Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
When I was a kid and would catch a cold, my mom always fed me soup. She said it was the best medicine.
As an adult, I don’t eat soup often. But after three weeks of the crud and not wanting to spend money on a doctor and antibiotic’s (new year, new health insurance deductible), I thought back to my mom’s prescription. So, I invited a friend to join me for what would be our first visit to Naruto Ramen (7503 Youree Drive #500, Shreveport).
I’ve never been to Japan, and don’t have a strong desire to visit. However, one step inside Naruto Ramen and I felt like I was in that country. Meeting my friend who got there first, I was greeted by a white rock garden featuring a water fountain, and a display of colorful round Japanese lanterns. Walking into the dining room (modern, clean, and a mix of tables and booths), there was more Japanese décor, including an impressive piece of artwork hanging from the center of the ceiling, beautiful murals, and more lanterns throughout.
When I arrived, my friend was already seated in a booth and enjoying water with lemon. Our server, Carla, must have seen me sit down, because it didn’t take her long to ask for my drink order (water with lemon). Speaking of Carla, she was very helpful, as my friend and are far from experts when it comes to Japanese food. We asked a lot of questions, and asked Carla for suggestions. She was patient, and confident in her recommendations.
Had I taken the time to read Naruto Ramen’s entire menu, I would have had to put in for a vacation day. It was six pages, front and back. Everything from appetizers, to salads, to ramen, to rice bowls, to Itameru (Stir-Fry). And I’m not talking about a couple of choices. I’m talking about a lot of choices. A six-page menu!
One of the 17 – that’s right, 17 – appetizers caught my eye. Shrimp Shumai ($7) was described as shrimp stuffed dumplings, served with house made gyoza sauce. Well, that’s something you don’t see at every restaurant. So, my friend and I decided to share an order.
What we got were eight round pieces of something, but I don’t know what. That’s because it didn’t have any taste. We couldn’t taste shrimp and we couldn’t taste dumplings. We could taste the gyoza sauce, which was good when used as a dipping sauce. The Shrimp Shumai wasn’t bad. It was warm and filling. It just didn’t have any flavor.
For his entrée, my friend originally ordered a rice bowl. However, he was immediately met with disappointment by Carla. She called him “Basic”. My friend is very competitive and took the comment personally (you have to know him). “I don’t want to be labeled, period. But don’t label me ‘Basic!’, he said afterwards.
So, my friend immediately got off the rice bowl page and went to the ramen section, and asked for Carla’s suggestion. She recommended the Spicy Miso ($16). My friend was promised a bowl of ramen with chicken & pork broth, served with chasu pork, minced pork, red pepper shreds, bean sprouts, kikurage mushroom, scallions, ½ soft-boiled egg, & fishcake. Carla recommended my friend substitute the chasu pork for Chicken Katsu ($1), which he did.
Since I came to Naruto Ramen for soup and to be cured from my cold, I didn’t look at any menu pages other than the ramen page. There were 14 selections! When I was kid, it was pretty much vegetable soup or nothing.
I didn’t know anything about many of the ingredients in Naruto Ramen’s servings, so I relied heavily on Carla. She steered me toward the Tonkatsu Curry ($15). That meant a bowl of ramen with Chicken & Pork broth, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, nori, ½ soft-boiled egg, scallions, and fishcake. It would be served with my choice of Tonkatsu or Chicken Katsu on the side. I chose Chicken Katsu.
For people on their lunch hour, quick and efficient service is important. I am not exaggerating when I tell you it was not more than five minutes after ordering when Carla brought our food. In fact, we were still eating our appetizer. I have often written that, to me, presentation is just as important as the quality of my meal. The presentation at Naruto Ramen was excellent. Carla placed in front of me a HUGE bowl of ramen. The broth was light, and there were a lot of noodles at the bottom of the bowl. The smell took me back to my childhood.
Being the man that I am, I chose to eat with chopsticks. My friend was not pleased with my decision, as I accidentally kept splashing broth on his shirt. But after a few sips of hot broth, I thought it needed a little pick-me-up. On our table were chili oil, chili powder, and soy sauce. I didn’t know what chili oil was, and I didn’t think soy sauce would do the trick. So, I added some chili powder.
HELLO!
The chili powder did its job. If you choose to add chili powder to your ramen, I suggest you start with just a touch and work your way up.
While my ramen was excellent, I can’t say the same for the Chicken Katsu. It was breaded and cut into several thin slices. Frankly, it looked and tasted like something my friend and I agreed we had eaten at a fast food restaurant. And, like our appetizer, it didn’t have much taste. I would suggest if Naruto Ramen can’t come up with something better, they take it off the menu. The Chicken Katsu did not add anything to my meal.
My friend said his Spicy Miso “was much better than the picture looked. There was so much in there. It had a nice little kick. Great flavor. I added some chili powder to prove myself, then added some chili oil, to prove how non-basic I am. If you like kick with a little flavor, and not such a basic ramen bowl, the Spicy Miso is a great option. It was very filling.
The cost of our meal before tax and tip was $39.00. We thought that was very reasonable for the portion and quality of food. However, beware that the restaurant’s tip suggestions were based on the after-tax total, and not the pre-tax amount.
While our meal wasn’t without flaws, I give Naruto Ramen Four Forks. Yes, I would go out of my way to return. The food, atmosphere, service, and price combined to make for a very pleasant experience. By the way, as I write this two days after my visit, my sinuses have cleared and my throat isn’t sore.
Mom always knows best.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
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