star house

This place was busy even for Friday lunch. We got spicy miso ramen and kurobuta pork bowl with rice. The food was tasty and really well made. The ramen wasn’t very oily but still very flavorful with perfectly boiled jammy eggs. The pork dish was delightful. Flavorful and melt in mouth. They had a pretty extensive drinks menu too which we didn’t try but would be good paired with the food.

Great spot for a family or casual date, with friendly service, nice decor and low-key atmosphere, and tasty ramen (we really enjoyed the black garlic tonkotsu with kurobuta, especially after adding a little chili sauce). The shrimp tempura was fresh and crisp, the grilled salmon was good, and the yuzu chicken was nice but slightly too sweet. With the door kept open, the air circulation was good. If it wasn’t raining, we would’ve eaten at one of the tables out front.

"Where do you want to eat? How about that place? I dunno, how about THAT place?” That’s the “You Decide” game we all play when there are an abundance of nearby restaurant choices, such as in Japantown. You see a ramen house, look at the menu, check out the vibe, see if there’s a crowd, then spot another ramen house across the street. What if that one’s better? It can be a lot of pressure lol. I’m certain if you choose Hoshinoya, you will be satisfied. It’s a ramen house with a bit of a fusion spin to many of its dishes, bringing in some Thai influence as well as original takes on traditional ramen and tonkotsu. In fact, you’ll be asked to select how spicy you want your meal: none, mild, medium, or spicy. I ordered the Drunken Ramen max spicy and when they say spicy, they mean it. I also tasted a medium-spicy Tonkatsu which was probably what most eateries consider maximum-spicy. So if you love spicy food, go for it! If your tolerance is a bit less, scale down accordingly. The Drunken Ramen and the Pork Belly Tonkotsu were both standout dishes, well worth ordering. We also tried the Shrimp Lollipops, based solely on the name. It was a good appetizer consisting of three batter-fried shrimps on sticks with a couple sauces; probably nothing you haven't tasted before. The indoor seating is cozy and comfortable and the service was quite prompt and friendly. They have a waiting list to sign, and with two couples ahead of us, we only waited about 4 minutes. There's plenty of outdoor seating too, good for people-watching in the plaza. My recommendation for finding a great place to eat in Japantown is to avoid the restaurants in the Japan Center mall. For some reason, the places I’ve eaten at there are a bit sketchy. But there are plenty of choices on Buchanan, Post and adjacent streets.