Food
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Why The Tsukiji Outer Market Is A Must Visit In Japan
The Tsukiji Market has been in existence for 80+ years. Despite the main fish market closing in Tsukiji and relocating to Toyusa the outer market still remains. The outer market is home to wholesale retail shops, produce, fish, as well as many, many restaurants / food stalls. The seafood here is some of the freshest in the city since it comes directly from the Toyusa fish market.
There are a TON of food stalls / restaurants within this vicinity so if you’re a foodie, this is a must stop.
Despite the main fish market moving to Toyusa in 2018, the outer market remains just as popular amongst both domestic and international tourists. Expect big crowds here!
One of the entrances to Tsukiji Outer Market 
Food everywhere, with lots and lots of tourists The Food Experience
There’s going to be too much food here to try it all (for most people). Budget may also play a part in what you look to purchase too. Depending on what you’re looking to eat, certain items can certainly get pricey. But that’s what’s nice with such a large and varied market, there’s something for all budgets to be found here.
Here’s what I got on my visit:
Mochi and Tanghulu
This shop near one of the entrances to the market (photo above) specialized in strawberry mochi and tanghulu. This was just too tempting. I HAD to start off the food tour with this, it looked too good!
I decided on going with the strawberry flavored mochi with strawberry (400 yen, $2.83 USD).
The mochi was incredibly soft, chewy, and very fresh. It was also filled with red bean paste and powdered sugar( the powdered sugar was a nice surprise!). The strawberry is very juicy. It wasn’t overly sweet but I really couldn’t notice due to the sweetness of the red bean paste / powederd sugar.
I couldn’t just get the mochi with all that delicious tanghulu on display. I opted for the grape and strawberry tanghulu (600 yen, $4.24 USD).
Both the grapes and the strawberries were very sweet and juicy in their own right. I don’t want to understate the juiciness of these grapes and strawberries. These fruits EXPLODE with juice when you bite into them. The sugar coating provides additional sweetness of course, as well as a hardy crunch.
Tamagoyaki
What exactly is Tamagoyaki? It’s a sweet and savory type of Japanese type of omlette. I’d never had it before but had heard of it. I saw this restuarant and figured today was the day to give it a try! The price for a block of it was only 150 yen ($1.06) too. Good deal!
The egg is super soft, fluffy, and light. It’s also very sweet though. I was expecting it to be sweet but this was much more sweet than savory.
Grilled Wagyu
Yes, this is a fish market BUT there’s also wagyu here! There’s a few stalls that sell grilled wagyu skewers within Tsukiji. The cuts of wagyu vary and the price points reflect accordingly. They also have skewers of various seafood (octupus, squid, scallop, unagi, all 1000 yen, $7.09 USD) and even have skewers of wagyu with uni (sea urchin) spread over it. There’s a lot of skewer options!
I opted for the rump wagyu, which was the cheapest cut of wagyu – for 3000 yen, $21.27 USD.
The meat is grilled medium rare. It’s lightly seasoned with just salt with a teriyaki glaze drizzled over the top. The glaze is a little sweet with a hint of spice to it. The meat just melts in your mouth. No exaggeration. You barely have to chew. The wagyu is unbelievably good!
Tuna Nigiri
No visit to Tsukiji would be complete without eating some seafood, specifically tuna. I decided to give Maguroya Kurogin a try. They specifically specialise in tuna here with various cuts served as sashimi over rice, nigiri, or sushi.
Decisions, decisions. It’s a tough choice on what to get 
Sooo much tuna!! Look at how huge these chunks are! 
The tuna gets cut right in front of you as you wait in line 
This definitely helps point out what you’re getting I went with the six pieces of nigiri that consisted of special fatty tuna, very fatty tuna, medium fatty tuna. This was 3400 yen, $24.10 USD.
I ate this at the stall. They have a little area right next to the counter where you order at that has some tables you can stand around and a counter you can enjoy your food. They give you a cup of tea as well. The food comes out and the server goes over what nigiri is what. They speak English really well here. I believe from left to right it goes: special fatty tuna, very fatty tuna, medium fatty tuna.
