Asa Ramen

If any restaurant deserves five stars, this one is it! Tucked away secret of Gardena. There Kotteri and Fire Bowl Crazy ramen are all we come for. If you’re extra hungry, you can order extra noodles for a Buck more or order there fried gyoza. Bring cash unless spending more than $ 20! Simple yet tasty.

I love Asa Ramen. It’s always going to be one of my go to places when I’m in Gardena. I love the authenticity of the place, and the humble down to earth people who work there. Appetizers are a must! The scallops, calamari, and the potato croquettes (easy on the sauce) is heaven. It’s one of the top ramen places in the LA area if you’re around for a visit! Try and go! It’s amazeballs!

Oh my gosh, the ramen here is amazing. The service was also excellent. Price is also very reasonable. The only thing I dislike was the cigarette smell coming from the karaōke section, not cool when your eating dinner.

Asa falls on my top ten ramen spots in the Southbay area! I’ve tried a handful of different places and Asa ramen always hits the spot. On top of that, it’s located on Western Ave. where most bomb food places are too, like Kula, Star BBQ, Moon BBQ, the Local Place, etc.
I’ve been here numerous times, during lunch and dinner! Heads up, they close for a couple hours after lunch in order to get ready for dinner. I like how late they close which is at 2am. It’s normally busy around 9−11pm and then it slows down after that (except weekends!). Friday and Saturday nights get crazy. Not to mention, college peeps live around the area so they eat here a lot.
Parking lot isn’t too bad. I get lucky every time and find parking right away. It’s located in a small plaza, next to other food spots and is connected to some type of kareoke bar/​lounge. I have yet to walk in there.
As for the food, gyoza is a must! Not too oily or overly seasoned, soft & crispy at the same time! They’re noticeably smaller than other gyoza. I’m a miso ramen kind of girl so that’s my number one choice. I always, always ask for chili oil or chili paste o/​s too. The hubby and I recently tried the yakisoba noodles topped with an egg. and we fell in love with it! Check out their specials on the chalk board.
5 stars because I’ve never had a bad experience here. Some people might think it’s quite small but to me, it’s A-​okay. There’s usually two servers and they have everything under control. If you need something, don’t be shy to get their attention. Don’t depend on them to always check up on you. Besides, you most need them when they’re not around.

I used to come to Asa about once a week when I worked in the restaurant business because they are opened late and the ramen is always so comforting. After a while, it became my go to spot for ramen, which says a lot because the South Bay has a lot of different ramen shops. This little hole in the wall is normally pretty consistent, flavor wise and it’s so convenient because it’s never too crowded where we can’t get a table. I definitely prefer going during dinner because the whole menu is available and I’ve found that service is better at night.
My normal order is the Kotteri shoyu ramen with an egg and we get an order of the fried calamari and a Sapporo. The broth for the ramen is so thick and flavorful but it’s not too overwhelming and the noodles are the perfect thinness. The ramen comes with chashu and bamboo shoots and I love adding a soft boiled egg in. Their egg is more well done and not super runny but I think it complements the ramen as is. I loveeee the calamari. It’s not the traditional calamari you may be thinking of. It’s mainly the legs and they are battered very lightly and have a nice texture. It comes with a small salad under it with yummy dressing and you dip the calamari in Japanese mayo, which is BOMB. Highly recommend! I’ve had a few other appetizers, and they are all pretty standard but I wouldn’t really suggest the fried rice. I didn’t think it had enough flavor. All in all, pretty good ramen at a good price and very convenient. ^.^

Went here for lunch on a Saturday. We originally went to Ramen Yamadaya but it was still having a waitlist. Then we went to Jidaiya but they were closed for sewer problem. Then went to Asa. It’s been years since the last time we came.
The place was completely empty. We ordered tonkotsu and shio lunch combos. The ramen/​broth was ok. Nothing special and not as strong as when they first opened years ago. The fried rice was pretty bad. It was warm-​cold like being microwaved for 30 seconds. The gyoza was ok. Service was ok, no comment on that.
I don’t think we will come again though.

