By Breannah Ortiz
If you are like me, then you love a good bowl of ramen. It is something you cannot beat, especially around this time of year when the leaves are starting to change color and the temperature is beginning to drop. What better way to enjoy the cold season than with a nice hot bowl of ramen?
U Ramen is a new ramen spot that opened up this year right next to the iconic Morgan Stanley building in Oxnard on Vineyard Avenue. In addition to ramen, there are an assortment of offerings including boba, Korean corn dogs, karaage, takoyaki and vegetarian options.
When I first found this location, I had not heard anyone I know talk about it. This local spot popped up for me on Yelp one day and I was intrigued. Ramen is one of my favorite dishes of all time, so I had to check this place out.
A ramen bowl usually has a variety of ingredients. You can either have a shoyu broth, which is a soy sauce-based broth, or a tonkotsu broth, which is a pork-based bone broth. Additionally, you can add chashu, which is Japanese-style pork belly, or chicken as a choice of protein. With the broth and choice of protein, you also have the option of green onions, bean sprouts and corn. U Ramen switches up the game by adding a wonton chip and a slice of lime into your bowl, and it truly makes all the difference. Lastly, of course, you have the most important ingredient of all: al dente egg noodles!
The service at U Ramen is incredibly warm and welcoming. The servers are extremely nice and hospitable. I had not even been seated or placed my order yet, but I could tell that it was going to be a great time. The ambience in the restaurant is also excellent as they have eye-catching decorations up around the shop. For now, they have the restaurant decked out with cute Halloween decorations.
Everything served here is fresh and made daily, and you can even buy some Japanese snacks and drinks like Ramune, a Japanese soft drink. If you decide to check it out, I recommend the Shu Shu Ramen, which is their most popular dish. It has now become my go-to order at U Ramen.
If you are craving some great ramen, I highly recommend U Ramen! They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and I can attest that it is some of the best ramen I have ever had. Not only is the food great, but there is the added benefit of supporting a local business. It is definitely worth the 20-minute drive from campus.
