complement of appetizers, sakes, desserts and beer. I ordered the Akamaru Modern, which claims to have a bolder tonkotsu, with an egg as the only extra. Untypically, I didn’t order the gyoza.

The bowl looked wonderful, as expected. I noticed the floating garlic oil, and managed to spoon around it to taste the “bolder” tonkotsu broth alone. While delicious – the standard Ippudo tonkotsu I’ve known – I can’t say it was bolder. Was the addition of garlic oil the bold part? 

I don’t expect Ippudo to have the thickest broth, and this bowl was no surprise. Which takes me to the noodles. They were fine; slightly chewy, but didn’t have a flavor profile of their own. For me, the difference between good and great ramen often comes down to the quality or distinctiveness of the noodles. I’d have to describe their flavor as neutral.  

The next misstep was the pork chashu. It was thinly sliced, but with my first bite I noticed the interior was slightly dry. Good flavor, but it’s rare to find a thin chashu slice in broth that’s dry. All the other elements were fresh and of high quality, combining for a well-balanced set of ingredients. 

At Ippudo Osaka, the presence of multiple fresh condiments was a big part of my experience. Here in Berkeley, there were none to be found. I thought this was a by-product of the pandemic, but a look at older Yelp photos shows no on-table condiments. My waitress said several (soy sauce, sesame seeds and chili) were available if requested. 

Seating against the wall is nicely padded, though the standard chairs are bare-bones metal with flat seats. They didn’t look comfortable, and a far cry from the well-padded chairs at both New York and Osaka. The menu is available on QR code scan, but you order though the waitperson. 

I liked the detail of getting a separate small plate upon which to rest my spoon. Service was excellent and attentive. My waitress conveyed caring and helpfulness even through her mask.

The restaurant was spotless with multiple pandemic clean-ups throughout my time there. The unisex bathroom was also spotless. I arrived at 6:00pm on a weekday and the place was nearly empty. By the time I left at 6:45, it was about one-third full. 

I don’t want to be hard on Ippudo, as I’ve had several great experiences. As such, I’ve come to expect more. But the dry chashu, lack of broth boldness and nondescript noodles had me wonder if their search for consistency has them stuck in a groove – particularly in settling for what’s popular with American palates. I should note that this location is a few blocks from UC Berkeley, so it caters to a college audience. I won’t generalize that this audience is less, or more, discriminating.

I will return to Ippudo, but with a more critical eye, and also pay attention to the location. My expectations have shifted.

Ippudo US website: https://ippudo-us.com

Ramen Club 5-Star Rating System:

Food:                                  3.00 stars 
Service:                              4.00 stars 
Atmosphere/Comfort:     3.75 stars