The service is great and cleanliness is notable. But I can't give anything more than 2 stars for food - maybe it's an off day or maybe it's the first ramen order of the day (I was the first to be seated after they opened at 11am) that the cook forgot that he just had way too Much salt!!!! The broth and noodles are almost inedible. I just stopped eating and asked for it to be packaged to go - maybe I can add boiling water when I go home to water down the broth! So now am waiting on the miso butter cake (without ice cream, an option that's available to you for $2). It's just nippy outside, not in the mood for anything cold! After about 7 minutes, lo and behold - burnt walnuts (bitter!) garnishing an otherwise okay plate. The cake was burnt on the edges and at the bottom. Memories come rushing back and quickly reminded me why I never went back the first time I ate here 4 years ago! Sorry Dennis, I would have loved your recommendations... you didn't disappoint with the others! read more

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I've been wanting to go to Alkaline for quite awhile. I always forget they aren't open on Sunday and Monday but I'm usually gone out of town by then. So I was really happy I finally got to go this past weekend. I ordered the spicy red curry ramen and tator tot okonomiyaki. Both were delicious and I was happy the noodles were nice and springy. The okonomiyaki didn't have traditional fixings or ingredients but still tasted savory and delicious. The service I've received was prompt and friendly. I hardly had to wait for anything including ordering, and checkout. I thought my server had good timing and promptness without making me feel rushed to clear the table. It's a fine balance between the two and it really is an art. I also liked how she didn't interrupt my conversation with my mom. All in all, the combination of service and food made it 5/5. I'm looking forward to visiting again in the future. read more

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I had a great experience at Alkaline. I really enjoyed the tonkotsu ramen and ordered another serving of noodles. I've now been here 5 separate times and have recommended it to friends in the area because it is so tasty. The servers have all been very hospitable. The happy hour special is a great deal: I want to say it's 15% off ramen and $1 off all add-ons with cheap drinks. The interior of the restaurant (including the bathrooms) is very nice. I also love that the menu doesn't have an abundance of items. I wish the water cups were a little bigger and that the long cushion seats did not move around. Still, Alkaline is my favorite ramen spot in Hampton Roads, and I will be back very soon. read more

Alkaline - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Went around 6pm on a Saturday evening. It was almost a full house with some customers waiting by the door. We ordered the wings appetizer which came out fairly quickly but it took a very long time for the ramen to come out. Also noticed that a lot of other customers were waiting a long time for their food. The wings and ramen tasted good. The music was loud and upbeat by the bar. The workers were all friendly however they could have stopped by more often for water refills. read more

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Great service. Quick. The Asian wings were delicious. The ramen was very salty though. I haven't had ramen many times so I can't easily compare but it was definitely salty. The menu is slightly too small also. Not many options. read more

My partner has been a huge supporter of this company, Alkaline since they were a pop up shop, since they were at a butcher. Today, I finally caved in and went... left with the biggest frown on my face and was incredibly disappointed. This place is watered down and has nothing going on for your flavor palette. Service, Ambiance: chill little place with decent seating, scenery and lighting. Service was good, just a quick spot. Asian Sticky Wings: crispy, good crunch to it but very bland... not much going on on the outside other than presentation, inside of the meat was very bland and just white, no sight of seasoning. Beef Noodle Soup: there was absolutely no depth in this noodle soup which is labeled as "spicy" on their menu -- no spice at all! No depth at all, this soup tasted nothing but salt and nothing else. Tonkotsu Ramen: it's hard to mess up tonkotsu ramen simply because of the process to get the actual broth however there was nothing spectacular about this dish. Overall service and ambience was cool. I would come back for that however, the food is very bland and I would never come back for the food. read more

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Before going to Alkaline, I had only tried Cup of Noodles or the kind of ramen you get in a packet. "How different could it be?" I thought. Well...it is really different, in the best way! I've tried the Kim Chi Ramen and the Tonkatsu Ramen, and both were absolutely delicious. The kim chi is not overpowering and adds just the right amount of flavor. The thing that sets Alkaline's Ramen apart from other restaurants (for me) is the shredded pork. I've been to other restaurants that use pork belly instead and while it was still good, it can be too fatty for my taste sometimes. On my most recent visit, I tried their sticky wings, and...wow. It had the perfect amount of crunch and the sauce was just sooo good. I'm typically not a bone-in wing person, but for these wings, I will be! read more

