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March is National Noodle Month: Taste DTLA’s Best Bowls

March is National Noodle Month, a celebration of one of the world’s most popular foods. And if you crave these delectable dishes as much as we do, there’s no question that DTLA is a noodle lovers paradise. While Little Tokyo is the obvious downtown destination for authentic Japanese ramen, don’t overlook Chinatown, Grand Central Market, or other local neighborhoods, many conveniently close to Circa. And catering to the health-conscious crowd, a number of restaurants offer vegan, gluten-free and macrobiotic options. If you want to dive deeper into the world of ramen, Japan House is presenting an immersive exhibition, The Art of the Ramen Bowl, opening on March 18.

Japan House near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

The Art of the Ramen Bowl Japan House 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Level 2 Los Angeles, CA 90028

This exhibition spotlights imaginative porcelain ramen bowls and spoons designed by 30 world-renowned artists. Seen for the first time outside of Japan, the exhibition includes a giant ramen bowl created by well-known Japanese plastic food sample manufacturer Iwasaki Mokei, and an introduction to the noodle dish itself and to ceramics from Mino, a major Japanese ceramics center for over 500 years. The fully immersive experience includes programs such as special ramen pop-ups in the Japan House restaurant space, films, and educational webinars.

DTLA Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

DTLA Ramen 952 S Broadway Los Angeles CA 90015

DTLA Ramen offers Japanese ramen with a modern California spin. You have a choice of broth for your ramen, including pork, chicken, vegetarian, soy milk, and no broth at all, with a selection of add ons, such as ground spicy chicken, spicy miso paste, injected egg, or hard boiled egg, and chashu belly. In true DTLA spirit, the restaurant offers interesting craft beers, with an emphasis on Japanese brews.

Ramen Hood near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Ramen Hood Grand Central Market 317 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ramen Hood is a chef-driven destination vegan ramen shop located in Downtown LA’s historic Grand Central Market. The food is one hundred percent vegan, with broth made by simmering kelp and shiitake mushrooms to extract their maximum umami. The “egg” is completely vegan, made in two parts. The “white” of the egg starts as locally made GMO-free soy milk, seasoned with salt and pepper and gelled with agar, a seaweed extract. The “yolk” is a combination of nutritional yeast, back salt and sodium alginate, which is spherified and placed it in the center of the white so that the yolk pops just like the real thing.

Ochoron Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Ochoron Ramen 123 Astronaut E S Onizuka St, Ste 303 Los Angeles, CA 90012

One of the oldest running ramen shops in LA, Orochon is famous for their incredibly spicy ramen competition that gives a special designation for people who can finish it within 30 minutes. Not so spicy menu items are offered as well, including appetizers, dumplings and teriyaki dishes.

9th St Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

9th St Ramen 111 W 9th St. Los Angeles, CA 90015

This modern Japanese restaurant features big hearty bowls of ramen and a rotating collection of Japanese specialties including tsukune from a robata, enoki mushroom tempura, albacore donburi, spicy lamb ramen, and charcoal-grilled chicken tori paitan ramen. The noodles are made from toasted wheat and rye flour. They also offer a selection of natural wine and sake.

AFURI Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

AFURI Ramen LA 688 Mateo St. Los Angeles, CA 90021

Tokyo’s famous Afuri recently opened in DTLA after initially expanding to the Portland, Oregon area. The menu centers around their signature bowl of Yuzu Shio ramen – a light, delicate broth built upon a reduction made from local chicken, dry fish”niboshi” “katsuobushi”, dry konbu seaweed, and vegetables to produce a layer of umami flavors, and hints of refreshing yuzu citrus. The kitchen uses the same techniques employed in their central kitchen at the foot of Afuri mountain in Japan.

JINYA Ramen Bar near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

JINYA Ramen Bar 700 Wilshire Blvd Suite B Los Angeles, CA 90017

Anyone from Japan can tell you the two key ingredients in ramen are the broth and the noodle, and JINYA Ramen Bar works hard to ensure that both take center stage. Slowly simmered for more than twenty hours, each of their six signature broths balances flavors from whole pork bones, chicken and vegetables with just the right amount of bonito, dashi, miso, kombu, and other classic Japanese ingredients. The result is a rich broth that is thick and full-flavored.

