Ramen House by Saijo — Restaurant in Alaska

I really wanted to like this, I've been looking for some good ramen in Anchorage!

Sadly, we were at a table where it seemed we were forgotten. No menus, waters, or any indication of anything until we asked. Our order was taken, then it wasn't put in the system. We waited an hour and fifteen minutes until we got our food. The staff said it was the lunch rush, but there were three BIGGER tables who came in after us that got food first. (And I'd expect a place like this to be able to handle a lunch rush!) We were polite, yet let them know we were disappointed by the lack of service, they had forgotten almost everything we'd asked for.

When it finally came the food was ok. We tried three different ramen bowls, each was underseasoned and blander than ramen I've previously had - I suspect diluted base broth and store bought noodles (all bowls had same noodles.) For $14 a bowl, I'd expect more.

The pork wasn't even seasoned or cooked properly, it was simply a slice of (boiled?) pork. For those other reviews claiming authentic ramen, I am quite shocked!

Perhaps other items on the menu are better, and I bet the service isn't always this slow - but for being the "Ramen House", I left feeling quite...

I was really hopeful coming here! I've been deprived of delicious ramen since coming to Alaska, and saw many good reviews. The pictures all make the food look amazing.

The restaurant looks alright. There were many TVs hanging from the walls playing all sorts of different programs. The seating arrangement was fine, despite the space being small enough so that you can overhear many other conversations. There was also no music playing, which I'm sure would help. Not sure if that was the typical experience there.

My wife and I both ordered the veggie ramen (because we're vegetarian), and a side order of noodles for our toddler (as recommended by the waitress). Don't get me wrong, the ramen wasn't bad, per se. Instead, it was just bland and expensive. The only veggies were cabbage, carrots, and bean sprouts. I think it could have been amazing if everything was shredded into strands, and the broth had more spice.

I probably wouldn't come back for myself, but I might recommend it to locals who haven't had a more authentic...

AMAZING!!! We had a table full of ramen bowls: two Shoyu, one miso, and one spicy miso. Each bowl was huge, and individually prepared using what looked and tasted like fresh ingredients. Everyone loved their bowl. My spicy miso was PERFECT! During my order, I was asked the spice level I desired on a scale of 1 to 10. I loved that scale, and I chose 8. The ramen noodles were perfectly prepared. The broth was full flavored with a pleasant burn. The vegetables and cabbage were firm and flavorful. The meat was abundant and cooked through. It was simply the best ramen bowl I have eaten. I left full and satisfied! To top everything, the wait staff were friendly and attentive. We always had water to drink, and items were promptly removed when we were done. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant may not be much to look at from the outside, but the food and service are everything you could want from a sit-down...