We went to Akira Ramen waaaaaaay back in January, in what feels like a different lifetime. We arrived as part of the soft launch, and were treated to a complimentary appetizer. Irina Ramen Quest has been a joyful experience in my life – and one reason why is I now know exactly what I like in a bowl of ramen. I enjoy a savory, flavorful … Continue reading Akira Ramen
Irina JINYA Ramen Bar initially surprised me with its size – two stories of seats for ramen enthusiasts – and later it surprised me with its diverse menu. Despite lackluster service, I enjoyed my time there overall. I tried the cauliflower, takoyaki, and ordered the chicken spicy ramen (with an additional egg and mushrooms). I was disappointed by the lack of spice in the “spicy” chicken ramen … Continue reading Jinya Ramen
Irina So- Daikaya in DC is where it’s at for ramen. Or so I thought. But here’s my origin story…. My very first – really real – ramen experience (that wasn’t my childhood ten cent top ramen as a poor person) was at Daikaya. Grace took me there one day many years ago and it… Blew. My. Mind. I proposed marriage to the ramen bowl … Continue reading Daikaya
Boru Ramen is located on Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA. Grace Boru is my go-to ramen spot when I’m craving something tasty but don’t want to go all the way into the District. It’s 10 minutes away from my apartment, and there is parking. The parking situation is interesting though. There are only 3 real parking spaces, and then room for another row of parking … Continue reading Boru Ramen
Chaplin’s is a ramen house and cocktail bar located in DC’s Shaw neighborhood. Unlike most of the ramen places in the District, Chaplin’s is reasonably spacious, featuring both upstairs and downstairs restaurant and bar seating. We started our trip to Chaplin’s with happy hour, which featured tasty cocktails for $6. Irina Chaplin’s is fantastic! The restaurant stands out for its cool vibe and 20s theme … Continue reading Chaplin’s
Marumen is a ramen restaurant located in Fairfax, VA. Given that so many of us were furloughed during this stop on our ramen expedition, we opted to go a bit further into Northern Virginia. Irina It’s Ramen Quest’s Furlough edition! So we drove all the way to Vienna. I chose the Vegetarian Ramen at Marumen for my main course – it was just average at first, but after sprinkling … Continue reading Marumen
Toki Underground is located in the hipster neighborhood of H Street Northeast in Washington, DC. The name “Toki Underground” is a little bit of a misnomer, given that the restaurant is located at the top of a narrow flight of stairs. The sign on the door is easy to miss, which gives it a bit of a speakeasy feel. But Toki Underground was one the … Continue reading Toki Underground
Hanabi Ramen is located in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, right off the Metro’s orange line. It’s an unassuming storefront in a neighborhood packed with bars and nightlife. Irina: My chicken ramen was fantastic!! The dark meet fried chicken did the trick, and I could add my own spice! The place itself – and service – was great, as well as the Snow Beauty sake. … Continue reading Hanabi Ramen
Ramen Quest 