Super cool Japanese themed restaurant right in the heart of Norfolk. The interior has Japanese anime and some great books about ramen to read while you wait. The tables are comfortable and the menu isn't overwhelming- the heavy focus is on ramen (with the ability to customize) and everyone enjoyed theirs at our table - both those familiar - and unfamiliar with authentic ramen. Our waitress was so friendly, happily explained everything to us, and even surprised one of our children with a birthday dessert. We will definitely be going back! read more

My first time EVER eating ramen that's not from my instant noodle stash back at home lol. I was super nervous to try only because I'm a shin ramen stan and anything other than that I hesitate with. Asian Sticky Wings: To start off my boyfriend and I shared these and they were AMAZING. The crispy breading was unmatched and offered the most amazing crunch. The flavor was also great and had an amazing kick to it, but not too much of a kick. You get 6 wings in each order so it was plenty between the two of us. Beef Noodle Soup: I decided to go with this one because it seemed to have simpler ingredients compared to the rest on the menu. On the menu it was listed as a spicy ramen but there was no hint of spice at all to me personally. The flavor was excellent and the noodles were perfectly al dente. However if you're not a big cilantro person I would definitely opt out of this one or ask for less to be added. I found it to be overpowering at times in this dish. Daiquiri: This drink packs a punch. The lime definitely is the star of the show in this cocktail. I would definitely order it again as it did it's purpose if you know what I mean lol. It was one of the cheaper ones on the menu as well at $9 Service: The service was great being that they were short staffed the night we went. All the food and drinks arrived very quickly even with the dinner rush. Our server was super attentive and checked in frequently to make sure everything was to our liking. Ambiance: Loved the neon signs throughout the restaurant especially as it got darker. They had a tv playing anime which was really cool too. Perfect place for a rainy day as it has a super cozy element. read more

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Highly recommend going right when they open for large groups! Gave a 4/5 stars bc they weren't serving alcohol. Issue with their liquor license. Glad we went to the Veil Brewing before hand lol Plenty of parking area. But it does get crowded. They share a parking area with Aldi, GameStop, tropical smoothie and more. They have clean bathrooms available. No changing table at the one we went to. But there's room on the counter top if needed. Ramen. Always delicious and the perfect dinner on this "snowed in" night. Staff was always on point! I don't think my cup was ever empty. They always made sure everyone was hydrated read more

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I have loved this place since before they had their own location great food and great menu read more

It wasn't bad, i got the beef pho. It was tasty but I've had better pho. I didn't get the chance to grab a drink. The service was efficient and servers were friendly! read more

Alkaline is our favorite ramen spot in Hampton Roads! We have been following Alkaline since they opened as a pop up and was glad to see them in their own space. It is a drive for us but good food (especially ramen) is worth a little drive right? I recommend you follow their Instagram page as well for updates and new kitchen items! We ordered the tater tot okonomiyaki, shoyu ramen, and the spicy beef noodle soup. The tater tot appetizer was perfectly balanced with the Japanese kewpie mayo, bacon, and the okonomiyaki. The ramen broth on both the Shoyu and beef noodle soup are extremely flavorful and tastes like a lot of effort had been put into it. We substituted the pork with shredded beef on the Shoyu bowl and it was a great combo. The ramen noodles were cooked just right and firm to our liking. On top of everything, the interior gives the place a warm and welcoming vibe with a modern touch. My only complaint would be the bowl of ramen could be a little hotter coming out but it's not that bad. We will continue to frequent this place for ramen cravings and suggest it to anyone looking for a ramen spot! read more

