After trying a number of ramen restaurants in the East Bay, my curiosity led me to see what one of San Jose’s most popular ramen spots had to offer.
I gave into my curiosity on Monday and visited Ramen Nagi, located inside the Westfield Valley Fair mall.
The restaurant’s aesthetic matches the upscale and elegant theme of the shopping center. Upon entering, I encountered a red and black color scheme and glowing LED signs with the logo and restaurant name.
The establishment is small, but whenever I’d pass by on a typical weekend the restaurant was always packed with long lines of people waiting to be seated.
After walking into Ramen Nagi, I was greeted by a host holding a paper menu that has options for customers to modify their
favorite ramen.
I was able to personalize my order while I was in line and pick between five different bases for the ramen broth including original, red, black, green and veggie king.
I chose the “Original King,” which was the savory, classic flavor.
Then, I picked my ramen bowl by changing the strength of the flavor, richness in oil, and levels of garlic, vegetables and pork.
One of my favorite features was the option to add spice and chili powder to the ramen bases.
For my modifications, I wasn’t sure what ingredient combinations would create the tastiest recipe, so I chose the “chef’s recommendation” default at the top of the menu.
Immediately after filling out my order, I was seated at a wooden table next to the door as I gave the waiter my completed menu.
The ramen was served about five minutes after I sat down, which sped by because I was chatting with my friends.
The aromatic smell of hot ramen filled the air around me as the steaming bowl of noodles was placed at my table.
My favorite part of ramen is always the broth, so I decided to taste it first. The broth was rich and savory with the perfect amount
of spice.
Modifications on the menu allowed me to choose my desired spice level ranging from light spicy to spicy on a 1-10 scale.
I ordered at a level 4, to get a hint of spice without it overpowering the creaminess of the soup.
The ramen was a perfect sized portion, with an equal amount of vegetable toppings and smooth noodles to complement the creamy and rich tonkotsu-flavored broth.
The “Original King” included thin noodles, classic pork chashu, crunchy green onions and tree mushrooms that paired perfectly with the broth. I also added a soft-boiled egg to tie the meal together.
Ramen Nagi offered a comforting soup that had flavorful contents and noodles.
Although the restaurant technically offers more than one main dish, the ramen is superior enough to stand on its own.
Compared to other ramen places I’ve been to in the East Bay, Ramen Nagi differed because it’s one of the only ramen restaurants that allowed me to customize my bowl to such an extent.
I enjoyed my visit to Ramen Nagi because the wait was short being that it was a weekday, the employees were helpful and ordering
was efficient.
The biggest bonus, though, was the top quality of the ramen.