Shojin near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Shojin 333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310 Los Angeles, CA 90013

Rakkan Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Rakkan Ramen 359 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

In 2011, Rakkan Ramen began as a tiny, four seated ramen bar in Tokyo. In 2017, with a passion for the world to taste their authentic Japanese Ramen, they opened their first overseas location in Los Angeles. Rakkan Ramen’s 100 percent plant-based broth is made with Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock full of umami, bringing out the best in each ingredient. They slowly simmer the carefully chosen vegetables and kombu (kelp) to extract the best flavor and lock in the umami. The marriage between the Oishii Japanese broth and silky slim noodles will help you discover the existence of another level of pleasure for your palate.

Daikokuya Little Tokyo near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Daikokuya Little Tokyo 327 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

Featured on ABC News, LA Eater, Thrillist, LA Times, ZAGAT, LA Weekly, Sunset magazine, and more, Daikokuya is known for their original soup made from soy sauce and pork bones, which are simmered for a full day. The signature Daikokuya Ramen consists of noodles, boiled egg, seasoned bamboo shoots, and green onions, with tender slices of homemade pork belly chashu. Eggs are soaked in a special sauce all through the night before serving. Be sure to try their premium brand sake, handmade by Daikokuya/Bishamon Group.

Photo credits:

Photo #1: DTLA Ramen

Photo #2: Japan House

Photo #3: DTLA Ramen

Photo #4: Ramen Hood

Photo #5: Ochoron Ramen

Photo #6: 9th St Ramen

Photo #7: AFURI Ramen LA

Photo #8: JINYA Ramen Bar

Photo #9: Shojin

Photo #10: Rakkan Ramen

Photo #11: Daikokuya Little Tokyo

Ramen Round Up: DTLA’s Best Noodle Shops

Whether you’re craving the perfect comfort food for chilly weather or a light satisfying meal on a warm sunny day, the time is always right for ramen. While Little Tokyo is the obvious DTLA destination for authentic Japanese ramen, don’t overlook Chinatown, Grand Central Market, or other local neighborhoods, many conveniently close to Circa. Did you know there’s a Michelin rated ramen restaurant in downtown LA? And catering to the health-conscious crowd, a number of noodle shops offer vegan, gluten-free and macrobiotic options. DTLA boasts some of the best bowls in town, and we’re not just noodlin’ around. Check websites for pick up & delivery detaIls.

Ramen Hood Grand Central Market 317 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ramen Hood is a destination vegan ramen shop located in Downtown LA’s historic Grand Central Market. The food is one hundred percent vegan, with broth made by simmering kelp and shiitake mushrooms to extract their maximum umami. The “egg” is completely vegan, made in two parts. The “white” of the egg starts as locally made GMO-free soy milk, seasoned with salt and pepper and gelled with agar, a seaweed extract. The “yolk” is a combination of nutritional yeast, back salt and sodium alginate, which is spherified and placed it in the center of the white so that the yolk pops just like the real thing.

DTLA Ramen 952 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90015

9th Street Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

9th St. Ramen 111 W 9th St. Los Angeles, CA 90015

This modern Japanese restaurant from Chef Luke Reyes features big hearty bowls of ramen and a rotating collection of Japanese specialties including tsukune from a robata, enoki mushroom tempura, albacore donburi, spicy lamb ramen, and charcoal-grilled chicken tori paitan ramen. The noodles are made from toasted wheat and rye flour. They also offer a selection of natural wine and sake for delivery.

Okiboru House of Tsukemen ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Okiboru House of Tsukemen 635 N Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90012

The only Michelin rated ramen restaurant in LA, Okiboru is located in the heart of Chinatown. The founders, who trained in Japan to master the tsukemen craft, are on a mission to introduce this style of “dipping ramen” to a wider audience of eaters. With tsukemen, unlike its traditional ramen cousin, the noodles are served on the side separate from the broth, hence the name “dipping ramen.” Okiboru makes their own noodles on-site from scratch using their proprietary recipe. The broth is painstakingly brewed over a period of time, twice as long as the typical ramen broth, until the consistency is perfect for dipping. The chefs have also created a delicious vegetarian broth which is available in both tsukemen and ramen dishes.

