Menya Hanabi

Can't remember the last time there was this much buzz in my hometown. Menya Hanabi is a great addition not just to Arcadia, but the LA ramen scene as a whole. On my first visit I had the chashu mazesoba, spicy. As advertised on Instagram, you poke the egg yolk (which is slightly pornographic) and mix the noodles, green onions, chives, garlic and ground pork together. I highly recommend getting your mazesoba spicy - way more flavorful than the non-spicy bowl we got. The chashu was unbelievable on my first visit. The perfect balance of tender, fatty and crispy. The only other time I've had chashu like this was at Afuri Ramen in Tokyo. However, during my second visit at Hanabi the chashu wasn't as crispy and was even a little cold. Not sure what happened, but please don't let my first visit be a fever dream.

I love Menya Hanabi so, so much. Found this place by accident and decided to give it a try, oh was it worth it. The noodles are so bouncy and the sauce tastes amazing. I started to get their iced matcha lattes recently too, and the matcha tastes super strong, which is perfect for me.

very good, free rice is a bonus