Arashi Ramen — Restaurant in Seattle

Worst customer service experience. I went there with two friends few weeks ago. Each of us ordered a ramen and an appetizer. All three of us received both the appetizers and the ramen at the same time, but I only received my appetizer and not my ramen. I assumed I would get my ramen shortly after my appetizer. A few minutes in, halfway through my appetizer, I asked the server if my ramen was coming, and they said yes and walked away. Ten minutes later, almost done with my appetizer, I asked again. The server responded with, 'What did you order?' I replied, 'Arashi ramen with NO green onions.' They said, 'Oh yeah, that's coming soon; we're tracking it.' Another ten minutes passed, and I asked again. This time, they said it would be coming soon (apparently, they hadn't started it; I assume the server forgot to put in my order until the second reminder).

By then, my friends had finished their appetizers and ramen while I was still waiting for my ramen. When the food finally arrived, it had green onions on it despite my reminding them twice that I wanted it without green onions, and the meat was cold. A very terrible experience. I had hoped for a discount for the inconvenience, but no, I was charged the full price. My friends were just sitting there waiting for me to finish my cold, late ramen with green onions, and I felt rushed to eat it because they were already done with their food and were just waiting for me.

Edit: Replying to your question, it was pre launch. Around 12:15pm. They were not busy, 2 other tables were...

Literally stumbled into this shop walking around Ballard. Starving and knowing nothing about what places are good or bad in the area, I gave it a shot. They say you don't make smart decisions when you're hungry, but after my lunch at Arashi I have to disagree.

Mind you, I'm coming from a place where I am within a stone's throw of venues like Ippudo NY, a traditional Japanese chain of ramen shops that is arguably one of the best in the world, and Ivan Ramen, a more eclectic spin on ramen with heavy Japanese influence (check out Chef's Table Season 2 on Netflix). I'd put Arashi up against both of them any day. Whenever I go to a new ramen shop, I either get something extremely standard like a simple shio, shoyu, or tonkotsu just to test it out.

I can't speak to much, but Arashi's tonkotsu is exceptional. The broth's balance of fat is beautiful without being salty, and possesses a hint of nuttiness in it's aftertaste that has you diving in for more. The pork itself is tender and fatty but not chewy, and not at all rigid. I hate saying something "melts in your mouth" because it's such an over-utilized foodie description but dear lord does this pork melt in your mouth. Furthermore, the noodles were also of a well-balanced consistency that reminded me so much of Ivan Ramen back home.

Arashi is a solid pick for ramen in the...

I just picked up my order, and although it wasn't ready right away when I arrived, I wasn't surprised because I showed up a little early. The lovely people working at the front counter kindly offered me a refreshing glass of water. As I sat on a cozy barstool near the entrance, I couldn't help but smile while listening to their laughter and friendly conversations. It's moments like these that make me believe I've found a truly exceptional restaurant, where the atmosphere is filled with warmth and joy.

I must admit, I walked in feeling tired and groggy from Saturday, but I left feeling rejuvenated and uplifted by their impeccable service and the comfortable ambiance. Now, let's talk about the Ramen—it was absolutely incredible! I'm intentionally keeping mum about the specific dish I ordered because I want everyone who visits to have the joy of discovering the wonderful ingredients for themselves. Rest assured, every single bite is guaranteed to be a delicious delight. I'll be back next Sunday for sure and take my family to dine in when...