Shojin ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Shojin 333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310 Los Angeles, CA 90013

Shojin presents a unique vegan, macrobiotic, gluten free Japanese dining experience, offering natural, organic cuisine for health-conscious customers. The ramen is onion and garlic free, made from cabbage, carrot, celery and olive oil. Add ons include garlic, ginger, kale, extra noodles, shitake mushrooms, and extra chile oil. The in-house delivery service is provided by Shojin’s own employees. By choosing to order directly from the restaurant, you will be helping to support their staff.

Rakkan Ramen 359 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

In 2011, Rakkan Ramen began as a tiny, four seated ramen bar in Tokyo. In 2017, with a passion for the world to taste their authentic Japanese Ramen, they opened their first overseas location in Los Angeles. Rakkan Ramen’s 100 percent plant-based broth is made with Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock full of umami, bringing out the best in each ingredient. Then they slowly simmer the carefully chosen vegetables and kombu (kelp) to extract the best flavor and lock in the umami. The marriage between the Oishii Japanese broth and silky slim noodles will help you discover the existence of another level of pleasure for your palate. Take a slurp!

Daikokuya Little Tokyo ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Daikokuya Little Tokyo 327 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

Featured on ABC News, LA Eater, Thrillist, LA Times, Zagat, LA Weekly, Sunset magazine, and more, Daikokuya is known for their original soup made from soy sauce and pork bones, which are simmered for a full day. The signature Daikokuya Ramen consists of noodles, boiled egg, seasoned bamboo shoots, and green onions, with tender slices of homemade pork belly chashu. Eggs are soaked in a special sauce all through the night before serving. Be sure to try their premium brand sake, handmade by Daikokuya/Bishamon Group.

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen near Circa apartments in Downtown Los Angeles

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen 132 S Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012

This classic ramen restaurant is located in the heart of Little Tokyo. Pronounced shin sen goo-me, the name was taken from the historical samurai clan who fought for a great “cause” during a civil war in Japan. Their commitment to excellence and sincerity of service to the nation became the restaurant’s model for serving excellent, traditional Japanese cuisine. Choose which size ramen bowl you want, then choose your noodles and finally, pick all the extra toppings you want to customize your ramen bowl just the way you like it. Extra toppings include wontons, spicy miso, curry, chili oil, pork cutlet, hard boiled egg, seaweed, corn and more.

Photo credits:

Photo #1: DTLA Ramen

Photo #2: Ramen Hood

Photo #3: DTLA Ramen

Photo #4: 9th St. Ramen

Photo #5: Okiboru House of Tsukemen

Photo #6: Shojin

Photo #7: Rakkan Ramen

Photo #8: Daikokuya Little Tokyo

Photo #9: Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen

Something’s Fishy! DTLA’s Best Sushi, Sashimi & Sake

First settled in the late 1800s, Little Tokyo has grown into a bustling hub of delectable food options, exciting nightlife, world-class museums, and eclectic shopping. A major attraction is the restaurant and bar scene, offering an authentic Japanese experience in the heart of the city. From cozy family-owned sushi bars, to hipster hangs, exclusive high-end establishments, and even Japanese cooking classes, you’ll find the best sushi, sashimi, and sake in DTLA!

Hayato 1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021

This small gustatory gem is all about creating a personal connection and intimate dining experience, as if you were invited into a friend’s home. Dinner is served by the chefs themselves, at one of eight counter seats in front of an open kitchen. For guests who prefer more privacy, a single table in a private tatami seating area is available by special request. The nightly omakase tasting menu menu consists of approximately ten dishes focused on the best fresh seafood available. Hayato uses the five Japanese cooking techniques (sashimi, grilling, steaming, frying and simmering) to produce simple dishes that derive their complexity from the quality of the ingredients. Dinner usually lasts about two and a half hours, but guests are welcome to ask the staff to pick up the pace or slow things down, as they wish.

