Hello, fellow foodies!
Me and my husband, as certified foodies, are always excited to explore and experience different cuisines whenever we are outside, and we are constantly on the hunt for decent ramen shops whenever we pass by. Like, for instance, the Japanese Restaurant Tottemo Oishii, this one is difficult to miss because of its brilliant, loud, and colorful exterior design, which was the first thing we saw before we even realized they were selling Japanese food.
We almost missed the part of their English signage at first and just saw a group of people inside wearing Kimonos and holding katanas from the view of the glass window, which I thought were cosplaying, but after a second glance, we realized it was actually a restaurant, and my husband read my mind and asked, "Do you want to try their ramen?" and without hesitation, I answered yes. But since we had prior plans in the area, we went to the bookstore first and planned to check out the restaurant after we were done.
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Finally, after checking the sign on the tarpaulin with the listed food menu, the friendly staff of the resto invited us in to check what was inside. She politely asked us to take off our slippers and offered us indoor ones. Upon getting in, we were surprised by the interior and the ambience. The place speaks me so much of Japan. From the décor, ambience, vibe, and food aroma, it's like you teleported to Japan in an instant.
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My boys were busy looking at the decorations and posing for pictures as the waitress took our orders, and we were impressed by how beautifully the restaurant was decorated. We had eaten a lot before leaving the house, but I couldn't resist ordering and trying what was on their menu.
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After placing my order with the waitress, I joined my family to check out the décor and other things inside the restaurant. In one corner of the place, all their kimonos are hanging, and the owner said they are available for rent to diners who want to dress in them for photos or to add to their Japanese dining experience. Additionally, there is a katana display and a Japanese umbrella that you may use as props on the side. And it explains why earlier there were a few diners dressed in kimonos.
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My husband and my firstborn excitedly tried the kimonos, and the owner was kind enough to show us how to wear them properly and which belt goes with each pair. After wearing them, my boys gamely posed holding the katanas for pictures. We chatted with the owner while waiting for our orders and didn't notice how much time had passed because we were having fun. According to her, most of the ingredients used in their menu are imported straight from Japan.
Soon later, our orders came. So we ordered two different kinds of ramen, Tantanmen and Tonkutsu, as well as my personal favorites, gyoza and sushi. Chicken Karaage for the kids.
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This is the most affordable ramen house we have experienced. Seeing the price on the menu at 175.00 per serving ($3.08), we didn't expect much because it was way cheaper compared to other ramen houses in the city, so we were surprised when we tasted our order. The first thing we check when ordering ramen is the broth. The savory taste of broth that's been simmering for hours is the best kind of broth, and what they have is exactly what we're looking for. Next are the noodles, firm to perfection! The sliced meat toppings are so tender as well.
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I liked their California Maki too, and we already planned on ordering a party package for our upcoming occasion. For the Karaage, we specifically requested for the dip sauce to be separated because my kids don't like their food dripping in sauce. It tasted good, and my son liked it too!
We savored our meals and took our time to appreciate the ambiance and the food.
We left the establishment content and satisfied, as well as stuffed. Given how delighted and filled we were, we couldn't believe that our bill was less than $15.
We will return to try their other menu items, including their bento, tempura, and the remainder of the food on their menu, that's for sure!
If you are in town and want to check them out, you can find their page here. They also deliver in nearby places.
That's it for me today; see you on my next blog!
❤️❤️❤️
All photos are my own, unless stated otherwise.
The lead image was edited using Canva.
