Turning onto Vallco Parkway in Cupertino late last semester, we saw the warm lighting emanating from inside the large windows of Ippudo, a Japanese restaurant known for its perfectly cooked noodles and flavorful broth, specializing in ramen. We also went in expecting a nice restaurant ambiance — and were not disappointed.
Ippudo is known for its ramen and crispy karaage in Japan, and its popularity has spread to several locations around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris and, of course, Cupertino.
The restaurant was, upon first glance, on the smaller side, and we had to wait for 10 minutes before being seated. The restaurant had a crowded atmosphere, yet it was still very comfortable. We received friendly service, as our waiter was incredibly attentive and served our food within around 15 minutes.
To order, we looked at the online menu, where we first checked out the appetizers. We decided to start with one pork bun each, costing $12, and one karaage plate — a dish of Japanese fried chicken — for $13 to share.
The pork buns were soft, and their warmth comforted us on a cold night. The karaage was by far the best part of the meal; the chicken was fried perfectly, had plenty of flavor and paired perfectly with the mentaiko mayo sauce, a traditional Japanese mayonnaise incorporated with fish eggs.
For our main course, we ordered a spicy chashu rice bowl for $17, consisting of Japanese rice, pan-fried pork, lettuce and honey mustard sauce. For $19, we also got the Akamaru Modern, a ramen bowl with pork tonkatsu broth, slow cooked pork, Hakata thin noodles and garlic oil.
The chashu bowl had a strong balance between meat and rice, and the pork itself was tender. The seasoning was also just right. For the ramen bowl, the ramen noodles were soft and flavorful, and the broth was rich. However, it could have been less salty, and the garlic taste was also slightly weak.
The authentic restaurant is now one of our favorites on Mainstreet Cupertino, and, having already returned once with our friends, it is absolutely a ramen restaurant we would recommend. However, note that the restaurant is on the pricier side, with three appetizers and two entrees costing $61.
Nevertheless, it satisfied both our hunger and expectations, with the ramen having a scrumptious taste, and the karaage becoming a customary, Friday night craving. The combination of flavorful dishes and a warm and cozy environment made it a meal to remember, so we rate Ippudo a total of 4 out of 5 Falcons.
