Everyday Eats: Tonkotsu Ramen at Tajima Ramen House
Erin Jackson
At Tajima, ordering a bowl of ramen starts with a number of questions, ranging from which broth to get (tonkotsu, miso, curry, or soy sauce?), which type of noodles (thin or fat?), and whether or not you want it spicy, not to mention the slew of optional extras you can add (everything from stewed pork belly to kimchi). And while I can’t answer all of those questions (when it comes to ramen, “to each his own” is the rule), I can endorse getting a bowl at Tajima, without any hesitation.
For me, ramen is all about the tonkotsu broth — a rich, deeply flavored pork stock, and making it spicy is a must. Fat noodles have a bit more bounce and texture, and extra BBQ pork is always a good thing, but even the base-model bowl with no additions is generous enough. For $6.95, you get a good-sized bowl of broth and egg noodles topped with a soy sauce marinated egg, green onions, BBQ pork, Japanese seaweed, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. It’s filling to be certain — thanks to the whack of noodles and that fatty broth — and the flavor impact is tough to beat on a gourmet budget, let alone for less than $7.
Another plus? On Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays, during “Ramen Night”, you can get a bowl of the good stuff until 3 a.m. With any luck, the parking lot is less chaotic than during the lunch rush, but knowing the popularity of Tajima with the student population, I wouldn’t bet on it.
Everyday Eats: Tonkotsu Ramen at Tajima Ramen House
Erin Jackson
You can add some mabo tofu (ground pork and tofu stir-fried with a spicy gravy) to your ramen, but the Mabo Tofu Bowl ($7.95) is a better idea, since the heat of the broth would transform the tofu’s silky texture too much. Mix it up with the rice, egg, peas, and sesame seeds for a stew-like dish that’s total comfort food: one-note, and simple… but in that good way that feels like someone is wrapping you up in a warm blanket.
Tajima is located at 4681 Convoy St (map). Ramen Night runs from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.
