JINYA Ramen Bar - NASA

Reviews 5

CI

Cindy Tran

I wish there are half stars so 3 1/2 stars, but I digress. The owners here own ichibon and they bought the name as a franchise. I was looking forward to this opening because around this area...good food is hard to come by and especially asian. I was there a little after 11 with my coworkers with no wait and you can pick where you sit. As with many Japanese restaurant, they yell out something and then their coworkers greet you as well (it gets annoying). The menu is pretty extensive and impressive, but they dont have miso ramen which is pretty weird to me. Parking is spacious and I didnt have to valet like the other yelpers have indicated. Moving on, my coworker and I ordered: - Tempura Brussel Sprouts w/ Truffle Oil: lightly battered and pretty decent. I only smelled the truffle oil, not taste it. I understand they shouldnt drench it, but it literally just taste like fried brussel sprouts. - Fried Chicken: Not overly oily and they use dark meat. Soy sauce is light so I ate it with the chili, adds a good kick with the perfectly fried chicken. You can order 5, 10, or 15 pieces. - Tonkatsu Assari:Heres the bone I need to pick with this actually all places in general. I know the basic is brasied charsiu but you need to torch with a butane or something so it can have a complete texture to it. The braised charsiu was undercooked so it ruined my broth and I had to send it back to the kichen. The noodles were quite good, but it was slightly cold when it finally reach to me. The egg was good, the white was cooked all the way and the yolk had a jelly-like texture. It was not as brown as you expected, but still flavorful.` - Tonkatsu Black:Arrived the last, pretty decent, but broth is a bit sour - Tokyo Curry Bowl: My coworker really liked it and claimed that it was as good as when he lived in Boston. It comes in two dfferent sizes small and regular. - Spicy Chicken Ramen: I suppose this was one my favorite out of all dishes I had today. The broth was good and I added fresh garlic (its free, order this) so it enhanced the flavor to another level. The seasoned egg didnt come with this which is unforunate but Ill remember to add it next time. By noon, the place was packed and our waitress was busy. We had to tell the busboy to get her in order to tell her about my food. All in all, pretty good for clear lake area and Ill be returning, but its like why I keep returning to oriental cafe...its decent enough to come back.

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KE

Kevin Nguyen

I gave it a 2 for service because I couldnt enjoy my food without being annoyed. Came in on a Saturday evening and there was no line. The restaurant had a few small tables left. First strike, the hostess did not greet us and sat us at the bar without asking for preference. We decided not to get any drinks but felt bad and ordered appetizers. At least 2-3 other couples at the bar were not drinking so we did not feel uncomfortable at the bar. The bartender was obviously ticked off that she wasnt selling drinks tonight so it was abysmal service the entire time. She took our fries away even though there were a few spares left and did not ask if we were done. When it LOOKED like we were done with our ramen, she took that away too without asking. What if we wanted to sip on it? We were in and out in 30 minutes because the bartender rushed things. At least she was quick to process the check. Overall, bartender looked young and immature. Now, concerning atmosphere and ambiance. The place is stylish and what I would describe as "Japanese hip". Not a bad place to take a date. Although it is out of place being all the way in Clear Lake. This restaurant would fit better somewhere inside the loop. Food is okay. Tried the fries with truffle ketchup which turned out to be mediocre. The fries were crisp but the truffle ketchup didnt wow me like the other reviews. Nothing special, just Heinz Ketchup with truffle flavor. I tried Tonkotsu Black and the Spicy Ramen. Both satisfied my ramen fix but nothing eye opening. Tonkotsu tasted like tonkotsu, rich in pork flavor. Both were creamy and hot. The best ramen in the US I had was at Ippudo/Momofuku. Austin has nothing to worry about. Its hard to live up to expectations when youve tasted the best ramen joints in Japan. Its hard to truly enjoy your food when your waiter(bartender)...simply sucks.

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CH

Christian Ortega

I. Love. Ramen. Always being interested in Asian (particularly Japanese) culture, Ive been a Ramen fan boy since I discovered the cheap stuff. Imagine my joy when I found out one of the few actual Ramen places in Houston is close to where I live! A fun place with a modernized Asian feel, it will keep you coming back for more. Though bowls are a bit pricey, if you appreciate Ramen, youll realize why once you taste theirs. You cant go wrong with Tonkotsu Black. If youre a Chicken lover, I also hear good things about the spicy Ramen. Like garlic? No, LOVE garlic? Get a Cha Cha bowl because it wont disappoint. The service is great, particularly the bartenders. And dont forget an iced green tea to complete your experience. A variety of appetizers offer a nice expansion to this Japanese eatery (Im particular toward the gyoza, Jinya buns, or shrimp balls, but be adventurous). Great place for fun dates, a quick lunch, or a special gathering. Oh, and did I mention the bomb Ramen?

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Devin Rutar

Walking around town we were drawn into this place by the happy hour sign and the reviews looked good. It was a Wednesday evening and pretty slow. We were greeted immediately and told to sit wherever we wanted. Happy Hour had another 30 min left and they brought us all the menus and wine list. My friend had a few glasses of wine and 4 oysters and the seafood cucumber stacks. I ordered the veggie burger which came with fingerling potato wedges ($10) food and service were very good. The decor and ambiance is nice and they have a few different artists displaying several pieces on the walls that they said was changed out every month or so. They also have wine tasting events and paint nights here. So if you want to try something new and are in the area check them out.

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Timothy Glover

So my wife and I are driving by on our way to get some Pho and we happen to see this place and decide to stop in and check it out. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by everyone at once with whatever their special saying is. We sat at the bar and checked out the menu. So your thinking ramen and you have to feel like thats pretty basic. Well its not for sure. They have taken ramen to a whole new level and "Wow" its awesome. I recommend the Ramen Black (comes with a soft boiled egg). Delicious and filling. We also had the French fries with truffle ketchup and the deep fried brussel sprouts with truffle oil and I highly recommend them both. Great atmosphere and great food and very reasonable prices. I have been back 3 more times and it gets better every time I go.

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