I busted out of my diet today to check out the SF arrival of a new dedicated ramen-ya with a link to Japan. That would be Men Oh Tokushima Ramen (Geary near 15th Avenue) which is still in its "soft" opening period; the official Grand Opening is August 4.
Tokushima is a prefecture of Japan on Shikoku Island, and has its own characteristic ramen style, one of 20 cataloged in Nate Shockey's
A Specifist's Guide to the Regional Ramen of Japan (Lucky Peach, Issue 1). Men Oh Tokushima Ramen is a
leading purveyor of this style of ramen, with 12 locations in Japan and one other in the U.S. (in Union City CA).
Tokushima ramen features a tonkatsu-like broth (a legacy of the many ham factories on Shikoku Island) infused with dark soy sauce and uses Butabara (stir-fried pork belly slices) in addition to traditional chashu. Another feature of Tokushima ramen is the provision of a raw egg (still in the shell) for the diner to add to his bowl of noodles.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpuk_6_rVDM71J6FEl50ro3RwjziIkyYZC22K4dwQKkOK2hGRQX-FA4CHpUf-3j7OYBFNNW0xGeq6IsiIb5oac5iyzl8bhxAq9Kv6qgJ61QAas_wtIju_1-7UaMI_d7WILagFsbVYD2g/s200/tokushima+interior.jpg)
Men Oh Tokushima Ramen was about 40 percent full at 1:20 in the afternoon of hump day when I entered. It is a very attractive room with wooden tables and sparse, tasteful decor. Lamentably, there is no counter for solo ramen eaters like me, but I was seated at one of the four or five two-tops. The menu lists three ramen options: Tokushima ramen, a standard tonkotsu ramen, and a spicy tonkotsu ramen. There are other dishes and appetizers typical for a ramen-ya, including takoyaki "coming soon." I chose the house specialty Tokushima ramen and a side order of gyoza, since the takoyaki (as the cheerful server confirmed) had yet to make an appearance.
As I waited for my noodles, the server brought me the tea I requested and a chilled egg in a little dish. It was stamped with a red "P" for "pasteurized." I took the time to ask her about the noodles. Were they indeed "house made" as the restaurant's website indicated? She replied that they were made off-site in South San Francisco, "where our headquarters is."
Soon after my bowl of ramen arrived, another server appeared with a side order of chashu. "We have to remake the gyoza," she said, and the extra chashu was complementary. I studied my noodles and went about the task of adding the raw egg. The hard part is choosing the most aesthetic location to plump it down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt9pFl8PqjJC42bMsQU5TYH_iTSC9P6t8uUwmFUSpFFJhcljHP8PuDwIzMN5z4fdJ9BK8WK6HQo1ZYGqJJN6r9MIEpkQuQnHHg0HVYMgUL55SoaT518nFu9hPfXp3Nt2OYvsFr__UWuA/s200/tokushima+egg.jpg)
As usual, the first thing I took note of were the noodles. They were straight (as I like them) and very thin (which I'm not particularly fond of). They were, however, perfectly cooked, with just the right bite to them. The broth had a great depth and richness, manifestly abetted by the soy sauce, and had a tinge of sweetness to it, something my wife's own Jiangsu-influenced cooking has taught me to tolerate, if not applaud. (In fact, a touch of star anise would have made the broth a ringer for a Suzhou noodle "red" broth.) The toppings, even without the extra chashu I was comped, were quite generous for an $8.50 bowl of ramen.
And oh, yes the gyoza. They arrived just as I was finishing my ramen, and were not particularly memorable, being a little too oil-laden. I'll be back when the takoyaki is up!
Overall, I found Men Oh Tokushima Ramen delivered a solid bowl of ramen at a reasonable price in an attractive environment with friendly service. I'm no ramen guru, but I predict it will be appearing on all of those "best" lists, and maybe even inviting comparisons with San Mateo and Santa Clara ramen joints.
Where slurped: 5120 Geary Boulevard near 15th Ave,, San Francisco