The caveat here is that it seems to be a knock-off of the original Foo Foo Tei Noodle House ramen shop of the same name in Hacienda Heights. It's not bad. Which isn't to mean I'm singing high praises, but it could be a lot worse, ya know?
Foo Foo Tei is located on the far right of the same strip mall as Elite Restaurant. Even though there are designated parking spaces, you'll still have to deal with a crowded parking lot on weekends.
On my first visit, I ordered their most popular ramen, the nanchatte tonkotsu ramen with white cream soup for $7.80. While some Japanese ramen shops boast of cooking pork bones for so long that the broth naturally turns white, this version merely adds cream to get a milky effect. After eating about half of the bowl, this got a little too heavy.
I can't remember which ramen this was (possibly the pork and miso ramen?), but there was just way too much going on.
We also ordered gyozas for $4.80. They were good, but unremarkable.
A few months later, I dragged a skeptical cousin Q with me. He ordered a lunch combo of the nanchatte tonkotsu ramen with Ramune soda and croquettes. While he thought the pork was tender, the broth also tasted way too heavy half-way through the meal.
I ordered an iced green tea and the shio (Japanese salt) ramen for $6.30. The broth was incredibly bland and really tasted like Chinese ramen, not a proper shio broth.
Cousin Q said Foo Foo Tei was slightly better than he expected, but then he expected it to be awful so that's not saying much. If you're a ramen purist though, I'd avoid it. Shaved Ice Sundays recently posted about their original location in Hacienda Heights.
August 31, 2009 Update: Not sure if it's just a name change or closure, but Foo Foo Tei's location is now Nan Cha Tei.
May 25, 2010 Update: This restaurant is now closed.
My other ramen posts:
Aji Man Japanese Restaurant - San Gabriel
Daikokuya Original Noodle & Rice-Bowl - Monterey Park
Daikokuya Original Noodle & Rice-Bowl - Los Angeles (Little Tokyo)
Santouka - Costa Mesa
Santouka - Los Angeles (Mar Vista)
Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen - Gardena
Shin-sen-gumi Hakata Ramen - Rosemead
Who else ate at Foo Foo Tei Noodle House?
Henry Chan of Henry Chan's Food Videos gave Foo Foo Tei 3 stars.
Foo Foo Tei Noodle House
750 S. Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-588-2010
Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
*****
1 year ago today, Belacan Grill - Redondo Beach.
1.5
It's funny how creamy pasta appeals but when I see it as a bowl of soup...it didnt appeal anymore!! I guess I still like my noodle soup clea like the other ramen dishes. =)
ReplyDeleteI highly prefer the Hacienda Heights one over this but that's a bit in the middle-of-nowhere for me to consider. But yea, not a ramen purist's cup of tea.
ReplyDeletehmmm even from the name of the place...it doesn't sound like an authentic japanese ramen joint, eh?
ReplyDeletebut when i am desperate for a quick ramen fix...i'd go for it ^_^
Daphne,
ReplyDeleteI think it's b/c a little bit of cream in pasta is good, a whole bowl of cream is just too much!
HC,
I'm curious now how the original location tastes. Will have to try it one of these days for comparison.
MCR,
I'm sure its popularity is partly b/c it's located in a Chinese area and it's closer than where the authentic Japanese ramen shops are located. :)
I would have given this place somewhere around 3 stars out of five stars myself.
ReplyDeleteBig step above Ajisen, that's for sure.
WC, thanks for the link. The last photo on your post immediately brought to mind wonton noodle soup without the wontons and with some pork added. I've always wanted to try this "branch" but after reading reviews and your posts, I guess I can skip it.
ReplyDeletePepsi Monster,
ReplyDelete3/5 is about what I'd give it too. Haha. Ajisen wasn't as bad as I thought, but yeah, I've only been once so I can't blog about it yet.
SIS,
Exactly! It really wasn't ramen at all.
I like aji man ramen better than other place. This place ramen more traditional than the other place.
ReplyDeletesoup base is much better.
Those people who's like ajisen ramen is nobrainer in ramen at all.
ReplyDeleteajisen ramen too much lark pork oil in soup base. THe more you drink the soup look like you drain thousand gallon oil in your body.
no,
ReplyDeleteI like Aji Man too. Ajisen wasn't as bad as I thought, given the horror stories I've heard from others, but there are a lot of other ramen places I'd rather eat.