I was really excited to try this place instead of going to the usual ramen places, but I was slightly disappointed. My boyfriend and I both got the lunch special with kotteri ramen but I got the fried rice while he got steamed rice with egg. When we walked in at 2:10, there was no one inside and then the chef popped his head up and told us to have a seat. Shortly after, the waitress appeared and she was really friendly. It took awhile to get our food even though we were the only ones in the restaurant.
Our food finally came! I liked the broth of the ramen in that although I do like the richer broth of Santouka better, it’s a nice and lighter alternative to have once in awhile. It’s light but flavorful. I didn’t really like the chashu in that it wasn’t that flavorful and was kind of dry. I was so excited for the fried rice since Japanese ramen places usually have pretty good fried rice but I was really disappointed. The fried rice was extremely bland, and the rice was overcooked and mushy. It came with 3 gyoza, which were crispy and delicious.
Service wise, they were really slow and the waitress often went to the back and there wasn’t anyone else in the front. When we needed water or the check, we had to wait until she came out to ask her.
The ramen was okay and it’s a lot of food for $ 9, but I probably would not come here again since there are much better options in the area.

Ramen on my mind again. Asa Ramen has a high rating and I’ve been I’ve been itching to visit. I finally got a chance to go and they were closed for lunch (Monday). Fast forward a couple more weeks and voila, they were open for lunch (Friday), woo hoo.
It was a ghost town when I got there. Only 2 other person in the place. The waitress was also missing in action, so I just seated myself.
I got the ramen set lunch. I chose the Kotteri ramen (chashu) and it came with 3 fried gyoza and your choice of rice, fried rice or salad. I picked fried rice.
The Pro:
The best, repeat, THE BEST ramen broth I’ve tasted. It had that super porky flavor, rich and absolutely delicious.
The Con:
It was served with thin ramen noodles. I am not a fan of this type of noodle.
There were only 3 pcs of chashu in the bowl. All thinly sliced and lean. Yap, no fat. That’s a no no in my book.
The fried rice was microwaved. The problem with an empty restaurant is you’ll hear everything in the kitchen, specially that special ding a microwave makes.
That didn’t help the fried rice at all. It was bland and even though it went through the microwave, it was barely room temperature. A sad fried rice.
The fried gyoza was just okay.
The worst part:
The door was open because it was a hot day and the breeze coming in was refreshing. After I got my food the chef went out to smoke. Guess where the smoke went, it wasn’t a pleasant experience to have cigarette smoke with your food.
The BEST ramen broth, but that was it.
Everything else was a disappointment.
2015 Review #80

This truly a hole-​in-​the-​wall Japanese restaurant. My hbby and I had a hankering for some ramen, and decided to give this place a shot. They have some pretty good ramen options, takoyaki, and gyoza too. They have some other stuff on the menu too, but those were the standouts for me.
They are open pretty late, and it’s cozy and quaint inside. It is also connected to a karaōke bar next door… so that’s fun! We sat at the bar, which overlooks the open kitchen… I love watching people cook.
We both ordered ramen and they were pretty decent. The noodles were of a thinner variety, and the salt broth was good, but I’ve had way better. I will totally be back, because I’d like to try some of their other menu items, and they are open late. They’re definitely not serving my favorite ramen, but on a late night in the South Bay, where everything closes dumb-​early, it does the trick!

Asa Ramen might be the place you can go for your late night ramen cravings. They are open until 1am most days of the week, which is atypical of the area. (It being in a sleepy LA suburb where most things that aren’t fast food are closed at that hour)
It’s a pretty modest store front, and you might miss it, if you don’t know what you are trying to find. It can be confusing as there are many different Japanese places here. Look out for its red sign and you’ll be able to find it.
Ramen here comes in various styles (e.i. Kotteri, Assari, and salt) and different sizes (small and large). For $ 2 dollars more, the large gives you more noodles and broth. The bowls are much bigger but the meat, and other things aren’t significantly different between sizes. The Kotteri ramen has a balanced broth and the noodles have a good bounce to them. No complaints.