The speical fatty tuna 
Very fatty tuna 
Medium fatty tuna These were all very high quality pieces of tuna. I couldn’t say that one cut was better than the others. The fattier pieces may dissolve faster but ALL of the cuts essentially dissovle in your mouth when you start eating them. The sushi rice is also high quality. Overall, these are six pieces of nigiri you won’t be disapppointed with.
Conclusion
I ate a variety of food in my time at Tsukiji and barely scratched the surface of everything that’s there. There was a lot of stuff that I wanted to get but skipped over on this trip, like grilled crab legs, and grilled scallops, and a boatload of other food. Not to mention the number of sit down restaurants that all looked delicious.
I will advise that many of the places here accept ONLY CASH, so that keep that in mind if you plan on visiting. There’s also an atm on the premises if you forget to bring some cash. It’s located in the facility which also has a public restroom.
I did have a budget in mind and how much I wanted to spend here, so that took some of the food out of the equation…this time around. Some of the restaurants had very long lines which I also avoided since there was a lot I wanted to that day. Bottom line: There’s A LOT of food here.
The total for everything I ate came out to 7,550 yen / $53.53 USD. Not too shabby! It was definitely a fun time walking around and trying multiple dishes. If you’re a foodie this is must visit place.
One final tidbit of advice: Choose your stomach space wisely!
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Oyako-Don At Torimkura In Diver City, Odaiba, Tokyo
If you’re in the area visiting Odaiba and are wanting to grab some food there are plenty of options in the area. Specifically within Diver City Plaza. There’s a large food court on the bottom floor and then several restaurants on other floors of the massive mall.
Torimkura
Torimkura is one of the restaurants located in Diver City. It caught my attention since it specializes in Oyako-Don. What exactly is Oyako-Don? It’s a simple Japanese dish that includes tender pieces of chicken, egg, and rice. The sauce that coats everything is generally both salty and sweet. It’s a real comfort food in Japan and is very popular.
The front of Torimkura 
The Oyako-Don
There wasn’t much of a decision on what to get here. They had a lot of options outside of Oyako-Don but this was definitely a restaurant known for its Oyako-Don, so I had to go with that!
The first thing that really jumps out once the dish is served is the bright orange egg yolk. How they serve this without breaking the yolk I have no idea.
Without a doubt the egg and chicken mixture is scrambled well and really is a nice mixture. It covers a warm bed of rice.
Breaking the egg yolk and mixing it into the rice, egg, and chicken, really added a rich and creamy element to the overall bowl. It adds a different flavor in addition to the mildly sweet and savory sauce that coats the egg, chicken, and rice.
The pieces of chicken were quite tender and flavorful. It was good. I only wish there had been more. I was certainly left craving more chicken.
Is It Worth A Visit?
Oyako-Don can be found throughout Tokyo. With Odaiba being a bit of a trek from Central Tokyo I wouldn’t make a trip specifically to Diver City to eat here. If you find yourself out in the Odaiba area sight seeing and needing a bite to eat, than sure, it’s worth a stop. But there will be a lot of other options to choose from as well. Overall it’s a solid bowl of Oyako-Don but isn’t something I’d go out of my way to get again.
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Is The Street Food On Takeshita Street, Harujuku Worth Getting?
If you plan on visiting Harujuku you will no do doubt be visiting its most iconic street: Takeshita. This a 350-meter street that’s located near the JR Harujuku Station which is jam packed with all different types of shops. With this being Harujuku, there’s a ton of small clothing shops and boutiques lining this street.
Expect there to be crowds here. This is afterall one of the most popular streets in Harujuku. This street is also home to many of the popular street foods in the area. I got to Takeshita fairly late in the evening after a long day of touristing and eating but still wanted to sample a couple of the well-known street food places.
Undoubtedly, a visit to Harujuku will correlate with shopping and perhaps a visit to Meiji Jingu. Street food is not likely the main reason you’ve decided to visit, so is it worth getting the food in the area, specifically on Takeshita?
Long! Longer!! Longest!!!
Long! Longer!! Longest!!! (LLL) has a few flashy items on their menu including, rainbow cotton candy, cheese hot dog, and strawberry tanghulu. They may best be known for their Tornado Potato though. They vary in sizes, as you’d imagine based off the name of the place, from 35 cm (600 yen, $4.23 USD), 42 cm (700 yen, $4.93) and 52 cm (800 yen, $5.64).
