I regard a good bowl of noodles about as important as good lighting and world peace, so I was annoyed to find out that one of the best noodle places in the Bay area had escaped my radar for so long (and upset with certain friends who knew of my noodle disposition and did not inform me!). Well, my very decent cousin finally dropped the word that
Santa Ramen (1944 S. El Camino Real in San Mateo) was "in a different league" than other noodle places and I should definitely check it out. I was skeptical at first, but needless to say, I was game for the comparison. Clearly she was right. I had the best braised pork ramen I've ever had. The broth was wonderfully fragrant and savory (though I think I still prefer the miso broth over the pork), filled with green onions and fresh made noodles. But it was the braised pork that took me to heaven. So tender and flavorful, I could only think of the term "like buttah" to describe its goodness.
The restaurant definitely stays packed, but orders are taken while you are in line, and so the food arrives fairly quickly after sitting. The friendly hostess confirmed that they moved to this location from their original one in downtown San Mateo, but they plan to open that one again soon. Sorry, no plans to open one in SF.
My other favorite noodle places:
Katana-Ya on 430 Geary St,
Taste of Formosa on 2428 Clement and
Iroha on 1728 Buchanan.
Mel is in SF for a few days, so that means more eating out in delicious SF! I took him to that other great Ramen House Katana-ya and enjoyed the over-abundant special Katana-ya ramen, filled with dumplings, fried chicken, bamboo shoots and more. I love the miso broth as well. The tiny restaurant is always packed, but we got to enjoy the spectacle of two European Don Juans hitting on the waifish waitress/hostess.
We also enjoyed brunch at Grand Cafe in the Hotel Monaco last weekend. I think it's my new favorite. Great food, minimal-to-no wait on Sundays and moderate prices. I had been there for first time last year with Gaby, when we skipped the never moving line of Dottie's, and was surprised by how reasonable it was for a nice hotel. The food is definitely fresh, and you won't see Duck Confit at Sear's. I really enjoyed my omelette with a huge dose of bay shrimps. Yum. Of course, you can't beat the ambience of that huge art deco dining room.
