Sakuramen in Washington, D.C.

Ramen! A bowl of ramen tend to be the go to meal for blue collar workers in Asia. Sitting on the side of the street on cracked chairs and taped up tables to enjoy a bowl of ramen is something uniquely distinctive for the asian culture. In major cities there are always at least two ramen shops that people are crazy about. They stood out because of several things: they offer large quantities of food since they were designed to feed you full, they are exotic since they are from cross the globe, and they do not take reservations.

A few days ago I visited one of my all time favorite restaurant in Washington, D.C. -- Sakuramen. Last time I have been there before this visit was a year ago. And let me tell you, things have changed since then. One word to sum up the experience -- disappointment.

A year ago I was a fan of their Chosun Ramen. They incorporated korean future into this ramen. The addition of non-authenic Kimchi into their ramen really make this dish pop from the classic Shoyu and Tonkatsu. My friend at the time ordered the vegetarian Sakuramen which she gives an above average rating for.



One thing about Sakuramen that I like is their presentation. It is hard to present Ramen, just like it's hard to present salad. Lack of compartmentalization within a bowl of liquid makes neatly placed toppings works of art.

Few days ago I went with a friend from Japan. I wouldn't say that her standards are high since she grew up in Japan eating very authentic Ramen noodles, but she does have some guidelines when it comes to the quality of ramen. We started off with Bulgogi buns and spicy sweet pork buns for appetizers. We were hungry, so we swiped it clean. It was very delicious. Spongy buns topped with juicy bulgogi or sweet and sour pork. The addition of the raw lettuce makes this dish guilt free for health-lovers.



Then comes the Ramen. My friend ordered Tonkatsu Red that is mild spicy. This was a bad decision to start with since she really doesn't eat all that spicy. I went with Spicy Miso Ramen with an extra fireball. This is where the disappointment comes. The noodles were not bouncy and chowey like some other ramen I have had, and seems as if they were not cooked for long enough. The broth were salty but light, way too watered down. These are actually two important factors that makes a good bowl of ramen.


(Spicy Miso Ramen)

We were not so happy with the ramen itself, but very happy with the buns. Imagining two or three years ago this place had gone viral with long times on Friday and Saturday nights. It is so disheartening to see such a good place gone down with its building reputation.



This is something I have learned from a former foodie that I used to know. At the end we ranked our dishes 1-10. Results does not look so promising.