A-​OK. I’ve never really tried any of the ramen places in the South Bay so I decided to come to Asa on a Friday afternoon for lunch.
FOOD:
$ 9 ramen lunch special can’t be beat! I got the kotteri ramen, fried rice and gyoza. The combo can also be non-​ramen items. The ramen was okay, broth was good, but didn’t have that sticky-​lipped richness of tonkotsu broth. Noodles were good, the chasiu wasn’t very tender. Fried rice was super bland! I added chili and ramen broth to it, which helped a little. Wish they had vinegar out on the tables. Gyoza was on the oily side.
SERVICE:
I was here at 1:30pm and there was only 1 other customer there. Food came out quickly, there was only one server and one chef working.
VENUE/​PARKING:
Place is pretty spacious! Bar counter on the right, tables on the left. Restroom is down the hallway to the left, follow the signs! Parking is readily available in the plaza.
Happy I tried it, but I don’t think I’ll be back.

This place is always crackin when I drive by. Decided to come one weekend night probably around 9pm. Sat pretty much right away and other tables were taken up too. Service was quick. I thought the portions were pretty small, and the taste was just whatever. Not exactly bland but not flavorful either. What maybe saved it was this extra spicy stuff you could add and it didn’t seem spicy at first but then it kicks in! lol. Not good enough for me to return but at least glad I tried it out or I’d always wonder. Just other better spots nearby.
I do believe they have specials during the week though, ramen + gyoza for like $ 5.

So this will have been my 3^rd ramen joint that I’ve been to so I at least have something to compare it to. I ordered the Salt Ramen because I heard it was good and added a boiled egg because boiled eggs in ramen is my shizz. First off, the noodles are al dente which I’m not a fan of, I personally don’t like them chewy in any meal ramen or otherwise. The broth was flavorless BUT my friends pork based ramen broth was super good and very flavorful as was my moms soy sauce based ramen. You have the option to add toppings (that’s where the egg came in) but I didn’t feel there was enough options like Hakata ramen shin sen gumi that I’ve had previously. The chashu in the ramen I will say was on point and I wish there was more.
I also orders the garlic butter soy scallops and man I could eat those all day every day. They were so damn good and that buttery goodness made me feel warm and fuzzy. They serve it with a little salad with dressing and some snap peas which were also delightful. Only con here was that for $ 6.50 the portion was hella small and they must have been mini scallops because I had to double take to make sure that’s what I was looking at.
Service was great, the water refill was on point my glass never got to empty and they were very attentive. Overall the place was good but not my favorite although there were a few highlights to our meal.

I typically judge a ramen place not only by the taste, but also by the ramen cook. This place did not have a Japanese ramen cook. In fact, none of the workers were Japanese except for the waitress. The broth was nothing to write home about and the noodles were forgettable. I ordered a side of kimchi and that was probably the best thing.
Other irritating things — the parking lot is always overly crowded. I had to park on the street. They also take cash only. I had to walk across the street to the bank to get cash.
There are definitely better ramen places in Gardena.

Happy hour 6−8pm, ramen is only $ 4.50! But there are added costs, like for the soft-​boiled egg +$ 1.80, each cup of tea +$ 2.00, and so on so dinner for my mom and me still came out to $ 21.
Calamari appetizer was really good, nice and light even thought it was fried. The breading didn’t overpower the squid, and it came with a bit of salad that was a refreshing complement.
I had the kotteri (pork broth) ramen, with no extras because I was still pretty full from a late lunch. It was the perfect size, with 2 pieces of pork that were nice and tender. Noodles were chewy and the broth was full of flavor (just a teeny bit salty but I’m pretty sensitive to salt).
With no extras, this is a heck of a deal for a bowl of ramen that hits the spot on a cold night. I recommend the calamari too!