Third Generation Sake Bar 808 W. 7th St. Los Angeles, Ca 90017

Located in the heart of DTLA’s Financial District, 3rd Generation Sake Bar serves small plates of popular Japanese dishes and sake in a simple, polished wood-infused room. Specialties include ramen, sushi hand rolls, poke bowls, dumplings, and octopus fritters. Wednesday is Sake Night, featuring $3 Sake Glass & 1/2 off Sake Bottles from their excellent selection of Japanese imports.

Sake Dojo 333 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

From the owners of Far Bar (and just a few doors down), Sake Dojo is an immersive dining and drinking sanctuary amidst the hustle and bustle of DTLA’s Little Tokyo. The name Dojo means a hall or space for intensive learning or meditation – the term literally means “Place of the Way” in Japanese. The food is authentic Japanese-style, with a modern culinary twist. Beverages consist of a large selection of craft Japanese sakes, whiskeys and beers.

Sushi Zo 334 S Main St, Los Angeles 90013

Sushi Zo features “Omakase,” a Japanese-style chefs’ choice meal, presenting customers with seasonal dishes, using the highest quality and freshest natural ingredients. The balance between the neta (seafood) and shari (sushi rice) is the most important aspect of sushi. Each day, seafood products are carefully selected, prepared and served at their flavor peak, using a perfectly matched accompaniment for the particular neta, which may include a unique soy sauce, sea salt and other ingredients. The shari (rice) is meticulously cooked, seasoned with a unique blend of vinegars and served at body temperature, to create the perfect partner to the nata. The goal is Ittai-kan – when the neta and shari unite in perfect harmony.

KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar 421 South Main Street, Los Angeles 90013

KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar was created with the idea that the experience of eating hand rolls is truly something special and worthy of its own restaurant. Created by Sushi Nozawa Group, the Los Angeles-based restaurant group behind Sugarfish and Nozawa Bar, KazuNori is the first restaurant of its kind to focus exclusively on hand rolls. The restaurant serves only the freshest fish, along with specially harvested seaweed, house made sauces, and their signature warm rice.

Japanese Cooking Classes at Foodstory 810 S Spring St #1204, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Yoko Isassi came up with Foodstory cooking classes as a way to pass on what she learned about Japanese food culture from her grandmother, great Japanese chefs in Japan and the US, her friends, favorite books, and fellow food lovers. Foodstory offers more than a dozen cooking classes including ramen, bento box, plant-based dishes, noodles, and the art of tea. She also organizes cooking and tasting tours at Japanese markets in Little Tokyo. Most classes are limited to 10 people with some exceptions. Classes usually last around 3 hours including dining time. Book your class here.

Sushi Go 55 333 S Alameda St, Ste 317 Los Angeles, CA 90013

Located on the top floor of the Little Tokyo Galleria Market, Sushi Go 55 has been a Little Tokyo fixture for nearly 60 years. Owned by the Morishita family, “America’s First Family of Sushi,” Sushi Go 55 was a pioneer in bringing sushi to America, with the mission to provide a memorable experience as if you stepped into a sushi bar in Japan. This cozy establishment focuses on the highest quality fish, flown in fresh from Japan and all over the world.

Shojin 333 Alameda St #310, Los Angeles 90013

Fish not your thing? Shojin is a vegetarian option, serving organic, gluten free Japanese vegan and macrobiotic dining, washed down with a heady selection of sake, beer and champagne. Their vision is to provide the most flavorful and naturally preserved meals using natural foods with no chemical seasonings and harmful additives. With personal service in a warm, friendly and relaxing atmosphere, Shojin offers a community setting to help guests understand the importance of healthy eating habits to achieve a rewarding lifestyle.

Roamin’ for Ramen: Best Noodles in DTLA

March is National Noodle Month! Time for a slurpy celebration of brothy ramen, brimming with palate-pleasing umami. While Little Tokyo is the obvious DTLA destination for authentic Japanese ramen, check out Chinatown, Grand Central Market, and other downtown LA neighborhoods, where you’ll find everything from house-made Japanese tsukemen ramen to vegan and gluten free options.

So get out there and start roamin’ for ramen. DTLA boasts some of the best bowls in town, and we’re not just noodlin’ around!

