Restaurant: Jinya Ramen Bar
Location: 2400 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 392-4466
Date: April 16 & May 4, 2015
Cuisine: Japanese Ramen
Rating: Solid Tonkotsu Ramen
There is a crazy amount of ramen opening up recently, particularly (on the westside) in the Sawtelle Japantown area. But Jinya, which is a bit of a chain, has opened an outpost on Main street right in Santa Monica!
The frontage.
There is lovely patio dining as well as inside.
The main menu, appetizers are on the back (which I forgot to photo).
A small salad. Almost like a Korean salad, with a fairly bland dressing.
Fried pork goyza. Pretty good typical Japanese goyza.
Seafood dynamite. Pretty delicious with lots of flavor.
Shrimp Toast. Toast with shrimp smushed between. Quite tasty.
Sauces.
Jinya Tonkotsu Black. Pork broth. Pork chashu. Kikurage, green onion, nori dried seaweed, seasoned egg, garlic chips, garlic oil, fried onion and thin noodles.
This was an excellent Tonkotsu ramen. The broth was rich, not as thick as the Tsujita super broth, but very rich and super delicious, particularly with a bit of saucing.
A version of the black with chicken wontons added — this took it up even another level.
Cha Cha Cha. Pork broth, pork chashu, pork back fat, seasoned egg, bean sprouts, Chopped Onion, Green Onion, Fish Powder, Korean Powder. With thick noodles. Rich and delicious.
Overall, there are a number of options at Jinya too. It’s nothing crazy unique as good Japanese Ramen goes, but it’s certainly an excellent bowl of noodles.