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I've visited on a few occasions and overall--not impressed. I'll start with the pros: service and ambiance. The interior is nice; it feels spacious and modern. Nice vibes. Every staff member I spoke to was really nice. Helpful with questions and good conversation as I typically am a solo diner at the bar. As far as drinks: awesome beer selection and (although pricey) LOVE the miso butter cake for dessert. Don't like the ramen (more on that below) but their occasional specials hit the spot. They recently had a duck noodle pho-style soup that brought me in a few times. I honestly would only come back for that but sadly, it was a temporary menu item. Now the cons: you're here for ramen. But my opinion: the ramen just isn't good. The broth isn't very flavorful and I just don't like the fusion style--while open to new things, I find I just prefer authentic style ramen. Also, they use a shredded pork (which I haven't seen before). The flavor reminded me of BBQ pulled pork which was really off putting to me in a bowl of ramen. It seems to clash flavor wise with everything else in the bowl. Overall, if you're open to trying some fusion dishes, give it a try! But just not my personal cup of tea and I'll be getting ramen elsewhere. I used to love this spot but it seems to have declined since it's moved to this newer bigger location. read more

This place is terrible. The ramen was gross It's not even authentic The Ramen tastes Instant ramen

My first time here and I was not impressed. I wanted to try this place out since day one but having eaten ramen my whole life, I didn't feel the need to go out and buy it when I eat noodles at home. So I really really wanted to like this place. Middle of the week, Some in our dinner party got there early and waited at the bar. The bartender didn't even acknowledge them or ask if they wanted a drink. Ignored, they called out to him to get a drink. Besides getting their drinks, the 30 mins at the bar they had some sort of invisibility clock on cause they were ignored the res of the time. Once we sat down to the table, our server took awhile to get to us, but she was decent, but let me just say, the tall skinny guy looked pissed and was unfriendly. He "helped" bring the food out to the table, but he just looked irritated and pretty close, slammed the plates down. The apps were good and we all really enjoyed them. I got the ramen bowl and I liked the ramen's bite, but the katsu itself seemed flavorless, it was pounded down thin, but I prefer the meat to be thicker then the breading. The soup was decent, but heavy and saltier then I preferred. While we were still eating, the wrong bill and credit card was placed on our table without a single word asked. We asked the couple next to us if it was theirs, but it wasn't. That credit card info can be quite valuable in the wrong hands. Just incredible how disengaged the place is. Overall: Service (2) and food(4) combined =3 stars. read more

Great ramen, great drinks, great service. The asian sticky wings are a must have for anyone coming here. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance and lighting made the experience feel classy yet affordable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

My husband and I stopped by for dinner and since it was chilly, we both thought ramen would be the perfect meal to warm us up. What we enjoyed about alkaline was the ambiance and the fusion nature. The food was super flavorful and you can tell they take their craft seriously. My absolute favorite thing was the dessert tho!! The miso butter cake with the scoop of vanilla icecream is a MUST! We missed happy hour by the time our server got to us, but if you're able to make it in time, you get a discount on the ramen, small plates, drinks, and ramen toppings. read more

Came here on a cold day to warm ourselves up with some ramen. Located in a strip mall however as soon as you walk in it definitely has its own unique vibe. We got the Brussels for apps which were PACKED with flavor. I got the vegetarian ramen - the broth was amazing especially mixed with some chili oil for an extra kick. I added the egg and glad I did - it was the most PERFECT ramen egg I've eaten . Their choice of vegetables for the dish was interesting as to how raw they were but somehow it worked with the dish. Other items on the menu looked so interesting as well .... would definitely come again if we were in town. read more

Alkaline - Creamy Vegetable Paitan - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Cant say enough good things about this restaurant. Customer service is superb. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is extremely clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I absolutely love the food. read more

Worth it! We drive about 25-30 mins for this place past plenty of ramen spots. We love alkaline, it's such a nice establishment and the staff are always nice. The STICKY WINGS I get them every time I go. I've tried multiple Ramen dishes and haven't been disappointed yet. read more

Alkaline - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Alkaline is a treasure. I ordered the tonkotsu ramen and it came out quick and hot and the entire entree was packed with flavor. The service was great and in particular Danni was fantastic! She was super nice and the drinks she supplied were top shelf. I will Be coming back to this gem read more

