Chicago Akahoshi Ramen β Expectations Were High, Butβ¦ π
A reservation booked a month in advance, plus all the rave reviews β high expectations, but ended up a bit disappointed. β The Good: We ordered two bowls, and the noodle texture itself was excellent β chewy, springy, exactly the type I love. Especially the Aburasoba (brothless noodles) β used wider, thicker noodles, great chew, and the scallion oil base was very fragrant. β The Not-So-Good: Flavor-wise, pretty average overall β and on the salty side. Iβve seen many others mention the saltiness too. Not sure why, but the ajitsuke tamago (seasoned soft-boiled egg) that day was especially salty β almost inedible. First time experiencing that. π Aburasoba (Brothless Noodles) Scallion oil + fried garlic β a solid combo. But got pretty greasy toward the end, and the chashu was salty. Still, relatively more recommendable. Honestly, my homemade version had more flavor and better ingredients. π₯ January Special: Redditβs Spicy Garlic Duck First time trying duck broth ramen β not traditional Japanese ramen, so I was curious. The spicy chili oil broth immediately reminded me of Chinese Yunnan/Guizhou/Sichuan chili oil β the flavor was legit, which was a nice surprise. But the broth itself lacked depth β barely any umami. Duck breast slices (fragrant) and meatballs (tender, juicy) were commendable. Unfortunately, the broth also got saltier the more you drank. π You can tell the chef put thought into the shop and focused on noodle quality β that deserves recognition. But requiring reservations a month in advance and still making people wait 20 mins upon arrival? Feels a bit like artificial scarcity. My take: Worth a try, but lower your expectations β might actually enjoy it more. #ChicagoEats #Ramen #AkahoshiRamen #FoodieReview #Overhyped #SaltAlert ππ₯π₯