I really want to like Asa Ramen more… I really do. In all honesty, Ramen Yamadaya is my favorite local choice but they had a small wait, and I was feeling impatient.
Arrived right when they opened at 6pm (their second opening hours). Ordered the Kotteri ramen to share as well as bacon with asparagus and two orders of gyoza. one deep fried, one pan-​fried? The ramen here is just okay to me. Not too much flavor, just okay. The bacon and asparagus was okay as well. The bacon was pretty fatty, so I skipped a few pieces. Lastly, the gyoza. I personally really liked the gyoza… but I wanted the ramen to be the main show.
The servers are great and friendly, I just want something more.

Om nom nom nom — spicy ramen get in mah belly.
PARKING: Shared lot
FOOD:
–Spicy ramen: This was a level 8 out of 10. I was so disappointed that they don’t offer corn as a side, but the ramen kind of made up for it. The spiciness is more of a slow burn that builds. Aside from this spice factor, the ramen itself is not bad but definitely not the best I’ve had. They add dried chili on top that my coworkers ate.crazies.
TIP:
–Credit card minimum payment of $ 20

Thanks for being open on Christmas eve! Had a later dinner after work and Asa’s ramen hit the spot.
They have two sizes (regular $ 6.95 and large for like $ 9.95). Asa isn’t open for ramen, they have tons of appetizers, other dishes and Japanese curry as well. Don’t forget their Takoyaki too! Made fresh, original or try some other Takoyaki stuffings. I loved their food. Minimum credit use is $ 20. Good fast service.

I was so excited to try Asa Ramen and it was a mediocre bowl of ramen. I brought my dad with me too who is a ramen enthusiast and he was not impressed at all.
AMBIANCE:
Dark and small restaurant. Not very well lit and it looks a bit run down.
FOOD:
I ordered the koterri lunch special which comes with 3 pieces of gyoza and cha han. Overall, I would rate it a ²⁄₅.
The ramen broth was really watery and lacked flavor. I prefer my broths rich in flavor and silky. It also didn’t come with additional toppings for free… It only came with bamboo and green onions. The gyozas were also not very good. They weren’t as crunchy as I’d like and the filling had a weird aftertaste to it. It had a slight cinnamony taste? My dad and I both agreed that the gyoza was not tasty. Lastly, the cha han was extremely bland.
SERVICE:
Not the best. I came in at 12PM and the restaurant was pretty empty. There was only one server and cook. The service was really slow and it took fairly long for the food to come out.
I wouldn’t come back here again. I don’t recommend Asa to others as well. There are definitely way better ramen joints in Gardena and/​or Torrance.

This is my current favorite ramen place. I place a high importance on the broth.
It is my firm belief that an excellent ramen broth can sufficiently carry mediocre noodles and toppings. However, even the best toppings and noodles cannot overcome a bad broth.
The kotteri pork bone broth is beautiful. It is the correct, subtle, delicious flavor that pork bone broth (tonkotsu) should be. It contains just the right amount of oil and fat. It is not too salty, and not too overpowering. It contains just the right amount of flavor. You can tell they put love and passion into simmering the pork bones for many hours. In essence, it is the perfect ramen broth. I have explored Southern California, and Asa ramen’s pork broth has no parallel. Granted I know I have not tried every place, but this is my current number one.
The noodles were firm, which is how I like them. I also ordered extra pork back fat, kimchi, and extra chashu. The kimchi was spicy. Overall a beautiful bowl of ramen.
The service is always friendly and accommodating. Sometimes the server speaks only a little english, but it’s usually not a problem because they are familiar with the menu.
Asa Ramen is run by Japanese people that speak Japanese. They certainly know what they are doing when it comes to tonkotsu ramen.