Alkaline - Tonkotsu Ramen - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Ambiance was great, everyone seems really welcoming and accommodating. And it's great place to have wine with really good price during happy hour. However, the food was not great. I have had better ramen and fried wing chickens somewhere else. read more

Alkaline has very good ramen noodle options on their menu. They allow you to customize your ramen with many addons. Over all I would say it was very good romen, not the best I have had but really good. For dessert they had a really good miso butter cake, which was nice and warm. Recommend you ask them to add on ice cream on top. read more

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yummy food and great service, I will definitely be returning soon. my only critique is that the spicy items aren't actually spicy at all but that's easily fixed with chili oil. read more

Modern ambiance, quality ramen, and fun cocktails!! Alkaline is conveniently located in a shopping plaza with plenty of parking. Inside, the decor is hip, fun, and classy with anime playing on a few TV screens. Popped in for a Sunday dinner with friends. The wait for a party of 6 was not long at all (though I hear they're more busy on Fridays/Saturdays). I ordered the tater tot okonomiyaki, tonkotsu ramen, and the Love Letter cocktail (pictured). Everything was 10/10 - the presentation/flavors/portion size were excellent! While you get what you pay for, I will say this place is on the pricy side. I'll definitely come back, but it's not somewhere I'd go to often. read more

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It seems like any time I mention to a foodie in the area that Japanese is my second language, they always ask, "ooooo, have you been to Alkaline?" Since my side of the water has finally sprung up with so many great options for dining, I really don't venture over to Norfolk/VB nearly as much as I used to. But a friend of mine decided to have her birthday dinner here, so I finally got to try it out. It's in that area downtown in the 20th St. shopping centers -- lots of restaurants, breweries/wine places down here. And despite that, I'm always surprised that I never seem to have much trouble finding a place to park. Pretty cool. Anyway, our party had a reservation and we were seated quickly. In terms of the menu, I wasn't super impressed -- it has very limited options, and it's definitely fusion -- not authentic Japanese style. But I can get down with that when the occasion calls, so I ordered the shoyu ramen because really, any ramen shop that can't knock the pork bone broth out of the water just isn't worth eating at. There was a lot I liked about my bowl -- the broth was tasty, I really liked the soft poached egg being able to mix it into the broth, noodles were pretty good. What I didn't like much - the pork was kind of dry, although being in the broth, and there weren't many veggies to accent the dish. Portion was large, so I had an extra serving for lunch the next day. Honestly, the coolest part was when we were served something we didn't order -- it was like a mushroom appetizer/dish that literally moved! When the waitress set it down, I said, "Oh my god, they served us Groot!" I didn't eat it since we hadn't ordered it but it was really fun to look at/watch. Service was great - our person took care of all of our needs. I like that they have a "buy a round of drinks for the staff" option for parties. As someone who used to work in restaurants, that just tickled my heart. In all, for the price tag, the limited menu options, and overall experience, I'd place this as a solid 4. I'd be willing to go again and try something different the next time. read more

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I don't know about you, but every time I'm under the weather I crave ramen to warm me up and soothe me. Alkaline is such a great local spot for ramen. The entire restaurant is welcoming and inviting. It definitely has a unique, trendy flare that differs from a more traditional ramen spot. I loved the ambiance and my friend loved the anime wall. The food was tasty. The brussel sprouts had great flavors and textures that we both enjoyed. The tonkatsu ramen was delicious. The shredded pork was a different twist that I've not had before. We were a little disappointed that they ran out of the octopus karaage as we both really wanted to try it, but I suppose that's just another excuse to go back. Apparently the smokehouse ramen special was amazing...I wasn't allowed to try it . I'll be back for sure! read more

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The ramen was abt a 5/10. I have had better broth for a ramen place. The egg was easy over and pretty good, haven't had it in ramen in a while. The service was not so good, our food took a long while. We couldn't flag down a staff member (they weren't even that busy). I would say the vibe was nice but the food wasn't. read more

