LA Gets Taipei's Top Ramen
Taipei's 4.5-star Ramen Chikumo just debuted in LA's Sawtelle with signature tori-paitan broth and a $2 Sapporo beer special. The restaurant is being positioned as disrupting LA's ramen scene with innovative Taiwanese recipes and value-driven pairings. Food critics are watching to see if the Taipei phenomenon translates to American palates.
Ramen Chikumo's journey to Los Angeles began in Tokyo, but its reputation was forged in Taipei, where it operates three locations. There, it became a late-night sensation, earning the nickname "Taipei's Ultimate Late-Night Destination" and maintaining average 4.7-star ratings across more than 10,000 reviews. The Sawtelle restaurant marks the brand's first expansion outside of Taiwan. The restaurant's signature is tori-paitan, a creamy chicken-based broth less common in the tonkotsu-dominated LA scene. The broth is simmered for over 12 hours using whole chickens to develop a rich, natural umami flavor without MSG. This style of ramen is considered one of the fastest-growing categories in Japan. Toppings and other ingredients also receive meticulous attention. The restaurant uses custom-made, egg-free noodles designed to complement the rich soup. Its pork and chicken chashu are slow-cooked at low temperatures for 5.5 hours and 1.5 hours, respectively, to achieve maximum tenderness. Ramen Chikumo enters a fiercely competitive neighborhood often called Sawtelle Japantown. The area is a known destination for ramen lovers, featuring established heavyweights like Tsujita, famous for its tsukemen dipping noodles, and the popular late-night spot Tatsu Ramen. In a neighborhood where parking is notoriously difficult, the restaurant offers 90 minutes of validated parking. The LA menu features its signature chicken broth ramen for $18, alongside a spicy "Inferno" version and a "Rich Tsukemen" dipping ramen for $19.
