Menya Ultra UTC La Jolla — Restaurant in San Diego

I dined at their convoy location before and really loved it so I came to try this location since I heard it's a Michelin. Here's my opinion:

Food: The appetizer came out after the ramen. We were already getting full so it was a pity we didn't have it out earlier when we were starving. *Dumplings were pretty tasteless, I wouldn't order it again 3/5 *Takoyaki were okay, they needed to make it a bit crunchier on the outside then it'd have been perfect 4/5 *Tonkatsu ramen was pretty delicious and had a similar taste to their convoy's counterpart. It wasn't super salty which I appreciated and the pork belly was cooked perfectly. 5/5

Service: We had a great time, we didn't have any waits because we came during lunch on a wednesday. 5/5 attentive and helpful staff. It is quite a small restaurant but the decore was cute and on brand. 5/5

Parking: We didn't have any problems, just park on the west side of the mall where blue bottle coffee is so you're closer.

Overall, I'd come back for their ramen and their takoyaki. Next time I'm hoping to try...

After hearing rave reviews, we decided to give this place a try, and we were certainly not disappointed by their fresh noodles--truly a game-changer.

Upon ordering, we were informed that the taste intensity increased in the same order as displayed on the menu. We opted for the Miso Ajitama and the Black Sesame Tantan. The Miso Ajitama impressed us with its perfectly cooked eggs and flavorful broth. However, with the Black Sesame Tantan, while I initially really enjoyed it, I found the flavor a bit overpowering towards the end, leaving some in my plate unfinished.

Despite arriving close to closing time at around 8:20, we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of rush. Every employee remained kind, patient, and attentive throughout our visit, so hooray for that! We ate quickly and left promptly to ensure we weren't being disrespectful of their...

I recently visited Menya Ultra at this location and found the tonkotsu ramen to be a bit of a letdown compared to their convoy location. The broth was overly frothy, suggesting it had been over boiled. It was also too white, which might suggest not enough bone marrow. Overall this resulted in the tonkatsu flavor seemed lighter and almost watery. The toppings were also sparser — a few pieces of pork and some green onions.

What’s most disappointing is that the pricing is the same as the Convoy location, where the quality is consistently better. Service is worse as it’s a food court style order at counter model. Given that both spots offer the same menu at the same price, I’d recommend skipping this location and sticking with Convoy if you want the full Menya Ultra experience. If you’re craving ramen at utc I’d recommend going with Ramen...