The ramen noodles were really light and tender – not as stiff as some I’ve had in the past. The soup was rich and warm, and so perfectly what we both wanted. The food came within about 5 minutes, and we immediately started slurping down our noodles and broth. We decided to skip the sides, though I have heard good things about the okonomiyaki tots. Jonah went for the spicy red miso, and I went for the standard tonkatsu-shio.
There’s the standard, the spicy, the mushroom, and the vegetarian curry. Sometimes I hate when there are so few options – I feel like I don’t really have any choice at all. And there are 4 options (well, 6, if you count the sides). A few larger tables, a few deuces, and a bar, all with stools, line the brightly colored space. The restaurant is inside the New Union way shopping arcade, so it’s pretty much what one would call a hole in the wall. It’s not pho, but it is really good ramen. I started thinking noodle soup, and Boxer Ramen popped into my head. It was a cold sunny day, and Jonah wanted pho. We were near the library in downtown Portland, and needed something relatively quick and relatively cheap and completely delicious. Color me obsessed.The other day, after a trip to the library and a few hours in a coffee shop attempting to plan our trip to SE Asia (we’ve gotten a little further, at this point, and have narrowed it down to northern Vietnam, and have even booked tickets), Jonah and I were hungry. I’ll take a friend next time as well, because the portions are huge and the Stark location doesn’t have to-go containers! This is my only gripe, mainly because I was just so sad to leave any morsel behind! Also, I want to try more things. I’m told I need to try the Spicy Red Miso next time, and the Fried Potstickers. The flavors together were out of this world, and the texture of the egg was like nothing I’ve ever had. The yolk was silky smooth, and you must try it with the broth. When I tried it with the soup, I was immediately proven wrong in my assumption! What an amazingly cooked egg. I was originally disappointed cutting into my egg because I prefer mine to have a very runny yolk Boxer Ramen cooks the yolk to medium. The soft poached egg was my favorite part. Holy cow! The pork belly was smoky and fatty and wonderful, and played well with the scallions, which served as a nice herbal counterpoint to such a powerfully rich soup. It was almost creamy, and had such a deep umami flavor that was unlike any other broth I’ve tasted. What a beautiful dish! I don’t know where to start first- the broth was a rich and savory traditional pork broth, made by the restaurant. Soon my huge, steaming bowl of ramen was delivered to me, and I was in heaven. The tots were crispy to the max! The flavors worked surprisingly well together in a composed dish I never would have thought to make. The savory and sweet sauces balanced the salty fish flavor from the Bonito.
#Boxer ramen time skin
I was skeptical of the bonito flakes, which come from the dried skin of the Bonito fish, but I’m always up for a challenge.
This dish is basically tater tots covered in Okonomiyaki toppings and sauces. It’s awesome, and I need to find the real thing in Portland at some point.
I tried the Okonomiyaki Tots because who has ever heard of such a thing? Okonamiyaki is a Japanese savory egg pancake, usually topped with seafood. It was casual and stylish without becoming cutesy. The interior of the shop is adorable, with cute murals on the wall that I didn’t get a picture of because there were people sitting in front of them. I accidentally left my camera at home before going to work, and wasn’t about to drive back to Washington to grab it! I don’t mind, because that means I can go to Boxer Ramen’s new location on Alberta to do a second review soon! I also definitely need to try more things on the menu, which is very small and to the point! A small menu is a sign that the restaurant really pays attention to detail, and what you’re about to eat is very special. Okonomiyaki Tots! Weird, but a must try.įirst off, I apologize for the pictures. Impressive! I had to see for myself what some of the best ramen in the US tastes like. They’ve been top of the list for years, going so far as to be named one of the 33 Best Ramen Shops in America alongside contenders from New York and LA. While a lot has changed since then, I still sometimes get this insatiable craving for ramen, but I try my best to stay away from the instant, wax-covered noodles and msg filled broth! I was out of luck until I moved to Portland, because now I have access to hundreds of ramen shops and restaurants! One of the most popular is Boxer Ramen. When I was in middle school, I watched a lot of Japanese anime and probably kept the instant ramen market above water single-handedly.
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