I wanted to do a write up while my memory is still fresh since I have been fortunate enough to go out to a bunch of ramen shops in Austin this week because of work.

Yoshi Ramen comes to Austin as the sister restaurant to Veggie Heaven, a wildly popular Asian-inspired vegetarian comfort food place. Stacy, the founder, started the restaurant in 1997 in the heart of Austin and offers a wide array of treats for all types that come in through their doors. Even if you don’t know them, you know their iconic logo from bubble tea cups all over the UT campus.

Stacy has had family in the ramen business –  in fact she comes from a family of chefs. One can only imagine what it was like to grow up in a family of Asian chefs in Taiwan.

Yoshi Ramen is from that same chef lineage. The shop itself is a very posh spot with ample natural light and great use of space. Lots of tables and great for a study session fueled by yogurt and bubble tea. Did I mention the menu? It’s efffing expansive.

15 ramen dishes.

Bubble tea. Yogurt.

 

I came here having fasted for about 18hrs. I explained to the poor waitress that this usually puts me off of restaurant food. I can usually smell the kitchen, smell the prep areas and smell drains when my body has been without food for a prescribed time.

Ramen usually smells like garbage when you are fasted. It has recently in other shops here in Austin. Dirty pork water with ginger on top.

This was different – the Shoyu Tonkotsu was flavorful and somehow light. Aromatic oils lifted the broth and the toppings were 100% on-point. I mangled my chasu by accident but it was still delicious. I am not mad at that chasu. I would go back just for that.

I got to speak with Stacy and she mentioned her choice of noodles –  I think we had been at the Ramen Expo together. She chose a stiff  thin noodle for the tonkotsu broth and mentioned that the only other different noodle is for the TanTanMen. Being that she is of Taiwanese lineage I am getting that one next time, which will be very soon.

 

Not much else to say. I’ll be back for sure. I like this place. I am taking my family here this weekend.

Stay tuned for the VLOG of this visit!