There’s three different seasonings you can get with the Tornado Potato. I had a hard time translating what the three were but one was definitely butter. The other two seasonings, the best I could make out were chicken and beef kabob (?). I went with the long (35 cm/ 600 yen, $4.23 USD) and got the butter and chicken seasonings.
The Long Tornado Potato at Long! Longer!! Longest!! 
Plenty of seasoning on this tasty treat! This comes out piping hot and they really coat the potato well with seasoning. It definitely did taste buttery and savory with a hint of sweet. Even though this was the smallest size to get, it was still quite a lot of food!
If you’re a fan of these Tornado Potatoes it’s worth a try here since the seasonings here are certainly different than what you normally see.
Marion Crepes
Another food item that’s very popular on Takeshita Street is crepes. There’s three different places all within a close vicinity of one another so there’s plenty of choices to choose from. Marion Crepes may be the most famous and popular of them all.
Without a doubt they have a LOT of different selections to choose from here. I went with the more simple strawberry with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup (630 yen, $4.40 USD).
Despite all the fillings inside of it, the crepe was quite light and not very sweet at all. They do a good job of layering all the ice cream, whipped cream, straberries, and chocolate syrup so everything mixes reall well within the crepe. It’s definitely a tasty snack as you walk around Takeshita.
Final Opinion
Part of the fun of walking around on this famous street is grabbing some of the more iconic street foods you see people posting on Instagram. I grabbed a couple of food items here but there’s definitely a lot more to experience. The prices for the two items I got were both under $5 so they’re aren’t going to break the bank. It’s definitely worth grabbing some snacks while you’re here walking around and taking in all the sights that Takeshita Street in Harujuku have to offer. It’s all part of the experience!
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Yoroyiya Ramen in Asakusa Tokyo Is Worth A Visit
Asakusa Tokyo is one of the most popular districts in Tokyo. The main attraction is Sensoji, the famous Buddhist temple. The bustling Nakamise Street, lined with shops selling souvenirs, snacks, and other wares will take you directly to the temple. Right next to Nakamise Street there’s the Shin-Nakamise Shopping Street which offers restaurants and more shopping. This is where I found the excellent Yoroyiya Ramen in Asakusa, Tokyo.
It’s easy to navigate the menu here since it caters to tourists and has an English menu. Like most ramen places, it’s smaller place with limited seating at the counter. There’s a few options to choose from.
I had to go with the Deluxe Ramen (1300 yen, $8.81 USD) which included roast pork, twin york egg, and bamboo shoots. It just looked too good! I was also starving since I had just landed and a nice bowl of ramen sounded like the perfect meal.
The ramen had a shoyu (soy sauce) broth base. The broth was light but had a deep flavor to it due to the inclusion of dashi. This added a bit of fishy aftertaste with every slurp of the broth. It wasn’t overwhelming at all, but really added to the shoyu base flavor.
The noodles were very fresh and al dente. They were thinner and curlier ramen noodles. These were quite good.
The pork was seasoned perfectly and was some of the most tender pork chashu I’ve ever had. It literally was falling apart as I picked it up. It was THAT tender. Even the egg was good. It wasn’t quite hard boiled all the way through. There was still a little yolky parts to it which added even more depth and flavor to the ramen.
This Yoroyiya was also famous for their chicken gyoza’s, so I had to try those as well. You get three pieces for 400 yen ($2.71 USD), a good deal! Pan fried, the outside of the gyozas had a nice browned exterior. They came with a shoyu dipping sauce. The skins on these dumplings along with the filling tasted quite fresh. There’s ground chicken, green onion, and bits of glass noodle mixed into the filling. There’s some seasoning in there that gave it a hint of sweetness.
Yoroyiya Ramen 
Overall, a very delicious meal in a small ramen restaurant near Senso-ji temple in Asakusa Tokyo. It’s a perfect place to stop off after visiting the temple or on the way there.
Yoroiya was a definite stand out due to it’s overall delicious bowl of ramen. The broth, the pork, the egg, were all outstanding. This was a bowl of ramen where everything in it was excellent. I can’t say that for every bowl I’ve encounted.
