Tonkotsu used to be my favorite ramen broth, but there are not too many places in the Bay Area that do this well. We have options like Marufuku and Ippudo, but they are decent options that slightly misses the mark on being great. This all changed when Ramen Nagi opened in Palo Alto and we finally have legit tonkotsu in town.
Ramen Nagi is a successful Japanese ramen chain that has over 35 locations from Japan, Manilla, and Shanghai. They finally opened in the US in Palo Alto on June 2018 and had immediate success. The restaurant is large, capable of seating up to 60 people, but you can still face an hour-long wait or more at peak hours. For solo diners, they may luck out and get a bar seating in the back much faster than groups, although they still have to line up.
At Ramen Nagi, you are able to customize your bowl of ramen, such as the amount of tare, richness in oil, and so on. Or you can opt for the chef’s recommendation to keep things simple. The most important factor to be is being able to select the noodle thickness and firmness. I like mine firmer.
Another awesome aspect of Ramen Nagi is the table condiments to pair with your ramen. They have complimentary takana (mustard leaf) and moyashi (bean sprouts) pickles you can help yourself to at the table. When these pickles are eaten with tonkotsu broth, it elevates it up a notch. I do not think I can eat tonkotsu broth anymore without this pairing.
The first bowl we tried was the original king. Outside of the vegan and special broth, all the ramen options have tonkotsu as the base. The original king is the base tonkotsu with the tare and paired with tender chashu. Our server was very knowledgeable about the ramen and shared that the broth was cooked for over 20 hours, creating a silky, rich, and creamy broth. This is the best tonkotsu in the Bay Area. Additionally, the noodles were surprisingly flavorful. They are house-made Hakata style thin noodles that paired great with the broth.
The black king is my favorite. It may look scary, but the tangy squid ink, blackened garlic, and topped with a black miso ball with minced pork and black sesame. It adds another layer of flavors that compliments the creamy tonkotsu broth.
The last bowl we tried on a subsequent visit was the red king. This is for spicy lovers as it includes a blend of garlic, chili oil, and peppers. It is further topped by a ball of miso infused minced pork and spices. I asked for soft and succulent braised pork belly to pair with it to change up the meat option.
They also have appetizers like kobushi gyoza, takoyaki, and these tiny bite-sized gyozas we ordered.
I was really impressed by the service as the servers came frequently to check-in and see that we got what we needed. They were also knowledgable and shared facts about the ramen to enhance the eating experience. For instance, I didn’t know that 80-85 degree celsius was the optimal temperature for the ramen. Also, each bowl at Ramen Nagi is made to retain heat better. I still have to try their Green King, which is the tonkotsu paired with basil, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. A rotating “Limited King” may appear in the future, with broth made of lobster or other ingredients. Either way, I’ll look forward to a future visit to try them all.
Restaurant Information:
Address: 541 Bryant St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Hours: M-Sun – 11am-3pm; 5:30pm-9:30pm
Website: https://ramennagiusa.com/
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