Tiffany Acosta
Audio By Carbonatix
Welcome to Best Bites, a series where we celebrate not a whole restaurant or menu, but one specific and amazing dish. These bites have something to say and we are listening. Keep reading for dishes that are seriously worth the trek across metro Phoenix to find. Dig in!
With many ramen restaurants in metro Phoenix, Yutaka Japanese Restaurant is a must-try for anyone who is a fan of the warm Japanese soup, made with a combination of richly flavored broth, a variety of types of noodles, a selection of meats or vegetables, and often, a soft boiled egg.
Most of the Valley’s ramen restaurants are concentrated in the East Valley, but Yutaka, located on Bell Road, is one of the few in north Phoenix.
The small restaurant recently gained attention after a video of TikTok user Tmjbbx explaining he tried every ramen restaurant in Phoenix, went viral. Yutaka made into the top five ramen places in Phoenix.
On a recent Saturday afternoon, the intimate restaurant decorated with izakaya-style Japanese lanterns and nobori, or Japanese banners, was crowded and lively.
Servers floated from table to table helping customers decipher the long menu of traditional Japanese dishes such as takoyaki, sushi, and sashimi. But the restaurant is known for its ramen.
Takoyaki with bonito flakes and “Monkey Brains,” a deep-fried mushroom with spicy tuna, crab, and cream cheese.
Tiffany Acosta
Tonkotsu ramen, beef udon, and tempura udon are just a few of the classic noodle dishes that they make but the must-try is the spicy miso ramen.
The miso broth has a creamy texture, with a nutty taste and is paired with chashu, simmered and braised pork, a jammy soft-boiled egg, scallions, crisp bean sprouts, sweet corn, and spicy Japanese chile.
The combination of the warm broth, the chewy noodles, and the crunchy bean sprouts complement its rich flavor. The broth is the star, and could have been served alone since it was packed with toasty, salty, umami flavors. A refreshing peach tea helped us cool down the subtle warm spice.
Yutaka praises themselves for using fresh ingredients, and the attention to detail shines through. It’s easy to see why this spot beat out so many others on the Tmjbbx list, and next time we visit, we’ll make sure to order an extra ramen to-go.
Yutaka
751 East Bell Road #9
602-843-8882
yutakajapanese.business.site
