Catch up

Trying to catch up on last week's entries:

So after oyster shucking and eating all day, we got back in our cars and rolled towards Point Reyes-where we met not one, but TWO dogs named 'Yogi'. Guess it's a popular name for dogs in the North Bay. We stopped by 'Bovine Bakery' after looking for the, closed, Cowgirl Creamery. Most peeps stopped for coffee at the bakery, but I waited til we got to the organic coffee stand closer to the center of town for my chai. Later on, after a productive shopping trip to NordieRack with Spam (silk Ici dress! $11.97!)-we all met up again at Himawari Ramen.

Himawari is basically riding the same wave of ramen enthusiasts that congregate at Santa Ramen down the street. Since I have yet to go to Santa, this review may be a bit biased-but I really enjoyed Himawari.
Decor: Himawari, in compairison to the Yelp photos of Santa, is much more modern and nicer looking than Santa. Flooring is bright hardwood and the tables and chairs are in modern dark woods and leather. Lighting is done in trendy track fixtures and the overall feel is that of a fashionable Shinjuku salon-with more square footage per table. They have a medium sized curved bar where you can watch the chefs prepare ramen and eat solo or with a date fairly comfortably.
People: a mix of Asian and American-with emphasis on hipster. The waitresses are all these adorable tiny girls in jeans and white tees printed with Himawari logos. The chefs are two young Japanese guys with cool Asia-pop hairdos. Perfect for the wannabe population. The bathroom and backroom however, have a distinctly Chinatown seedy vibe.

Menu: this is where ramen always gets a little tricky for me. Ever the ones for variety and 'having it your way'-tons of Japanese fast food type places have add-ins (see: curry at 'On the Bridge' or Katana-Ya ramen). With Himawari, you have your choice between: nori (dried seaweed), wakame (fresh seaweed), egg, corn, butter, extra cha-siu (roasted pork), bamboo shoots and buta kakuni (which is a type of fatty pork belly). There are some other add-ins, I just can't remember them right now. Every table comes with a condiment spinner of fried garlic, soy sauce, and the Japanese spice mix (not furikake, but the other one)There are also three types of soup (salt, soy and miso) and then the special tonkotsu (pork bone) soup. Not to be mistaken for tonkatsu-the breaded pork. I just had the regular tonkotsu soup and I added wakame. A ton of the table ordered the buta kakuni-which I was interested in, but felt that since my stomach was already full of oysters and other good food, I should regulate.

Overall, I liked this bowl of ramen. Last time I went to Katana-ya, I was super disappointed. Himawari is something I would probably travel to San Mateo for (they have karaage too!). The tonkotsu soup was super slick and went down my throat nicely. It was rich, but didn't taste overwhelming and the chefs gave me a hefty serving of wakame (sort of like spinach) in my bowl. The cha-siu was PERFECT. Melty, nice ridge of fat, tender. I only wish I had ordered extra-because the three slices was not enough. We all noticed that we were given the thinner ramen noodles on this day-which didn't bug me, but did other people. I didn't try the buta, but did take generous spoonfuls of Spam's snow crab omelet ramen (see photo). It was DELICIOUS! Tangy, sweet and umami omelet tops the ramen-it was borderline Thai, but soooo good.

Afterwards-because we aren't fat enough, we headed down the street to Yogurtouille (yes, there are people who are that cutesy who own businesses)-one of those PinkBerry add em in rip-offs. We asked the servers for sample cups and ahhahah! Unfortunately for them, the machines are set up to deliver their splodges of yogurt fast and furiously. So trying to get a 'little' bit of yogurt wasn't so much a dollop as a wallop. We still all got some tho', I had a mix of lychee and original tart with a ton of fruit: blackberries, blueberries, kiwi, mango and mochi!! It was good, but I think next time, I'd nix the underripe blackberries in favor of saving myself the extra weight (both on my body and the Yogurtouille pay scale). The tart yogurt is so different from the Yogurt Park cups I've been having at work; much more of an Asian sensibility-but tarter and therefore easier to eat more.
We all waddled off into the Sunset. Thus ends a very good end to a Memorial Day in my 2*th year.



I just think the Yogurtouille sign is funny. It sort of contradicts itself, but then...maybe it doesn't. Last time I ate a goji berry, I didn't get a killer sensation, but hey, maybe it rocks some people's worlds.

Himawari Ramen
202 2nd Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 375-1005

Yogurtouille
407 South B St
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 548-1381


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So I am having a little bit of a dating dilemma. If you are interested at all in hearing it and or being the answer to my prayers, please feel free to email me at: pen UNDERSCORE i AT hotmail DOT com.