THE RAGING SPORK

Ah yes, the near-mythical Santa Ramen. This review is going to be quick and dirty. Simply put, Santa Ramen is the best ramen you can get in the Bay Area. No exceptions. Some places may be close, but nothing can top the king of ramen in the Bay. Seriously. See for yourself. You’re going to have to wait in line, but trust me, when the noodles hit your lips, it’ll all be worth it (our house goes once a week, no joke).

The shot’s a bit dark, but yes, that’s the menu. The hastily scribbled English and Japanese show you how barebones this place is. There’s only one side, one dessert, and everything else is noodles. Three broths to choose from – soy sauce, miso, and pork – and a myriad of toppings for you to choose from. You must get the kakuni (stewed pork). There is no exception to this rule unless it’s already sold out, which happens every freaking day. If you don’t plan on going when it opens, don’t plan on getting the stewed pork. Roasted pork doesn’t even hold a candle to the rich, melt-in-your mouth deliciousness of its stewed cousin. I got the pork broth with the kakuni, of course. Simply wonderful. I actually wanted to drink the broth. Every little drop. I didn’t, though, because I probably would be having MSG seizures. The bowl is around $10, so definitely a bit pricey for ramen, but you can’t top it. Enough talk from me, start lining up now; with all the hype surrounding this place, Santa Ramen definitely lives up to it.

Santa Ramen
805 South B Street, San Mateo, CA 94401
650-344-5918
Be prepared to wait. A long time. Geez, that pork is delicious.

*edit* Santa moved to a new location on El Camino Real and 20th Ave, just south of the 92. The place is a lot bigger, almost three times the size of the original place. The line’s still long, but the noodles are just as good. We’ll have an update complete with pictures soon!