If ramen is what you're after, look no further than this new business. The newcomer to Melrose, called Kai Ramen, is located at 349 La Cienega Blvd.
This new ramen joint specializes in Kyushu-style tonkotsu ramen—a milky white pork broth base filled with house-made noodles and topped with a soft-boiled egg and fresh veggies.
Options include the Kai white ramen with braised pork belly, green onions, and crispy-fried onions, or the veggie ramen, with silken tofu, mixed greens, and red onions.
There's also a variety of sides to pair with the ramen dishes, like spicy fried chicken karaage or takoyaki, octopus balls with katsuo (bonito flakes) that are popular in the Kansai region of Japan.
Kai Ramen has gotten an enthusiastic initial response thus far, with a five-star rating out of two reviews on Yelp.
Yoshiyuki O., who was among the first Yelpers to review the new spot on December 9th, said: "I came here for the first time. I love ramen so much. This ramen is exactly Kyushu Jakarta tonkotsu Ramen. I'm from Hakata Fukuoka City in Japan. Definitely will come back. I recommend the Kai classic ramen."
Yelper Stella Y. added: “Me and my friend ordered the classic tonkotsu ramen with added corn and it was dead silence between us. We were too busy stuffing our faces to say a word! The broth is rich and the noodles were a perfect balance of crisp and soft."
Kai Ramen is now open at 349 La Cienega Blvd., so stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood.
