"First off, let's talk about the price. The Ramen Star bowl costs $18, and for that, you get noodles, Chashu, and green onions—nothing more. If you want an egg and some nori, that's an additional $4, and six slices of bamboo shoots will set you back another $3. The price-to-quality ratio was a major disappointment.
As for the food: the broth was thick, resembling a soup ramen rather than the lighter tonkotsu broth I expected, which wasn’t indicated on the menu. It felt heavy and rich, not in a good way. The bamboo shoots were served ice cold, which caught me off guard with my first bite. The egg was unseasoned, semi-firm on the outside (which I like) but very runny on the inside, unlike what their online photos suggested. The nori was nice and crisp, and I have to say, the noodles were the highlight—they were the perfect thickness, neither too thick nor too thin.
However, the Chashu was a real letdown. It was cut thick but lacked any color or texture. I’m not sure how they prepare it—perhaps sous vide?—but it wasn’t seared at all, resulting in a mushy, uniform consistency. I ended up leaving the second piece in the bowl, which I almost never do.
Because of how everything had a similar texture, it became monotonous. Towards the end, I began to taste something akin to cardboard and decided to stop eating.
Not to delve too deeply into the philosophy of food, but it felt like this bowl was crafted without any consideration for variety in texture or flavor, which is disappointing given the restaurant's glowing reviews.
Everything else about the place was fine: it was bright and clean, the service was decent, the food arrived promptly, and the menu offered a diverse selection (they even have Mazemen, one of my favorites, but now I’m hesitant to return).
I hope my experience was an isolated incident, but I would recommend trying Jinya Ramen, Oishii Ramen, or Katsu Ramen in Aurora instead."
