Ramen, a dish not commonly found in Santa Barbara, finds itself at the top of my cravings at most times. So, when I began to search “restaurants near me” on Yelp and didn’t see a restaurant that served primarily ramen (meaning not just any sushi restaurant), I was disheartened, to say the least.
While at home I consumed ramen at an embarrassing rate, I had to attune myself to the fact that while living in my new home, Santa Barbara, ramen would have to wait until the Winter and Summer breaks.
That was until, while walking down State Street, I stumbled upon what would be the answer to all of my questions.
Why are there so many Italian and Mexican restaurants, and a seemingly non-existent selection of ramen restaurants?
I finally found my answer. While they also serve sushi, ramen is the headliner at Santa Barbara Craft Ramen. The second that my server put down my well-chosen bowl of their SB Craft Spicy Red Ramen, I understood why there were only two well-known ramen restaurants in the area. The aromatic tonkotsu broth filled my senses, as I plunged into my bowl, and devoured it within seconds.
There was no topping this. Being the self-proclaimed ramen connoisseur that I am, I had tried ramen at several different places all over California. Los Angeles has a pretty tough line of competitors, but Santa Barbara Craft Ramen reigned supreme the second it took to my taste buds.
With its artisan ingredients, Santa Barbara Craft Ramen made no mistakes when crafting its signature thick noodles and distinctly tasty broth. The noodles have made a name for themselves as they have even infiltrated another local ramen spot.
Nikka Ramen in Goleta has the option to select the “SB Craft Noodles” when ordering, for good reason. The thick noodles add something so exquisite to the dish that pushes it to the top spot in my list of go-to ramen restaurants in all of California.
Although now a staple of the Santa Barbara community, Santa Barbara Craft Ramen only saw its beginnings in 2017. According to The Restaurant Guy, the hotspot was created by a husband and wife duo Laxman Perera and Keiko Miyata who also own Sushi Teri, Nikka Fish Market & Grill, Nikka Japanese Market, and Nikka Ramen, teamed with head chef of Nikka Ramen, Mitsu Kusuhara. The perfect fusion of all the best attributes of each of those locations (to which I have also had the joy of trying) came together in the birth of Santa Barbara Craft Ramen.
Popular among college students, local residents, or passersby of the popular-among-tourists State Street, this ramen joint has, in my experience, Although it may not be the best for my diet, Santa Barbara Craft Ramen has been the best addition to my life.
So many happy moments have been spent just enjoying the food here with the many, many, people I have brought. This little ramen joint downtown has really been a happy place for me, and all foodies alike to relish in the culinary experience that is Santa Barbara Craft Ramen.