Ramen Underground

Kitty Solo
Ramen Underground
355 Kearny Street
San Francisco, CA 94108

(415)765-9909
Ramen Underground @ Financial District, SF

With so many ramen shops popping up these days, it's hard to keep up to date! However recently my friend and I came across this little spot tucked away in the financial district of San Francisco. It's a small and crampled little place, but the smells and warmth were equally as inviting.

Soy Milk Ramen

[$9]

The ramen was relatively cheap, but probably because it lacked usual toppings like seaweed or bamboo shoots that usually come with ramen in other shops. Other toppings were available as a $1 add on. One slice of very soft chashu (sliced pork) was given. The broth itself was very good, a light and savory flavor (but did not taste much soy). As for the ramen noodles, they were soft with a bit of chewiness. [4/5]

Green Tea Tiramisu

[$4]

Initially I as a little skeptical upon ordering this because I had assumed it'd just be a regular tiramisu with some green tea powder dusted on top. However to my surprise it was something of its own. There was moist green tea cake sandwiched upon layers of cream. Dusted on top was of course green tea powder (careful not to inhale!). The texture was similar to semifreddo, and this dessert wasn't too sweet at all! Just the right thing after a bowl of ramen. [5/5]

Overall Score: [4/5] Although a very simple place and tiny place, this is a nice getaway for a hot bowl of noodle soup. I much prefer this place over its pricier rival Katana-ya.

Dan Sung Sa

Kitty and Ducky

Dan Sung Sa

2775 Telegraph Ave

Oakland, CA 94612

(510)663-5927

Whether it's the case of late night munchies or looking for a night out with good booze and food, a Korean bar always comes to my mind. What makes this place noticeable are the old Korean movie posters that are plastered all along the walls. Many of them feature slightly scandalously clad ladies and thus this venue is nicknamed Porno Palace. They are famous for their alcoholic yogurt drinks that come in a variety of fruit flavors. But tonight we're mainly here for the food....

Deep Fried Chicken Strips with Peanut Sauce

[$12]

This dish was a little different but definitely not out of the ordinary. I've always dipped by Thai satay chicken into peanut sauce before enjoying them but never had I thought to use that same concept with fried chicken. It comes in a fairly large platter that 3 to 4 people can easily share. A safe dish to order for those that are shy on the spice level. -Kitty [3/5] 

Rice Cakes with Potstickers, Glass Noodles, Ramen, and Seafood (aka Everything)

[$15]

It tastes like a bunch of stuff dumped into a pan and stir fried with some gochujang.  Definitely a with alcohol kind of dish.  Lots of starches, some egg, and lots of sweet chili sauce.  It was kind of fun to eat though.  Never know what I'm going to get until I pull it out of the plate.  Will I get again?  Probably not. -Ducky [2.5/5]

Cheese Corn

[$8]

The label and picture itself is self-explanatory. But it intrigued me what this combination would taste like and my curiosity could not let it go. At first bite I was overwhelmed by the flavors of butter and cheese hitting me left and right. Fans of Southern food would surely appreciate this combination. I eventually began to enjoy it more when I just nibbled it here and there, but the price still irked me for something and simple as cheese and corn. -Kitty [2.5/5]

Garlic Chicken Wings

[$13]

Very unique taste.  Not quite garlic and not really soy sauce.  Kind of reminds me of like garlic, soy sauce, and a hint of vinegar chicken.  Fried chicken with a light crispy exterior and moist chicken interior.  This was my favorite dish of the night.  -Ducky [3/5]

Overall Score: [3.5/5] A definite spot to hit for fatty delicious carbohydrate and protein heavy Korean junk food.  We didn't drink, but this looked like an excellent drinking/bar/establishment.

