Tosh's Ramen, Salt Lake City, Utah

(Naked Fish ramen, April 2014)

When I came to Salt lake City in April, a bowl of hot ramen from Naked Fish and a glass of wine was the perfect way to lunch in the city after a 13 mile run. When I moved to Salt Lake City in August, I was really disappointed that ramen was no longer offered at Naked Fish.  While Naked Fish was still a trendy spot with wonderful sushi, ramen was no longer on the menu.    I was pretty sad but forgot about it as hot summer weather in August was not the best time for hot soup.  

But now that it's January, and after a 6 mile run, I had ramen on the mind.  Thatcher mentioned he heard about a ramen spot in South Salt Lake with rave reviews.   Right across from Piper Down in a little shopping complex, there was Tosh's Ramen.  The sign is small and a little hard to spot, so we had to do a double take to find the spot. 

After doing some research I learned that Tosh's Ramen 

was kind of Naked Fish ramen revisited.  

"Tosh" is chef/owner Toshio Sekikawa. You know that name if you're a fan of Asian cuisine here in Utah. He's the guy who virtually introduced sushi to Salt Lake City at the original Mikado restaurant, and also brought Asian fusion fare to Park City with Hapa Grill. That was before Johnny Kwon took over the ownership of Mikado and the restaurant morphed into Naked Fish Japanese Bistro, where Tosh continued to ply his trade after Hapa closed.

I'm happy that Tosh now has a place to call his own. Since the day Tosh's Ramen opened, the joint has been packed. For the first couple weeks, Tosh kept running out of broth, and had to close his restaurant early. I've never been there when there wasn't a line of folks awaiting a precious seat. The place is small, but thankfully, the wait usually is too." Read the rest of the review in City Weekly Here

We walked in to Tosh's at 1:30 on a Saturday and were surprised by the long line of people waiting.  First off, I really like the vibe of the place.  Simple.  You added your name to the checklist and waited for a table.   The restaurant was really simple and the menu was small-  fine by me.  I rather have good food with a focus than some trendy spot with a large menu.

Click here for their website and menu

There are 5-6 appetizers, and 5-6 different types of ramen.  

I heard the Tokyo wings are amazing but I had my heart set on edamame.  I overheard that there are normally potstickers on the menu, but that the woman who rolls the potstickers broke her wrist so potstickers were off the menu for a while.  

That is a good sign of wonderful authentic food my friends.

I started with the green tea and the large edamame. 

 It was huge and would be perfect for a large group.  

And it was only $5.00.

I decided on the "Shoyu" which is the traditional ramen seasoned with soy.  

Served with pork belly, green onions, bean sprouts, and a poached egg.

Thatcher ordered the "Karai" ramen-- the spicy miso ramen. 

The portions were huge, the noodles exquisite, 

and the perfect balance of flavor, salt, noodles, and comfort.  

Did I mention all the Ramen bowls are less than $11?

We were absolutely stuffed but basically licked our bowls clean. 

And that- is the sign of a wonderful lunch. If you are looking for a simple menu, that focuses on making a few excellent dishes in a simple atmosphere surrounded by locals, good conversation and amazing food... this place is for you.