Naga Naga Ramen: Slurpin' Noodles in Pasadena, California

Ramen noodle restaurants, like the relatively new Naga Naga Ramen restaurant in the Old Town section of Pasadena, California, are an interesting phenomenon. Ramen is one of the cheapest foods available at the grocery store, so why pay $8 for a bowl at a restaurant? The answer lies in the amazing seductive power of ramen.

I really love Ramen noodles. I've grown up eating them for years, ever since I was a small child. Chicken, Beef, Pork, even Lime Shrimp flavors-I tackled all of them with the gusto of a ramen aficionado. Some of my fondest memories include a good book, a homework-free afternoon and a large, steaming bowl of ramen. I would eat so many packets of ramen that my parents made a 'one ramen packet per week' rule, something I inevitably found a way around. When college hit, things got worse and better, all at the same time. I had more self-control and dedication to my health, thus limiting my intake of ramen. Yet, I also suffered from "bad-food-in-the-cafeteria", forcing me to once again imbibe in bowls of ramen. I certainly wasn't alone in my love of ramen, half of the guys on my floor routinely did ramen. It's kind of a college pastime, ramen and video games.

So, why go to a ramen noodle restaurant? First off, the ramen you get at these places is typically a step above what you buy at the stores. The ramen noodle itself is generally a little longer, more plentiful, and of a better tasting variety than that found in the $0.25 packs at Wal-Mart. Also, the soup exceptionally different-usually, there are a myriad of flavor choices, many much more exotic than the ones offered in ramen packets. The soup also comes with real vegetables, meat, tofu and all kinds of other garnishes. Finally, the overall serving size is much larger. Thus, you can see why fans of ramen (or noodles in general) would enjoy eating at ramen noodle restaurants. With this in mind, we come to our mini-review of Naga Naga Ramen in Pasadena, California.

Set in the quaint (and very popular) Old Town section of Pasadena, Naga Naga occupies a historic old bbuilding along the main walkway/road. The inside has a nice theme, simple but still colorful, complete with an excellent eye-catching fish tank loaded with colorful fish. Service is fast, polite and attentive, and seating is plentiful, even during busy days. The menu has several different types of ramen offered, as well as other dishes for those looking for something different than noodles. Prices for ramen start at roughly $6.95, for vegeterian ramen, up to $8.95 for some of the more loaded meat noodle bowls. I tried the Miso Ramen, at $7.95 and enjoyed it. The soup wasn't as delicious as I hoped, but the noodles made up for it (really delicious). The meat inside was a little odd, didn't expect them to have the 'ground beef' texture that they did have.

This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fantastic dessert choices available at Naga Naga Ramen restaurant. They have delicious mochi, very fresh tasting and very good. They offer several other desserts, one of the most eye-catching being a tantalizing mixture of sweet sticky rice, coconut milk, and mango, all designed to look like a sushi platter! It was a little pricey, rolling in at $7.95, but certainly an attractive one.

Naga Naga Ramen is a fun place to visit for ramen fans, with a wide variety of ramen choices. It's not the best tasting (although it's decent) nor the most affordable but it makes a good place for first-timers to experience a ramen noodle house.

Naga Naga Ramen

49 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 585-8822