DTLA Ramen 952 S. Broadway Los Angeles CA 90015

DTLA Ramen inhabits a sleek modern space with an open kitchen, so you can watch your food as it’s being prepared. You have a choice of broth for your ramen, including pork, chicken, vegetarian, soy milk, or no broth at all, with a selection of add ons, such as ground spicy chicken, spicy miso paste, injected egg, or hard boiled egg, and chashu belly. In true DTLA spirit, the restaurant offers interesting craft beers, with an emphasis on Japanese brews. For starters, try their cold sake sampler – pick three from the sake list. They also serve free black and green tea for your much-needed midday pick-me-up.

Ramen Hood Grand Central Market 317 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90013

Ramen Hood is a vegan ramen shop located in Downtown LA’s historic Grand Central Market. The food is one hundred percent vegan, with broth made by simmering kelp and shiitake mushrooms to extract their maximum umami. Roasted sunflower seeds with white miso are combined with the kelp/mushroom stock, then the mixture is pressure cooked to release the natural oils and starches from the seeds. What’s left is a rich, creamy, broth that rivals its non-vegan counterparts’ flavor and texture. The “egg” is completely vegan, made in two parts. The “white” of the egg starts as locally made, GMO-free soy milk, seasoned with salt and pepper and gelled with agar (a seaweed extract). The “yolk” is a combination of nutritional yeast, back salt and sodium alginate. The yolk is spherified, using a little magic, and placed it in the center of the white, so that the yolk pops just like the real thing!

Okiboru House of Tsukemen 635 N Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tsukemen is extremely popular in Japan but few know about it outside the country. The founders of Okiboru, who trained in Japan to master the tsukemen craft, are on a mission to introduce this style of “dipping ramen” to a wider audience of eaters. With tsukemen, unlike its traditional ramen cousin, the noodles are served on the side separate from the broth, hence the name “dipping ramen.” Okiboru makes their own noodles on-site from scratch using their proprietary recipe. The broth is painstakingly brewed twice as long as the typical ramen broth, until the consistency is perfect for dipping. In addition to the traditional pork chashu, they offer a side of grilled pork ribs which are marinated for hours and grilled to add the perfect amount of smoky flavor. The chefs have also created a delicious vegetarian broth, which is available in both tsukemen and ramen dishes.

Shojin 333 S. Alameda St. Suite 310 Los Angeles, CA 90013

Shojin presents a unique vegan, macrobiotic, gluten free Japanese dining experience, offering natural, organic cuisine for health-conscious customers.The ramen is onion and garlic free, made from cabbage, carrot, celery and olive oil. Choose from Spicy Ramen Revolution (brown rice noodles, kale, avocado, bean sprouts, spicy miso broth), Vegan “Egg,” ane Soy Chicken. Add ons include garlic, ginger, kale, extra noodles, shiitake mushrooms, and extra chile oil.

Daikokuya Little Tokyo 327 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

Rakkan Ramen 359 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90012

In 2011, Rakkan Ramen began as a tiny, four seat ramen bar in Tokyo. In 2017, with a passion for the world to taste their authentic Japanese ramen, Rakkan Ramen opened their first overseas location in Los Angeles. The plant-based broth is made with Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock full of umami, bringing out the essence of each ingredient. Then the carefully chosen vegetables and kombu (kelp) are slowly simmered to extract the best flavor and lock in the umami. The marriage between the Oishii Japanese broth and silky slim noodles will help you discover another level of pleasure for your palate. Take a slurp!

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen 132 S Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012

This classic ramen restaurant is located in the heart of Little Tokyo. Pronounced “shin sen goo-me,” the name was taken from the historical samurai clan who fought for a great “cause” during a civil war in Japan. The samurais’ commitment to excellence and sincerity of service to the nation became the restaurant’s model for serving excellent, traditional Japanese cuisine. Choose which size ramen bowl you want, then choose your noodles, and finally pick all the extra toppings you want to customize your ramen bowl just the way you like it. Extra toppings include wontons, spicy miso, curry, chili oil, pork cutlet, hard boiled egg, seaweed, corn and more.