Yoroiya Ramen
1 Chome-36-7 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo 111-0032, Japan
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Come Visit This Tokyo Brewery In An Old Train Station
Hitachino Brewing Lab
If you’re looking for a break from the bright lights and bustling nature of Akihabara, Hitachino Brewing Lab is a great place to relax with beer and relax for a bit.
About a 15 minute walk from Akihabara, it’s located in the old Manseibashi train station, across the river. Hitachino is a great place to sample fresh beers and grab a quick snack with an enjoyable river view.
The river next to Hitachino Brewing Lab I came here around 7-8pm on a Saturday night prior to heading over to Akihabara. It did take me a little bit of time to find. This seemed to be one of those places that Google Maps had a tough time providing proper directions to so it was a little confusing.
I ended up walking through the old station which is pretty cool in itself, and I’d recommend walking around a bit if you visit Hitachino.
It’s a very tiny spot with a handful of tables and countertop seating inside the restaurant and some additional tables outside as well.
The front of Hitachino Brewing Lab The Experience
They have a nice selection of beers on draft that are brewed in house. There’s also a good selection of snacks to enjoy and a couple of sandwiches to choose from if you’re hungrier. It’s a cozy, quiet little spot for sure. I went on a Saturday night and it was very chill.
I ended up getting the pale ale along with a mackeral sandwich (1880 yen, $12.81 USD) and later got an IPA (980 yen, $6.80).
I’d never heard of a mackeral sandwich before but reviews on it were solid and I was hungry, so figured I’d give it a try! It was a very simple sandwich. There were pieces of grilled mackeral, sauerkraut, carrot, whole seed mustard, on toasted wheat bread.
You wouldn’t necessarily think that those ingredients thrown into a sandwich would very good. It does afterall sound pretty unusual. But it’s actually quite tasty. The flavor of the salty grilled mackeral and sourness of the sauerkraut really contrast and it works out. Who would have thought?
It looks like and tastes like a sandwich one would make at home, which fits in perfectly with the overall vibe of Hitachino Brewing Lab. It also goes great with a beer!
Is It Worth A Visit?
If you’re a beer fan and looking to take a break from all the sightseeing and have some good beers and snacks than Hitachino is certainly worth it if you’re visiting Akihabara.
You can see a part of town that visitors don’t necessarily wander over to.
The renovated train station is worth a look around as well. It has some shops and other restaurants located there but most seemed to be closed by the time I arrived.
N1 1-25-4, Kandasudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
TEL.03-3254-3434[BUSINESS HOURS]
From Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00
Sunday and Holidays from 11:00～21:00 -
Pho Flavor Delivers A Unique Flavor Filled Pho Presentation
Pho Flavor -The Background
There’s a lot of Pho resturants in Orange County and it takes a lot to stand out amongst the many fine options available. One way to stand out? A unique presentation. Pho Flavor certainly delivers on this end, which I’ll explain later on.
Pho Flavor slow cooks their bone broth for over 12 hours. The “secret” ingredients, have been refined and perfected over three generations and is offered in two different styles – Southern and Northern.
There’s currently there’s two locations – one in Garden Grove and the other is in Fountain Valley – with a third opening in Irvine. I visited the Garden Grove location.
The Experience
I went to Pho Flavor for lunch on a recent weekday, and they quickly seated me, with no wait, at around 11:30 am. The restaurant is fairly small and narrow, and I can see it filling up quickly during peak times, but at this time there was ample seating.
Something that stood out right away with the menu was the option of the “style”. There’s both a Southern and Northern choice. I honestly have no idea what the difference is but after looking at the below I opted for the Southern Style with brisket.
Pho Flavor also offers two different types of noodles to choose from: fresh flat noodles or thick flat noodles. I went with the thick flat noodles which were supposed to be chewier.
The pho, like most pho places came out within minutes. The difference? Without a doubt HOW the pho came out. There’s three different containers stacked on top of one another. I’ve never seen pho served this way before!
On top is the hoisin sauce and Sriracha 
The second level has all the usual veggies that accompany pho 
The third level is the steaming bowl of pho This presentation definitely makes the experience memorable. They also provide Thai basil in a bottle which you can take home with you!