Alkaline - tonkotsu ramen, was good about a 5/10. - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Finally had a chance to try this place out with my classmates since the semester has finally come to an end and I'M FREE! The restaurant is pretty crowded and we are a party of 6 so we had to wait for about 10-15 mins for a table. The decorations and atmosphere is very nice, wallpapers are made with popular comic books such as Dragon Ball Z and One Piece. They have a tv at the waiting area playing Gin Tama the animation, which has waken my classmates and my nerd soul and started to talk about animation while we were waiting for a table. Everything sounds fine so you might wonder why did I take a star off? The service is also good but the reason why is because of their ramen, which is the main character of a ramen restaurant. Everything are fine until I saw shredded pork is on a ramen instead of chashu (Japanese braised pork belly). I don't know if they are trying to break the tradition of ramen or they want to cut costs of the ramen but chashu is a must-have topping on a complete ramen other than if that ramen is featured in other ingredient or if you're a vegetarian/vegan. And I've never been to a ramen place, from Hong Kong to the United State, that has ramen that does not come with chashu. With disappointment, I ordered the Tonkotsu ramen, which is creamy pork broth with shReDdEd POrK, scallions, sous vide egg, a slice of fish cake(the one you see in Naruto's ramen) and some pickled ginger, and Asian sticky wings. The Asian sticky wings was ok, not enough flavor in the chicken but the breading is very crunchy and many scallions on top. The thin The Tonkutsu, as I imagined, shredded pork does not match with ramen at all. The flavor or the shredded pork has totally covered the flavor of the broth since they are blended with the soup. The noodle is very good however. The seaweed of my ramen was all soft, which it was supposed to be half in the broth(soft) and half way out(crunchy). My classmates love their food so I think here is the thing, if you expect authentic ramen like me, this is not your place. If you never had authentic ramen or you just like noodles, you will love this place. read more

Always great food and service. Never disappoints. My go to for ramen in Norfolk. Triple garlic!

Loved this place! My friends and I all went one day after class and had a blast. I got a drink called Lovespell and it had grapefruit in it. It was a little sour, but not terribly so, which I appreciated considering I don't like grapefruit much! We ordered the Tater Tot Okonomiyaki and the Asian Sticky Wings to start, and both were flavorfully great! The crust on the wings is amazing, it's like how you imagine the crust on the KFC commercial's is. It stays like that as well throughout the eating process despite the amount of sauce coating it. The sauce itself is probably one of my favorites I've ever had. You should definitely give it a go! The tater tots were crisp and were an interesting take on regular loaded tots. I quite enjoyed them. As for a main, I got the Creamy Vegetable Paitan. At first it looked interesting, but tasting it was probably the best thing ever. The broth was flavorful, and the vegetables used worked so well together. I'm not big on pickled ginger, but it was a nice burst of flavor every now and then when I got it in a bite. My favorite was the sweet potato and bok choy, but that's just me. Will come here again for sure though! read more

Alkaline - Lovespell Drink - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Alkaline aims to deliver delicious and quality ramen to an area that desperately needs it and I'm very thankful for it and its role in the community. The broth itself leans salty and not super robust like the ramen I'm used to but is flavorful in its own right and the noodles are chewy and satisfying like good noodles should be. The poached egg is nice and runny. The wings are also really crunchy and good. Probably big enough to be an entree in their own right. Their rice bowl is pretty salty so I would skip it. Save room for dessert cause the miso butter cake is surprisingly really good - warm, savory and sweet. You don't think miso belongs in a cake? Think again. It is rich and delightful. I will give the critique that their beef ramen has very little pieces of beef the last few times I tried it. read more

I tried Alkaline last night for the first time! The playlist was a vibe, and they also had anime playing! Our waiter was top tier and full of jokes! We tried the sticky wings, and fish for the appetizers. The fish was really fresh. But I could've went without it! However the Ramen was chef's kiss! I had the veggie ramen and added curry chicken! sit was soo good! Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals as well! I was excited about trying the Miso Butter Cake due to the reviews but I was not a fan! However others at my table liked it! Definitely give them a try! read more

