RAAM

Raam, San Jose, CA

Cracker snacks; complimentary

Red Chile Pork

Raam is a ramen shack located in Nordstrom (Valleyfair Mall, San jose, CA). It's a noodle boutique with bar seating on one side. There is a small kitchen and a bar for plating inside this shack with a cook, a prep person, and a host/server. The menu here contains two major ramen bowls which are Red Chile Pork and Char Siu Beef. Then there are two different types of their famous steamed buns: Red Chile Pork Steamed buns and Char Siu Beef. Not much going on here but the flavors are amazing! The menu and the idea of having a ramen hut in the middle of a high-end retail store has drawn me inside to taste.

I'm approached by this young lady named Samantha. She is a host and server for Raam. She leads me to my seat and answers a couple of my questions. Raam is supposedly the only ramen bar in this particular Nordstrom. The menu is also suppose to only be temporary until it changes to a more extensive list. The food on the menu is like a sample for customers to try first then possibly change to a more dynamic food course. I'm glad I get to be one of the first to try it out!

I ordered the Red Chile Pork ramen which contains: noodle broth, fresh ramen noodles which has a delicate soft texture, carrots, zucchini, spinach, and the best part, a 6-min egg which is plump & ripe and the yolk breaks into this pasty yellow texture that spreads all over the soup. The soup base isn't salty either which gives you the opportunity to mix in soy sauce, spice powered, or sesame oil to enhance your taste. What I find unique here is the well marinated chile pork that is the exact ingredient/base for their buns used for this ramen. It causes the ramen to be a little sweet with a salty blend; this is why the whole idea of simple ingredients, balances the ramen all together. I appreciate this ramen shack, I really do! Simple ingredients, a simple yet high-end feel experience of sitting down and watching the cook prepare your meal, in the middle of Nordstrom is cool! It's one of those "why not?" moments. I have to come back to try their beef ramen and buns just to complete the list.

I shall warn you though, this isn't your traditional ramen house with salty based soup with the other fabulous ingredients. No, this is a simple shack that prides itself with their meat mixed inside such as the chile pork and beef. It's worth trying. Although the prices are about $1.5 more with is sort of a rip-off BUT the flavors make up for it. I feel the prices need to go down but knowing people with money that have no clue about ramen prices, will spend the money for a small bowl. This place should be tested and should stay for the long run. I personally think there should be more items on the list such as appetizers and possibly dessert even. So why not? Just eat it.


Photo by: Allister de Vera
Raam, San Jose, CA
Taken by: iPhone 5s