Ramen Yukinoya — Restaurant in Arcadia

I love noodles, but I haven't delved too heavily into ramen until now! The boyfriend has been going through ramen cravings, so whenever he's hit with an insatiable appetite, I'm there for the adventure. We had to run some errands in El Monte, but he wanted to try this spot out. We drove to a small plaza after passing through a quaint neighborhood, but it was surprising to find this shop bustling with patrons even at 1pm.

We were about 5th on the list, but the service moves quick and we were seated after 30 minutes. If you need to pass some time, they are located on a Gym and there are Pokestops at the Sprint store. There's also half n half next door if you want to sip on something while you wait. Once seated, you are given menus. Menu is quite simple - shoyu, miso, tonkotsu broth.

It was our first time, so we went the whole nine yards. I got the Tonkotsu Red (spicy tonkotsu) and the bf got shoyu (soy sauce). He's finally got his favorite broth on dial, so he was elated about not ordering the wrong thing. We ordered up with a combo - he got the fried rice and extra noodles while I kept it tame with gyoza. Portions were massive btw. Noodle to broth ratio is 2:1, so ordering extra noodles may be a bit overkill unless you have the capacity to contain it. Gyoza had a nice crisp on the bottom and the rice had to be packed to go, but it tasted amazing the day after.

We returned again a few weeks ago for an early lunch. There was no wait and the shop was relatively quiet. Service was still as speedy as ever! BF got the usual and I decided to try the Tonkotsu White, which is the base for most. The broth was milky and a bit fatty, but the top didn't coagulate over time so it's not thaaaaat fatty. It had silky mouthfeel, but I felt it was a bit salty. Fortunately, I crushed some marinated garlic in the bowl for some balance and flavor and it brought some new dimensions. What a game changer.

It's a bit of a drive, but it's nice to come through every now and then. I learned that I prefer the quality of the broth over noodles, but bf likes the fact it's a lot of food on the cheap. Either way, we both left satisfactory and beyond full with some leftovers...

MISO HAS PEANUT!!!!!!!!!!! Last night, I wasn't feeling well, so my roommate ordered us some ramen on DoorDash. A couple bites in, my throat starts swelling up. I have a serious peanut allergy. Nowhere on the listing for the Miso Ramen does it say that it contains peanuts! Apparently, the menu in-restaurant states that there are some allergens on the menu. Peanut is often a life-threatening allergy and is rarely included in a miso recipe. I didn't even consider that it could be an issue. I've had this allergy all my life and eaten ramen many, many times at other restaurants with no problems. Please, please, please edit your menu so people know what major allergens are in your dishes! It's not that difficult. I could have ended up in the hospital last night, but luckily, I was able to get it under control with benadryl. Also, I think my roommate should have been offered a refund earlier today when she called to tell you...

Loved it! It was cold outside today and so we wanted something delicious to warm us up. We decided to give this place a try for the first time and we were not disappointed. We tried quite a few things like the Tonkotsu Ramen (regular and spicy) the Tan Tan Ramen that was absolutely so delicious (my favorite) an order of Combo Fried Rice, chicken Karaage and the most delicious homade Yukinoya Gyoza! 😍 Everything was so good! Oh, we also tried the Okinawa Chasu... I may never order regular Chasu again. It was a great dining experience with a kind attentive wait staff that made for a pleasurable time there. We will definitely be returning soon. Oh, and thanking the cooks on the way out for a deliciously prepared meal and their smiles and responses of the kindess words was Priceless! I recommend this place 100%. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Many...