Ramen Tatsunoya

Rich, creamy tonkotsu is a hallmark of ramen that originates in chef Ryuta Kajiwara’s hometown in southern Japan, which is where he founded Ramen Tatsunoya in 1999. The business proliferated across Japan, and in 2015, expanded to Old Pasadena and later to Silver Lake. Many a ramen lover has waxed poetic about Tatsunoya’s magical broth—a rich yet incredibly light soup made only with pork bones and water simmered for over 15 hours at a high temperature to coax out maximum umami flavor. Koku tonkotsu is the more formidable broth, versus the milder Jun, and comes with classic accompaniments, fat-streaked chashu, and optional (but essential!) flavored egg.