I’d given up on really good ramen on this trip, until a gem on Whidbey Island made my week – and my wife’s too!
Leza and I had been to Whidbey Island before, a lovely place off the coast of Washington state. Dining options were limited in the town of Langley as many restaurants hadn’t come back from COVID restrictions. Then I came across Ultra House, a ramen spot a few minutes walk from our hotel. A noodle house seemed out of place in this neighborhood, but the reviews were great. Having been burned by my prior well-reviewed spot, I was cautious.
There was a short wait at lunchtime on a weekday, but luckily we managed an outdoor table – a plus as the delta variant was taking hold. A cheerful waitress greeted us, setting down some complimentary edamame as an “apology” for the long (it wasn’t) wait.
A few items caught my eye: a wooden basket with six condiments and, blessedly, an actual printed menu (I’m getting bored with the QR code menus; a rant is coming soon). For my wife, who’s not (yet) a ramen aficionado, this menu was a welcome addition: clear and informative, well laid out, with a legend for the more common ramen ingredients.
We ordered gyoza, which we would share. I ordered – surprise! – the tonkotsu with garlic oil on the side.
When the gyoza arrived, the contrast to my Seattle ramen experience was clear: the dumplings were carefully placed on the dish, alongside a string of yuzu paste and a side dish of Ultra’s custom gyoza sauce (soy, sake, chili). They were excellent: light wrapper and rich filling, with a charred crust. The yuzu and special sauce were nice touches, more than a standard soy/vinegar dip.
The ramen arrived and I noticed the attention to color, contrast and placement of ingredients. The slice of spiraled fish cake (naruto) was a bit old school and welcome. The broth was very good, slightly creamy with some complexity and good mouth feel. The layering of ingredients for the broth, as shown in this promotional video, speaks to the care they take in the product. As I added the black garlic oil to the broth, it came alive even more.
Noodles were yellow and rich, served at just the right firmness. Chashu was tasty. The egg was a weak element; fresh, but overdone and didn’t appear to be cooked in a soy blend. The vegetables were perfect and crunchy. All in all, a really good, well-prepared bowl of ramen.
Ultra has an extensive beer selection including regional Japanese craft beers I’d never seen before. The sake list also looked impressive. Chairs outside were bare metal but comfortable. Chairs inside were mostly those ubiquitous metal stools (no backing) found in many street food vendors in Asia.
Atmosphere and fun details: I had a chance to chat very briefly with owner and chef Denis Zimmermann, born and raised in Japan. His passion to bring an authentic Japanese experience to his restaurant is evident in the many fun touches throughout the place: a wide selection of Japanese candies, packaged snacks, toys and mementos from his years in Japan. Kitschy, but in line with what David sometimes calls “wacky Japanese culture.” I loved it. For more background on Denis’ vision, do check out that video.
Another Surprise! An unexpected bonus was seeing my wife “get it” about my ramen obsession. She’s heard me talk about it for years, but as she’s mostly gluten-free, Leza was never interested in joining the Club. With her first taste of the broth I could see the lights go on. “Wow, that’s good!” Then a taste of the menma and shitake; “I really like these veggies.” As she slurped some noodles, I could see her enthusiasm build.
Normally I never share a bowl of ramen, but hey – she’s my wife! But it was a joy to see her enjoy something I love so much. Her final comment, as I added a bit more garlic oil: “This gets better as you reach the bottom of the bowl!” Oh, to be understood!
We both left Ultra pretty high on the experience: good ramen, colorful atmosphere, warm, friendly service and the superb attention to detail missing on my last outing. If you’re ever on Whidbey Island, it’s the only ramen game on the island – but it’s a good one.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ultra-house-langley
Ramen Club 5-Star Rating System:
Food: 3.50 stars
Service: 4.25 stars
Atmosphere/Comfort: 4.00 stars
RATINGS LEGEND:
1 star: weak
2 stars: just ok
3 stars: good
4 stars: very good
5 stars: superb or special
