Ramen Kobo WARAKU

Ramen.  Not really something I eat much of ... just not really my thing.  But I do like other dishes often served at ramen restaurants (e.g. casual Japanese appetizers), which lead me to discover Ramen Kobo Karaku.

""Ramen D2C"- Your Favorite Ramen, Straight From the Kitchen!"

Honestly, I'm not sure what this catch phrase means.  But as I learned about the establishment, I became enamored with their story.

The owner hails from Japan, moved here 5 years ago, has background in all types of Japanese casual restaurants (izakayas, udon restaurants, ramen).  He lost his job when COVID hit, met a ramen chef who was looking for work too, and was inspired by what he saw going on all around - a city full of people struggling to make simple food, trying not to order too much delivery due to the expense.  And thus the concept of Ramen Kobu Waraku was born, with a desire to have quality ramen and casual Japanese cuisine, delivered across the city.

"We wanted our ramen to be more affordable, heartier, and tastier than ramen dining, and to top it all off, we wanted to have our ramen delivered quickly to people, which is why we decided to run with a "cloud kitchen". We don't directly serve any customers, and our kitchen is too small for us to have a diversified menu however, we can assured you that you’ll be blown away by our signature Tantan Spicy Miso Ramen or Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen."

And the way to achieve this was by *not* getting a storefront, and working out of a cloud kitchen, at the big 60 Morris Street complex, alongside a slew of other businesses and virtual restaurants.

While I've had, uh, mixed success with the 60 Morris businesses, Ramen Kobu Waraku is a shining star. Clearly a quality establishment, and I really hope they thrive.

And if you wonder about the name ... I learned that "WA(和)" means "Japan" or "relax", "RAKU(楽）means "fan" or "enjoy", and "Kobo" is like a lab.  So ... a relaxing, enjoyable, ramen lab.  I'll take it.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

My order was via Seamless (or Grub Hub), and was ready quickly (also, when I visited, Ramen Kobo Waraku was offering $5 off your first order! Score!).  I choose to pick up at 60 Morris myself, and just ate immediately nearby outside, but you can also opt for delivery.

My First Visit: Sublime Takoyaki!

The first time I ordered, I went straight for the takoyaki.  Sure, I was a little tempted by other things on the menu, which of course had ramen (pork, chicken, or even a version with ground Impossible meat), rice bowls, and a bunch of other appetizers (including several flavors of karaage, steamed edamame, deep fried shisitos, chili bean sprouts, some very tempting gyoza, and seared pork belly ...), and even cheese foam boba drinks.  But I wanted fried deliciousness with tasty sauces.

And fried deliciousness with tasty sauces is *exactly* what I got.  I was blown away, even compared to takoyaki I had in Japan (sorry, Gindaco, I know you are popular, but, no comparison!).

Takoyaki. $4.95.

"5pcs deep fried Takoyaki topped with Takoyaki Sauce, Mayonaise, Aonori, Bonito Flakes. (sic)" 

The takoyaki were glorious.  Piping hot when I got them, I was glad I decided to just stay and eat right outside.

They came topped with the expected toppings, just like okinomiyaki, of bonito flakes and aonori, and came with a small pile of pickled shredded ginger as well.  The toppings were all standard, but good for completing a "perfect bite".

I asked for my sauces on the side, so they were packaged separately.

Now, as for the takoyaki themselves.  They were well prepared.  Crisp on the outside, oily and greasy, but not in a gross way.  Maybe I was craving this sort of thing.  Plus, smother it in sauce and mayo, and it helps cut the greasiness, heh.

Takoyaki: Inside.

But of course, it is what is inside the takoyaki that matters too.  Sooo often takoyaki are filled with chewy octopus.  Or negligible octopus.  Or are under cooked and doughy.  These suffered none of those common problems.  These were perfect inside.

The inside was creamy, gooey, but cooked through, filled with good sized hunks of octopus, not chewy.  I was really, really impressed with inside these balls.  The filling was simple, no additional flavoring inside, but it was just really really well done, and once you had a bite with the toppings and sauce, it was just glorious.

****+ for the execution on the takoyaki, definitely the best I've ever had.  At ~$5 for 5, the price was fine.

And about those sauces ...

Mayonnaise & Takoyaki Sauce.

The mayo sauce I believe was just mayo, Japanese mayo though, which to me is always a bit less tangy, thicker, richer, and definitely tastier.  It added the right creaminess when added to the takoyaki.  And the "takoyaki sauce"?  DELICIOUS.  Wow.  Such complex flavor, sweet and salty, I think there was some miso in it, sooooo much umami.  If you have ever wondered what umami tastes like, it is this!

The sauces together were the perfect finishing touch.

Perfect *****, all around