Today Mariko and I tried a new ramen restaurant for lunch. Sazan Ramen (at the time of this post) has three kinds of ramen, and plenty of appetizers and other goodies, as well as a large selection of cocktails and beer. Mariko and I shared the Black Garlic Ramen and the Spicy Paitan Ramen. They were both pretty good! The noodles, broth, and pork were delicious. 🍜
I’d say the ramen was on the fancy side (and looked beautiful!), which might not be what you are looking for. For instance, we didn’t think the raw purple cabbage in the black garlic ramen fit in well. My ramen had nuts and dried tomatoes, and although I enjoyed them, it wasn’t something I’d like to get again if I had the craving for ramen. So if you are looking for a regular miso or shoyu ramen, Sazan might not be for you. However, I thought it was a yummy meal and I wouldn’t hesitate to come again!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/5.6, 1/20 sec, ISO3200 “Cheese Ramen” Cedar Park, 2020
Yes, American cheese in Shin Ramyun is so yummy! I drop an egg in the boiling water 3 minutes before it’s done, then two slices of American cheese. Mariko says Mozzarella is also very popular, so I need to try that too. 🍜💗🌶🔥
Today after I picked up Koa from his band camp in Waco, we decided to get some lunch before heading back home. He was tired of burgers, pizza, and Mexican food (I guess those were on the menu during camp all week) so we checked the local listings on Yelp for ramen. I didn’t think there would be much, but the first result was a food truck named “Koko Ramen” so we decided to give it a try. I wasn’t sure if it would be open on a Saturday afternoon but we were in luck and Koko Ramen was serving food.
The food truck is situated in a small parking lot and shares a nice outdoor eating/drinking area with a bar. We didn’t go check it out, but it seems like a nice arrangement. I can imagine grabbing a few beers and then slurping down noodles… sound like a fun evening!
Koa ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen and I ordered the Miso Ramen and we were both pleased with the flavor and amount of food. I guess we weren’t expecting too much from the food truck, but it really delivered! They don’t skimp on the toppings, with a whole ajitama egg, menma, pickled veggies, etc. The noodles were also satisfying in their texture and amount.
The ramen was served in a disposable cardboard bowl, which was interesting, and the soup spoon was also a strange cardboard/paper disposable type. I’ve never seen disposable noodle spoons before, but I guess it makes sense since food trucks don’t have the means to wash dishes.
We also ordered the pulled-pork egg rolls, which were pretty much what you’d expect. So if you’re in the mood for a taste of barbecue, why not try some? Speaking of barbecue, the pork in the ramen was a special barbecue style. According to the website, their proteins are smoked at a local bbq house. Sounds like a win-win arrangement. You can read more in the Texas Monthly article about Koko Ramen.
By the way, one of Koa’s nicknames is “Koko” so that made the experience extra special. 😊🍜
While I prefer the ramen at other traditional restaurants, as a food truck, Koko Ramen rates pretty highly in my book. Give it a try if you’re in Waco!
