How do you like a restaurant even before you ordered the food? For me, by playing Runaway by Bon Jovi then followed by Always and Wanted Dead or Alive. How frakkin’ cool is this place?
My family were having lunch before going to the Buddhist Temple for Chinese New Year. My sister, Bonnie, took us here because I had a craving for soupy noodles.
About Daikokuya
Daikokuya is doing something different and same at the same time with other Japanese restaurants. Unlike other places that serve ramen, Daikokuya only serves 1 style of ramen. As explained in their FAQ on their website, “The original idea was to make one kind of ramen, and make it really good. It is not canned soup, so it takes time and space to create it.
Since our kitchens are generally small, we don’t have a factory space to make many soups. So we decided to just focus on one kind.” And like a lot of Japanese restaurants, you can do a combo, ramen and a small order of rice. They have many different toppings for the rice. Bonnie got the fish roe and I got the chopped pork which turned out to be chopped pork belly.
The Dining Experience
The bowl of ramen was pretty good. It was a typical original bowl of ramen with an egg and few slices of pork. The egg was perfectly cooked with the yolk still runny. It satisfied my craving. The bowl of rice was damn good. The chopped pork was nicely flavored. Went well with the Okinawa beer I had.
Menu Highlights
Notable Dishes:
– Daikokuya Ramen: A tonkotsu-based ramen with a secret blended soy sauce, boiled egg, egg noodles, pork belly, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and green onions.
– Rice Bowls: Various toppings available, including fish roe and chopped pork belly.
Unique Features:
– Single Style of Ramen: Daikokuya focuses on making one kind of ramen and doing it exceptionally well.
– Izakaya-style Small Plates: Daikokuya also serves small plates similar to an izakaya.
Our Verdict
Location, Hours and Contact
Address: 327 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours of Operation:
– Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Last Call)
– Friday to Sunday: 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM (Last Call)
Full Address and Location:
– Address: 327 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
– Location: Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
Contact Details:
– Phone: (213) 626-1680
