I was really excited to try Silverlake Ramen because I'm always on the hunt for a great ramen spot. I absolutely loveeeeee ramen it's one of my favorite comfort foods and I genuinely enjoy trying new places and experiencing different flavors. Unfortunately this visit was a huge disappointment.
My mom, sister, and I came in around 3 PM on a Saturday. There was only one other family dining there when we arrived, and they left shortly after leaving the restaurant completely empty for the rest of our visit.
I ordered the Shoyu on Fire Ramen with the spicy clear chicken broth. Unfortunately, the broth lacked depth of flavor and tasted watered down. It was mostly just very salty, and I honestly didn't enjoy it. I let our waitress know, and she was very kind and offered me a to go bowl so my mom could take it home for lunch. I appreciated that, and I wasn't expecting anything to be taken off the bill I simply didn't want the food to go to waste.
Hoping I would have better luck, I ordered the Blaze Ramen which is described as a spicy creamy pork stock broth. Based on the description, I was expecting something much richer and more flavorful. It came out promptly which I appreciated, but unfortunately I was disappointed again. The broth was still overly salty, and the noodles were not cooked well it wasn't enjoyable. I took a couple bites trying to give it a fair chance, but I ended up leaving the entire bowl basically untouched which is absolutely unheard of for me.
I was extremely bummed out because I had been craving some bomb ramen for so long, and was so hungry and this was just not hitting the spot at all. As someone who genuinely loves ramen, I really wanted to love this place.
I politely asked our waitress if the second ramen could be removed from the bill and taken back. She was understanding, removed it, and even offered me a to go container, which I declined because I genuinely did not enjoy it enough to take home.
My sister ordered the Shoyu Ramen as well. She said it was just okay but finished it because she was hungry. We also shared the fried gyoza and chicken karaage, and those were actually delicious and the highlight of our meal.
Unfortunately, what really left a bad impression happened as we were leaving. After we paid, I noticed the waitresses and chef standing together talking. Since we were the only customers there and had just sent two bowls back, it felt like our table was the topic of conversation. Whether that was the case or not, that was the impression it gave.
I smiled, waved, and said, "Thank you, have a great day!" but was met with complete silence and blank stares. My sister walked out shortly after, thanked them as well, and experienced the exact same thing.
I've worked in food service myself as a server, hostess, and food runner, so I understand that not every customer will love every dish. My issue was never personal I simply did not enjoy the ramen. We were respectful throughout the entire meal, and our waitress handled everything professionally. Even after being disappointed by the food, we still made a point to thank everyone before leaving.
Sadly, we won't be returning. I really wanted to love this place, but between the bland, overly salty ramen and the cold farewell, it just wasn't a good experience. I hope to find an amazing ramen spot in Chino that I can happily support instead.
My recommendation: skip Silverlake Ramen in Chino and try another ramen spot instead. read more