Tamashii Ramen House

Tamashii Ramen House Restaurant Review:

The ramen wars have heated up throughout L.A., and the San Fernando Valley is part of the push. Chef Akira Imamura, a Jinya veteran, operates two ramen houses, including this original shop, which performed well enough to spawn a North Hollywood spinoff. In Sherman Oaks, you’ll find a wood bar facing an open kitchen, wood panels with calligraphy, wood banquettes and wood-framed mirrors. Tamashii translates from Japanese as "soul," and the food is indeed comforting. Sure, you can find sushi rolls that star soft shell crab and spicy tuna, but really, it’s all about the ramen. Chef Imamura features chicken ramen and vegetable ramen, but tonkotsu takes top billing, with a bone broth that requires 15 hours to produce. Spicy miso ramen adds soybean paste to pork broth and piles on ground pork, diced pork chashu, soft-boiled egg, crunchy bean sprouts, scallions and chile paste for kick. Black tonkotsu is even better, with pork broth treated to a slick of black garlic oil, wood ear mushroom, scallions, soft-boiled egg and braised pork. To drink, you won’t find any alcohol, but Tamashii does offer a variety of teas, including iced green and hot honey pomelo.