Ramen Zuru — Restaurant in Artesia

My recent visit to Ramen Zuru in Artesia left me feeling quite underwhelmed, especially considering the high reviews I had read beforehand. While the place was clean and the service was good, the overall dining experience fell short of my expectations.

The restaurant itself is small, which isn't necessarily a problem, but it does make for a crowded and somewhat cramped atmosphere. If you prefer a more intimate setting, this might not bother you, but it's worth noting for those who appreciate more spacious dining areas.

The ramen at Ramen Zuru was good, but it didn't reach the level of greatness that I had anticipated based on the restaurant's reputation. The broth lacked depth and complexity, and the noodles were just average. While it wasn't a bad bowl of ramen by any means, it failed to impress me.

One of the most disappointing aspects of the meal was the Chicken Karaage. It was incredibly bland and practically tasteless. I had hoped for a flavorful and crispy chicken dish, but unfortunately, it fell flat. The lack of seasoning and overall flavor made it a forgettable addition to the meal.

The Gyoza dumplings at Ramen Zuru were decent but nothing extraordinary. They were cooked well and had a nice texture, but they didn't stand out in terms of flavor. They were just average and didn't leave a lasting impression.

As for the takoyaki, it was simply alright. The texture was fine, and it had the expected fillings, but there was nothing remarkable about it. It lacked the wow factor that would have elevated the dish and made it memorable.

Overall, my experience at Ramen Zuru was underwhelming. The cleanliness of the place and the good service were positive aspects, but the average ramen, tasteless Chicken Karaage, and average Gyoza and takoyaki left me disappointed. Perhaps this visit was a one-off occurrence, but based on my initial impression, I'm hesitant to return in the future.

I hope that Ramen Zuru takes customer feedback seriously and works on improving the overall flavor and quality of their dishes to meet the high expectations set by...

Cold weather? Ramen always sounds good!

Ramen Zuru is a ramen shop located on the left of Daiso in the 99 Ranch plaza in Artesia. What differentiates this from other ramen restaurants is the tablet ordering. Customers first order on one of two tablets by the entrance, give the receipt to the staff & then seated either at the communal bar facing the kitchen or one of the private tables. Another unique factor about Ramen Zuru is the choice of thin or thick noodles, made locally & delivered every morning by TAKARA RAMEN. Thick noodles, akin to udon noodles, are quite popular and the option we chose for our bowls of ramen.

Tonkotsu & miso ramen-

The tonkotsu ramen came w/ soft boiled egg. Both broths were hearty & rich. The thick noodles had quite the bite to them. I mightily enjoyed the mouth feel of the al dente noodles at first, but frankly, started to get over the amount of time it took to chew each bite. It became almost a chore. The 2 chashu slices were thick slabs of meat. However, they weren't tender to my liking. I was given the chef's special habanero sauce, which gave a nice kick to our meal.

Service was okay. I became annoyed with the party ordering before us, as they were taking their sweet time. I asked if we could just place our order with the staff, which I was told I could not. Minimal seating via the bar and a few private tables, which I found quite uncomfortable. Keeping with the aesthetic, the seats are rectangular blocks, w/o back support. I guess it's good for keeping customers from staying too long, but for those with sciatica and/or back issues, not the most comfy experience. Parking is difficult to come by during peak hours at the 99 Ranch plaza.

I enjoyed the tonkotsu & miso ramen at Ramen Zuru, especially with a liberal amount of the habanero sauce. I definitely would choose the thin noodles next time, for my taste. The time waiting to order and the hard block seats hampered our first experience, and while I will be back in the future, I'm not eager to go anytime soon. Nevertheless, the ramen was...

When we entered the front door, they expected us to use the 2 tablets to register our names, how to pay for the food (cash or credit), & order our ramen before seating...(not a customer friendly way to do business). Then the next instruction note asked us not to stand around & block the tablets. Execute me, the place was so small, there wasn't enough space to standing around w/o blocking. Then, the other option was to wait outside...There was a customer who was smoking heavily 5 feet away from the front door. California law states of 20' away from building...(1st no, no). Finally, we got a table & the waitress asked us to pay before our meals...wow, wow! Each basic ramen dish started at $12.00 each...thick noodle, 2 slices of fatty pork meat & little veggie (no egg). Anything extra would cost more $$. Both the male & female servers tried their best to take care of customers.

The $12 each price tag & pay first mentality left me w/ something to think about not...