This will be my second review for Alkaline. I wanted to update and say that this place has been amazing me since I left the first review. My boyfriend and I come here on a regular basis now! We both enjoyed an alcoholic beverage, two appetizers, and ramen. With the weather reaching almost 100 degrees, the Loveletter cocktail was the perfect drink. Tasting very refreshing and fruity, it was like drinking an adult lemonade! My boyfriend had the Thai lager, he loved it! We went with our usual order of the tonkatsu ramen and the tater tot appetizer. It never disappoints!! We also decided to try their brand new cold chili noodles with peanuts and it was so good!! The cold noodles were also a nice treat with the weather being so hot. This place had just updated their happy hour from 4-6! Come in and take advantage of the prices and the quality menu!! read more

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We came back for their NYE dim sum dinner. It was a really great experience. The lobster dumplings were good, lamb chops tender, and dip for the veggies were very flavorful. We made reservations to ensure we'd get a good table. I got a text a few days before to see if we preferred a table or would mind the bar and we let them know we'd prefer a table. We were seated very quickly and brought water also quickly. When we arrived, they were still prepping things, so not everything was ready and that was fine. They had carts going with Japanese whisky and their offerings. Some items came a la carte and we did try some of those things. We weren't too big on the duck entree that was there. The salmon onigiri was AMAZING and as big as my hand so it was very filling. I enjoyed the miso soup with clams, but it took a while to come out. The ube puffs were good, but boyfriend wasn't big on the chocolate dessert they had. I'm glad we came and gave it another chance. Maybe we'll come in for ramen one day, but not sure yet. read more

This spot is the bomb. I've been super impressed with everything I've tried so far. The beef noodle soup was rich and flavor and extremely filling. The tater tot okonomiyaki was ideal for a lighter night with its delicious combination of sauces. The miso butter cake was absolutely delectable and the perfect way to end a meal. Alkaline doesn't do bland and for that reason, I'll keep coming back for more. read more

This place is another great alternative to your local ramen spots in HR. I will have to say that the menu is simple, clean, and inviting. Just like the ambience of the restaurant. A nice bar and lobby seating area. A good variety of drinks both local and international. They have a good balance of appetizers and entrees and not to a point of being overwhelmed for first time ramen eaters. The wait staff we had was very polite and friendly. She made sure to answer our curious food questions and gave us recommendations based on our taste. We tried three tots that had fish in it that would move - seriously the fish flakes were moving. The tots tasted like roasted BBQ and a smoky flavor which was quite unique. I ordered the spicy beef and it was quite flavorful and full of spice which is what I asked for. This place is great for family gatherings, friends, and a date night. Make it a must add top your restaurant visit list! read more

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Had this review saved for a while and forgot to post! Went to Alkaline for ramen and it was definitely ramen fusion but still good - the vegetarian ramen was primarily mushroom broth based which I liked and it added an umami flavor to the ramen that I usually don't get with a solely miso based ramen (the usually veggie option). I did find it funny that the spicy sauces were essentially salsa or chutney, which was intriguing. I probably prefer other ramen spots in the area but it's a great option for Ghent with a cool vibe! read more

Traditional ramen in the states?! Yes please!!! This was such a fun visit, as it is more than just your typical "Asian fusion,".. it's more than that. Here, they take traditional flavors from Japan, Korea, and PI, and combine them with other fun flavors that we know well here in the US (okonomiyaki tater tots anyone?!?!). It literally feels like eating on a Netflix foodie documentary. I had the tonkatsu ramen which was really great, I actually liked the pulled pork in it a lot more than the traditional slice. I felt like it was slightly lacking in maybe seasoning, only based on what I've had in Japan, but it was thiiiiis close to the real thing! And seriously, okonomiyaki tater tots--- whaaaat!! Don't tell Japan, but I kinda liked these better than the traditional style, heh. The katsuo on top was not even too fishy, and the bbq and kewpie mayo was seriously perfect. Everything about it was!! I may come back JUST for that. read more

Alkaline - Okonomiyaki tater tots - Ramen Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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