Of course, presentation is important to a certain extent, but food is what makes a place memorable, one way or another.
Fortunately, Pho Flavor also delivers on this front. The Southern style broth was quite light but still managed to be rich and flavorful, just not in a heavy-handed way. The noodles were very fresh, springy, and the chewiness was great. These things were slick too! It was hard to grab them with the chopsticks!
The brisket is thicker than in other pho places but is quite tender, especially the longer it got to simmer in the broth. There’s a lot of meat in the bowl as well. The more I stirred up the bowl, the more meat seemed to float to the top. This is always a good thing by the way, lol.
Speaking of the bowl, it’s deceptively deep, with a lot of noodles and meat. At first glance it didn’t look like a ton of food but it seemed to be a never ending bowl as I dug in. Definitely a good thing!
The Verdict
Looking beyond just the dish the pho comes out in, the pho itself is quite good. I really liked that they have two different broth options and noodle types. It makes me want to go back and try the other combination.
It would be hard to try the flat and soft noodles since I really enjoyed the chewiness of the thick, flat noodles. They were my favorite part of the pho.
I wouldn’t consider this to be my own personal favorite pho place, but it’s certainly a quality spot and worthy of place in the pho rotation.
Pho Flavor
10130 Garden Grove Blvd,
Garden Grove, CA 92844
Phone: (714) 591-5265
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SteelCraft’s Barrio: A Unique Fusion Of Filipino & Korean Flavors
The Background
SteelCraft locations are unique communal dining spaces with three locations in Southern California. They include craft foods and drinks and wide open areas with large tables and benches. The distinct feature with all SteelCraft locations is that the restaurants are built within old modified shipping containers.
The main communal eating area at SteelCraft Garden Grove The Garden Grove location is really cool looking. It’s a very distinct looking center due to the shipping containers. I can’t say I’ve seen anything quite like it. I love how wide open the communcal area is and how the restaurants are all on the outside of this area surrounding it. They certainly did build this with a sense of community and togetherness with having everyone eating in the same area.
The Food
Barrio
One of the restaurants that peaked my intererst at the Garden Grove SteelCraft was Barrio. A fusion of Filipino and Korean BBQ. That’s not a fusion I’ve ever seen before and the menu sounded pretty solid. It was time to give it a try!
The Barrio at Garden Grove SteelCraft 
Yes, there’s an order process! 
The popular dishes SteelCraft Barrio has a lot of different skewers to choose from (pork, chicken, shrimp, tofu) as well as other proteins like pork / beef bulgogi, salmon, and liempo. You can mix and match the skewers so I decided to go with the pork and chicken. I had wanted the rice but they were out for the night so I got it with the mixed green salad and also got the kimchi. It’s a fair amount of food for $10.50
The full skewer meal with salad and kimchi 
The salad has a few toppings on it but is pretty much a garden salad. There is a generous amount of spring mix here and it’s a lot of salad. I thought there could be a bit more dressing provided. It was a bit dry and certainly could have used more dressing. I also didn’t feel that there was very much kimchi as a side. It was pretty solid kimchi, just could have used some more of it.
The skewers are well marinated and well coated. There’s a good char on them and they taste great mainly due to the sweet and tangy marinade and sauce. The meat itself was pretty over cooked and tough, which was disappointing.
The chicken skewer 
The pork skewer 
A piece of pork
The Verdict
For the amount of money for the meal ($10.50) it’s a good amount of food. The proportions, especially the salad, is a lot. The quality is good as well. The marinade and the sauce is really tasty and is a highlight to me. It would have gone really well with rice for sures.
The few things that were a negative to me were the lack of salad dressing, small side of kimchi, and overcooked meat.
Again, it’s tough to find a meal like this for only $10.50 in this day and age and it’s certainly worth the price despite the “negatives” I list. There just needs to be a few tweaks and I feel like Barrio would be pretty legit.
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What Makes Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai’s Broth So Different And Unique
The Background
Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai has deep roots in Japan. First opening its doors in the city of Kitakata back in 1958, its popularity has steadily grown over the past six decades. Now, with 66 locations in Japan, Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai has taken root in the United States as well. Currently, there are seven location in the United States all in Southern California and Illinois. Four of the locations are in Orange County.
