Shokku Ramen

Looking for something to eat before my parents and I had to go see a play, we decided to give Shokku Ramen a try. I had fond memories of eating instant ramen, so eating at a traditional ramen shop felt like an experience worth having. Walking through the front doors, I could see that it was a lively place. There were three TVs playing various anime episodes and movies, and there was an entire wall designed to look like a manga comic. As a fan of anime, manga, and someone who was taking a summer class at NSU based around graphic novels at the time, those manga panels added to the atmosphere. The server was nice and attentive and got us all settled in with some water. He put the lemons on the side, which I was okay with as I don’t really enjoy having a lemon in my water. This caused my dad confusion as he didn’t see the lemons until later in our meal and thought they were for something else. For our first times, my mom (who’s allergic to wheat) ordered a custom bowl with all gluten free ingredients, my dad ordered “Da Oxtail” with extra spice (he likes to go big with the spice which he regretted later), and I ordered the Ichiraku bowl with no spice and extra noodles and soy-cured eggs as it felt like the best bowl for a first-timer. As we ate, we fell in love with the taste of each ingredient. The broth and the noodles were cooked to perfection, and the proteins and vegetables reflected a traditional Japanese cuisine. To put it in their own words that I found on a neon sign as I was coming out of the bathroom, it was love at first slurp (or at least I think that’s what the neon sign said. I would’ve taken a picture of it, but my phone camera was malfunctioning, and I couldn’t find a single image of that sign on the internet to verify). Since we were feeling frisky that night, we also took the liberty of ordering some of their drinks. Mom got a mango-flavored sake, dad got a traditional sake, and I got a Japanese pale lager in a can. All three of these drinks paired well with our ramen bowls. Our final bill was over $100, but for the customer service, the amazing food, the anime entertainment, and what felt like America’s take on an authentic modern Japanese experience, it was worth every penny. If you love ramen, or you’re looking for a casual dating spot with a side of modern Japanese culture, check out Shokku Ramen in Las Vegas Chinatown. I had such an enjoyable experience, I might consider going back. I might even stop by their sister location in Houston Texas if I’m ever passing through.

Day of week: Saturday Time: around noon Diners: 3 We finally got to try this place and see why it's so popular. It was surprisingly not busy when we arrived for lunch but we made reservations just incase. We had stopped by on a Sat night before and it was packed with a 20 min wait. There are tables and a low bar area to sit at. It's not super big so it does fill up fast. They can accommodate large parties with reservation. During our lunch visit a family of 8 w/kids showed up. They did have high chairs available. Aesthetic is not overdone, simple but cool anime poster, art on walls. Dimly lit but sufficient. They offer gluten free noodles, spinach noodles and standard noodles. Love that! Nice sake selection too. The only complaint would be the parking. It's a small strip mall with limited parking located near The Golden Tiki and spots are tight with pushy drivers. Carpooling recommended. If you get a chance, definitely check it out, food was great with friendly service. I would recommend dining here during the day over the evening when it gets crazy busy.

I love this place so much because they had the gluten free conjac noodles and unfortunately recently they haven’t been carrying them. I can’t eat here otherwise! Please bring them back!