Dan Japanese Izakaya Restaurant

Kitty Solo

Dan Izakaya Restaurant

1306 Saratoga Ave

San Jose, CA 95129

(408)249-6020

Dan Izakaya @ San Jose

Izakayas are places in Japan where alcohol is served with a variety of tapa like portioned foods. They are places to make merry or socialize with your co-workers after a long hard day of work. I may not drink but I certainly love the tapa styled foods. This place is located in a plaza with DD's

Discount, a little tucked away on the side. My friend and I were ravenously hungry so we ordered a number of items:

Beef and Potato Croquette

[$6.5]

Light crispy outside, hot and fluffy potatoes on the inside with tasty meaty bits.  One of the best croquettes I've had in a while.  It comes with tonkatsu sauce which is basically similar to worcestershire sauce, slightly savory but prominently tangy flavor.  Do not fear, just dip that croquette in it, take a bite (caution it's piping hot when they serve it to you freshly deep fried), and let the party in your mouth begin. [5/5]

Pork and Kimchi Hot Pot

[$8.75]

It bears resemblance to jjigae, Korean stew, but what can I say?  They put kimchi in it so of course it would.  It was still good though.  The pork was relatively soft and retained its flavor and the soup itself was clear and light.  Overall it did not give a lasting impression: average goodness. [3/5]

Stir Fried Scallops with Asparagus and Bacon

[$7.5]

Sweetness of the scallops, saltiness of the bacon, and the asparagus together made a decent stir fry.  No more no less. [3/5]

Yakionigiri (Grilled Rice Balls) 1 Salmon and 1 Konbu (Seaweed)

[$2.25 each]

Whenever I usually see grilled rice balls on menus I almost feel like it'd be a cheat to order these.  I mean, they're just balls of rice grilled right?  But I caved into my curiosity and gave it a fair try.  I will never dis the grilled rice ball again, or at least the ones from Dan anyway.  The rice was seasoned with soy sauce and the grilled outer layered gave each bite crispy.  As you taste the rice in the inner layer it was not the usual white rice flavor, nor was it contaminated with the soy sauce from the outer coat.  It had an umami type flavor that surrounded the rice, making it very delectable.  And when you reach the center you're greeted with the filling.  The salmon filling was good and a little buttery.  My heart however belongs to seaweed rice balls whether they be fresh and cold from the supermarket or toasty and warm at an izakaya.  Warning though, do not eat the seasoned seaweed by itself or your taste buds will be alarmed with intense saltiness.  Between the seaweed, the flavorful rice, and the outer soy sauce crispy later, and even the topping of dried anchovies and roe.  This simple dish that I have underestimated for months has given me the run for my money. [5/5]

Braised Pork Claypot Rice

[$13.50 for Medium Size]

I wanted to try Dan's claypot yet I also wanted to try how they prepared their pork so lo and behold I killed two birds with one stone.  The pork was soft, though a little dry on the outside.  This dish was still hearty though, can't go wrong with meat and carbs.  [3.5/5]

About a month later I came back to Dan with Mama and Papa Kitty and Ducky to try its other dishes but did not have a chance to take pictures so I'll just give a quick rundown of the new things tried and ratings:

• Grilled mackerel [$6] - Tasty, a bit on the oily side but I think that is naturally from the fish [3.5/5]
• Grilled miso salmon [$7.75] - Did not taste much miso, but I was still served a tasty piece of salmon [3.5/5]
• Clam Ramen [$10.50] - It's served with little neck clams (you get a decent amount about 6 or so), and overall comes in good portion.  The broth is not like your usual miso, shio, or tonkotsu flavor, but more of an Asian/Western fusion.  I detected a complementary buttery flavor in the broth, and I suspect they used alcohol which really gave this ramen a refined and unique taste.  It is definitely a must try.  My description does not give it justice.  It's not Orenchi or Santouka ramen, but it is good bowl that'll warm your heart with a flavor I haven't found anywhere else. [5/5]
• Unagi Rice [$22.50 for Large] - The unagi was very well prepared however the steep price that came with it quickly made my eyebrows furrow.  Even though it was large, it was not much larger from the medium sized claypot I mentioned above. For a whopping $22, it was injustice especially since it was not particularly mind blowing. [2/5]  

Service: Make reservations on weekends otherwise you'll face with about an hour of waiting.  Service here is really slow since they are understaffed in the waitress department.  Your food will come out a decent pace though.

Overall I enjoy this place and am not deterred at all by its slow service.  It's a decent place to go for Japanese food that isn't filled with just the usual "bento box items". I would definitely come back