Ichiro Sapporo Ramen — Restaurant in Houston

This place is on the corner over so popular Bellaire Food Street Building. Went here around 100 pm on a Saturday. Place has just enough seating to prevent a wait. I ordered the fried squid tentacles and spicy seafood ramen. My companion ordered the takoyaki and the spicy miso ramen.

Service was exceptional, they were constantly refilled my beverage and were actively bussing tables.

The squid tentacles ($6) were fried simply in flour and served with what resembles fry sauce with more spices. The flesh was a little dry but still ok. The takoyaki tasted good, but a bit more mushy than most places serve. Also the squid bit was a little smaller than most places. For $6 it was fine, I they were economizing a bit. Oh well inflation and a devaluing currency does that.

As for the ramen, the noodles were of the translucent yellow kind with the glossy slurping texture that sodium bicarbonate provides. I tasted both broths. The spicy miso($9.90) was full bodied and had a pleasant pork flavour. As for the Spicy seafood ramen ($10.90), I was disappointed with the broth. It was spicy yes but it had a off-putting pasty consistency. If I had to speculate what the main ingredients are it would be Korean gochujang and definitely fermented shrimp paste. The preserved flavor was there and the deep red colour made me suspected that.

I didnt taste any prawn stock in the soup itself. I am sure of that because the shrimps in the soup were of the previously treated, frozen variety. The translucency of the shrimp confirms this. Squid parts were ok, they weren't overcooked.

My friend said the pork belly slices had little flavor.

The soft boiled egg was another let down as it was I said: A plain soft boiled egg. The egg had no marinade.

While food was not bad and had flaws, the service by the wait staff was the saving grace pf the restaurant. I hope this critique would help the proprietor fix the issues we had with the...

Yesterday, I found myself in Houston's China Town, a place I frequently explore as a food enthusiast. I enjoy venturing into new culinary experiences and discovering hidden gems, both locally and abroad. However, the scorching heat made me reluctant to have ramen for lunch. Despite my reservations, my partner had a craving, so we decided to give it a shot.

Upon arriving at the strip center that housed Ichiro, we first stopped by Two Hands to grab a Korean corn dog. As we walked back to the ramen spot, still clutching the hot dog, we entered without even exchanging greetings. Immediately, a person, possibly the owner, rudely pointed out that outside food was not allowed. While I understand the policy, the blunt and impolite manner in which it was conveyed caught me off guard. At that moment, I felt like leaving, but my partner was determined to try this place, which was on a things to try list.

Reluctantly, we stayed and placed our orders for drinks and food. Wanting to customize my meal, I asked if one of the rice bowls could be substituted with noodles, as I'm not a huge fan of rice or wasn't in the mood for it that day. The response I received from the server, in the same emotionless and curt tone, was another firm "no." My expression probably revealed my frustration, as I had no desire to eat anything that didn't meet my preferences. In response, she turned the menu around and explained that I could have a dry ramen option without broth, which is what I ultimately chose.

Frankly, the quality of the food didn't make up for the lack of a welcoming atmosphere. Although there might have been reasons behind the way we were treated, I felt undervalued as a customer and decided that I wouldn't return. The mediocre food combined with the subpar customer service left me...

We went Ichiro Ramen during their soft opening. We love ramen and were really looking forward to this opening when we saw the sign driving by on Bellaire. There were four of us there a little after the normal lunch hour on a Sunday, and they had run out of the takoyaki and the squid legs. They also let us know that they had run out of the pork belly but that it would be available in about an hour. We ordered the chicken karage as an appetizer and it was pretty good. Fresh, juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside. The sauce is a little spicy. For ramen, everyone in my party ordered something different-- the shio, shoyu, miso, and tonkatsu kuro. The pork broths (miso and tonkatsu) looked a lot more greasy than the chicken ones. I didn't try the chicken broths but both the miso and tonkatsu kuro were pretty heavy. That's the main negative of our meal. There were lots of positives-- the flavor was very good, the portions were large, there was a lot of stuff in the bowl (veggies), the noodles and egg were done very well. The waitress actually came by our table after we had ordered, before the for came out, and told us the pork was ready and gave us the option to change, which 3 of us did-- the fourth added it to his. The pork belly was exceptional! It was very flavorful. They had charred it just right and there was even a tinge of sweetness.

Service was very good-- the waitress was very attentive the whole time. I appreciated that she came by and let us know about the pork. She asked us for feedback after the meal too, which she accepted very graciously. I'm looking forward to going back and seeing what...