The word “beast” characterized the hunger I felt as I waited outside Chinatown’s newest hotspot, Ramen Champ, for dinner on Saturday night. Some may be familiar with the restaurant's chef and creator, Alvin Cailan, owner of USC hotspot Eggslut, located at Grand Central Market. Chef Cailan's newest concept, which opened its doors just last week, has already attracted the attention of ramen connoisseurs throughout Los Angeles. 

Seasonal mushrooms fried until golden brown and crisp. (Giselle Dizon/Neon Tommy)

At its second floor-plaza location on Broadway, Ramen Champ had a decent crowd of people waiting patiently outside to be seated. The quaint interior features a counter facing the busy open kitchen and a few seats along the wall. From the walls covered in black-and-white comic book illustrations to the catchy phrases printed on the chopsticks wrappers, it is apparent that Chef Cailan has put much thought into creating an enjoyable and unique dining experience.

The set up here is a bit different than most ramen restaurants. The hostess greets customers outside and takes their name, the number of people in the party and their orders all at once. After waiting about 25 minutes, my friends and I were seated at the counter right in front of the chefs, allowing us to observe the creation and creativity in the kitchen.

Customer turnover at Ramen Champ is fairly frequent. Orders fly one after the other and the actual eating is very quick-and-go, since the only real waiting time is up front with the hostess. Once customers are shown to their seats, their drinks have already arrived, and the food is served within five minutes.

After sipping the iced matcha tea (which possessed a potent flavor and vibrant green color), my friends and I sampled the seasonal fried mushrooms and Tako Tots. The mushrooms were encrusted in a lightly seasoned batter and paired with a dollop of sweet and spicy mayonaisse. The mushrooms were fried perfectly, maintaining both the crunch of the golden batter, but the firmness of the mushrooms. The Tako Tots are similar to a classic Japanese street food known as Takoyaki, bite-sized balls comprised of wheat flour batter and diced octopus. The Tako Tots were also lightly fried and drizzled with a similar mayo-based sauce.

The Tonkotsu Ramen possesses a flavorful, pork-based broth. (Giselle Dizon/Neon Tommy)

As the main course, I ordered the classic Tonkotsu Ramen, which is composed of a rich, pork-based broth that tends to be “milky” in color. The generous helping can be shared between two people if desired, but on occasion I’ve been known to order a whole bowl for myself. The broth possessed a strong sesame flavor, was drizzled with soy sauce and sesame seeds and garnished with thinly sliced scallions and red radish. My favorite additions were the chashu pork (pieces of very tender marinated pork) and a soft-boiled egg. The broth had just the right amount of salt, not sacrificing flavor for low salinity. There was an ample noodles-to-broth ratio, which is of great importance to frequent ramen eaters. 

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I should note that Ramen Champ is also unlike many other ramen places in that they charge more than what you may normally find: around $12.99 a bowl. However, they do offer a special rate of $15 if you order both a ramen bowl and a side rice bowl.

After the meal, I have to agree with the restaurant's humorous chopsticks wrapper: "My fav type of men is [indeed] Ramen." Despite the higher price point per bowl, Ramen Champ is bound to have a steady flow of visitors eager to try out Chef Cailan’s new noodle joint.

Visit Ramen Champ at 727 N. Broadway, Ste #203, Chinatown

Contact Staff Reporter Giselle Dizon here and follow her on Instagram here.