Ryowa Noodle House - Best Ramen in Mountain View

Ever since moving to the Bay Area, I tend to eat ramen made in an actual restaurant versus the kind out of a packet. Thus, I leave most of the make-it-yourself ramen reviews up to my estimable siblings.

My particular area of expertise will be reviews of the great, mediocre and awful ramen restaurants. We start with the best ramen in restaurant in Mountain View - Ryowa.

Ryowa Noodle House
(650) 965-8829
859 Villa St. (between Bryant St. and Castro St.)
Located right in downtown Mountain View, Ryowa Noodle House is our favorite ramen restaurant in the area.

The Original Ramen is generally the safest way to go and the only thing Klint ever orders. It's not too salty, has a slight spicy edge and comes with half a hard-boiled egg and a few thin slices of lean pork. For many months my dish of choice was the fresh-side pork ramen which has a stronger soy sauce soup base comes with a couple large cubes of fatty pork. For a lighter, less-sodium laced meal, try the wonton ramen. It has a clearer broth but still flavorful. Be ready with a backup order because the restaurant often runs out of wontons early.

The noodles (which everyone knows makes or breaks the ramen) are generally well-cooked, tender but still a little chewy and very plentiful. The restaurant has strange seating, with most patrons seated around two u-shaped counters. There's a weird shelf that runs below the counter that prevents anybody from sitting comfortably, but your food comes pretty quickly so the pain is bearable. Ryowa also offers complimentary kimchee and cold tea.

Ryowa is always crowded so be prepared to wait if you decide to go around lunch time. If you can manage to find a spot inside to wait, entertain yourself with the Japanese TV and the random golf pictures decorating the walls.

Rating: 8 out of 10