robata JINYA for ramen eating wehonians

the last few days of getting hammered by unrelentless rain has thoroughly soaked my soul through and through. my shriveled up phalanges turned into flesh colored raisins rather than their normal plump selves that i use to scratch my calves with....but i digress. the main point is that it's been miserably cold and rather dampening to the spirits.

so as i sat slightly shivering on my dog gnawed forest green sofa, i recalled the time after the eat my blog bake sale when i inhaled a bowl full of ramen which left me feeling warm and toasty inside....ahhh, domo arigato mr. robata JINYA. your bowl of ramen would have been such a blessing during these cold, wet, l.a. days.

while the raindrops pounded my wee roof like pellets shot out of a cloudy bebe gun, i often found myself daydreaming about their hakata tonkotsu ramen ($9.50). the complex broth, al dente ramen, and the slices of chasu (though not quite melt-in-your-mouth like daikokuya) would have lifted my spirits even though it would not have dried my socks. the limited servings of 20 orders per day made it the "must order" choice for me that night, though the other ramen choices sounded just as delicious. if you are nowhere near daikokuya, this bowl of ramen would be a fantastic alternative.

i also ordered two robatayakis (skewered and grilled eats). dipping sauce was provided for your, erm, dipping pleasure. there was a yuzu and sesame oil dip, a cilantro dip, and a spicy mayo dip. my favorites were definitely between the yuzu and cilantro ones which did not coat your bites with shlack as thickly as the mayo one did.

the first skewer up was the japanese pumpkin ($1.90) which i suspect to be the kabocha pumpkin. its subtle hint of sweetness was accentuated by tiny flecks of salt sprinkled on during the grilling process. earthy and unadulturated. i like.

the eggplant ($1.80) was a surprise when it arrived to me under a flurry of bonito flakes. tender from the grill, the eggplant was a tasty mush in my mouth. and the bonito flakes? YUM. if you enjoy the taste of smoke, dried bonito fish, then the marriage between the two was a perfect balance of flavors.

robata jinya is a wonderful addition to weho, allowing wehonians that crave ramen to find a tasty bowl close to home. although i was rained in the past couple of days, the memories of such soul warming food made me long for an authentic bowl as i heifed down a bowl of instant ramen at home. anyways, till we meet again...or more realistically, if you have a spot for walk-ins like me!

merry christmas peeps and have a jolly good night!

Robata JINYA
8050 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 653-8877

www.jinya-la.com/

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!