Kitakana is, in itself a different type of ramen then the better known Sapporo (miso broth) and Hakata (tonkotsu). The three of these types of ramen comprise the “Big 3” in Japan. Kitakana ramen differs from it’s ramen counterparts due to its broth and noodles. The broth is made from long-simmered pork bones with a shoyu (soy sauce) base. The noodles differ from other ramen due to how flat, wide, and curly they are.
The Experience
Recently, I stopped by the Fountain Valley location for lunch to check it out. I’d been to the Costa Mesa restuarant but this was the first time trying the Fountain Valley spot.
This location is much larger than the Costa Mesa restaurant with ample parking. Both huge positives.
The menu is the same at both locations. There’s actually quite a few diffferent types of ramen offered here.
I went with the Kitakata Ramen ($13.95) since I wanted to try the both. I had the Spicy Miso before but hadn’t tried the Kitakata.
The Kitakata Ramen comes with 5 pieces of Toro-Chashu, bamboo shoots, and green onion. As I mentioned previously, this is a pork broth with shoyu (soy sauce) base. Compared to miso or tonkatsu, it’s a much clearer broth.
This broth also stands out from other broths due to how light it is. Like much, much lighter. This doesn’t have that same deep, rich flavor that miso or tonkatsu does. That doesn’t take anything away from this broth, it tastes great and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
You can definitely taste the pork flavor. However, it’s more subdued compared to the shoyu flavor. It’s a great blend and the two flavors certainly mix well together.
The noodles really stood out to me. These are certainly thicker and quite wavy compared to other ramen noodles. But, what really stood out was how chewy they were. These seemed more in line with udon type of noodles with their chewiness. It was a good surprise!
The Toro-Chashu is something unique to Kitakata Ramen as well. Simmered for several hours in their secret sauce, the pieces of chashu here are much smaller cuts than chashu in other types of ramen.
Tender, with some fat, I found the chashu to be quite flavorful. The more pieces I ate the saltier they seemed. But since the broth is lighter it adds a little bit more flavor and didn’t bother me.
The bamboo shoots were a nice touch. They were included in the base ramen, which was great, since I usually order it as a side.
The Verdict
There’s many ramen restuarants in Orange County offering miso and tonkatsu base broths but few, if any, are making the Kitakana style as their main broth.
The lightness of the broth, which still retains excellent flavor, impressed me. The chewiness of the noodles was also very enjoyable and unique. They’re some of the best ramen noodles I’ve had in the Orange County area.
If you’re in the mood for a lighter kind of ramen, Kitakana Ramen Ban Nai is an excellent option!
Address: 18884 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Hours:
Thursday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Friday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Saturday 11 AM–10 PM Sunday 11 AM–9 PM Monday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Tuesday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Wednesday 11 AM–3 PM, 5–10 PM Phone: (714) 884-3124
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Pho 79 lives up to billing as one of the best in Southern California
The Background
Pho 79 is a well-known, beloved Vietnemese location that’s been serving it’s slurp worthy signature pho since 1982. Yes, 1982! It’s in a non-descript area, nestled behind a strip mall but where there’s good food, people will find it.
The popularity is evident within the restaurant which literally has a wall’s worth of accolades and articles written about the great tasting food. The restaurant proudly displays its recognition as a James Beard Foundation Winner under the restaurant signage, indicating that its received notable national acclaim.
Such long staying power is a testament to the of quality food. But what makes Pho 79 truly special is their pho broth.
The Experience
I thought I’d beat the lunch rush and get to Pho 79 well before noon. When I pulled up to the restuarant, around 11:15 am on a Wednesday, I noticed there was already a line and the parking lot was quite full.
There’s a sign in sheet attached to the front door which had a 4-5 parties in front of me. It went really quickly. It only took around 10 minutes to get seated, which was nice!
Pho 79 really has a massive menu, with a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes to sort through. The pho portion of the menu is teeming with different variations with all sorts of different meat. Most come in three different bowl sizes. My go to pho is always just the rare beef, so I went with the medium bowl ($13.25)
The food comes out exceptionally fast. I went to use the restroom to wash my hands and came back to my table with a steaming bowl of pho waiting for me. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes.
Slurping up a spoonful of the broth was a memorable experience. The broth is so rich, hearty, and flavorful, it really warms the soul. After savoring a few spoonfuls of broth, I started adding in the usual pho veggies: thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapenos, and squeezed in some lime. I added in some hoisin sauce and some Sriracha as well.
At first I wasn’t too impressed with the amount of meat in the bowl. It just looked like four slices of beef. As it cooked more in the broth, layers started peeling off the meat though. There was a lot more meat than I orginally thought! The beef is good quality and as it turns out, there’s quite a bit. The noodles were excellent and plentiful as well. For a medium bowl of pho it was a good amount of food for a good price.
The Verdict
This was the first time I’ve been to Pho 79. I can see why it’s so well-known and has been around for over 41 years. The bowl of pho was flat out delicious.
What separates it from other places is the broth. It’s definitely one of the best pho broth’s I’ve ever had. I’m not sure what they do differently to prep the broth, but you can taste the difference compared to other pho places. Outstanding flavor. I can’t wait to go back and have another bowl!
Also, on a side note, this is a cash only restaurant so be sure to have some cash on you if you visit. I think the best times to go will be off peak hours either early or late lunch / dinners.
The parking lot will likely be packed at peak times so best to avoid if possible.
Pho 79
9941 Hazard Ave. Garden Grove, CA 92843
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Zabon Ramen: Checking Out The Anaheim Packing District Location
Zabon Ramen At The Anaheim Packing District -The Background
First established in Tokyo, Japan in 1978, Zabon Ramen opened up its first location in the US in Torrance in 2016. In 2022 it opened its second location in the popular Anaheim Packing District.
Zabon Ramen is known for it’s broth which is unique since it consists of a combination of Tonkatsu (pork), chicken broth, and soy sauce. They expanded the menu at the Anaheim location adding sushi rolls.
The Experience
Zabon’s is located on the second level at the Anaheim Packing District, right across from the bar. It’s easy to spot if entering from the main entrance. There’s no sit down area specifically for Zabon but seating can be found outside, right behind Zabon, or along the counter space overlooking the first floor.
The menu is short and sweet with three types of ramen to choose from – the Zabon, Miso, and Vegan. A handful of appetizers and rice bowls complete the ramen portion of the menu.
I decided to go with the Zabon Ramen ($14.95) since I wanted to try the base broth. The toppings included bean sprouts, cabbage, green onion, fried onion, and 3 pieces of pork chashu.
The ramen set seemed like a good deal -an extra $4.25 for a mini rice bowl – so I decided to get the chashu bowl.
Zabon Ramen
Starting with the ramen. The presentation is great. 3 large, thick slices of chashu, the fried onion, cabbage, and green onion add vibrant color to the rich, brown broth. I was looking forward to dig into it.
The broth was a little underwhelming. It looks rich but lacked that deep, rich flavor you really savor with each spoonful. To me it tasted more like a seasoned broth packet from an instant ramen.
The noodles were just alright. A little too firm for my liking. They lacked real bounce or freshness to them.
Finally the chashu. Kind of on brand with the overall bowl, it was a little tough. It had pretty good flavor to it but I didn’t find it to be very tender.
I did enjoy the crunch of the cabbage in the ramen. I thought it went well within this particular bowl of ramen.
Chashu Bowl
Next up was the the chashu bowl. The bowl had cubed chashu with green onion , ginger, and a teriyaki type sauce drizzled over the top. The rice soaked up the sauce nicely and was well coated throughout the bowl. There was a good amout of food here for a mini bowl.
The chasu bits were more tender then the pieces in the ramen and there was a generous amount in this bowl. The sauce, green onion, and ginger all meshed well together and helped to enchance the overall flavor. This was pretty decent but I wouldn’t go out of my wayt to get it again.
The Verdict
Zabon Ramen located in the Anaheim Packing District is more akin to a fast food style ramen. It fits into the vibe and flow of its surroundings, but just doesn’t pack that authentic ramen style restuarant punch to it and the food is reflective of that. The ramen and chasu bowl wouldn’t be enough to bring me back soley to eat at this location. For the amount of food you get, the ramen set deal is pretty solid though.
