Who knew a veggie broth could be so elevated? Their broth is better than half the tonkotsu in the South Bay. It’s creamy and smoothly grainy, dense with savory miso, and it has more than enough umami notes despite not being flavored by pork and fat.
The Spicy Garnet is great. Miso-based and laced with red-hot highlights, they mesh well with sesame and sour bamboo.
The Ruby is their regular broth with a seafood savor from shrimp paste. The brine is smooth and doesn't sting, but make sure you're used to that fish funk before you take the plunge. It's a brilliant signature dish so try to at least taste the broth.
I've never been impressed Takoyaki, not even in Japan. Rakkan makes great ones, though - they keep the balls smaller so you can taste the tako tentacle that permeates the batter.
I am pleasantly surprised. If I had known their broth was veggie, I may not have tried it so I'm glad I didn't know. Their ramen is different, but it's the kind of different you want to try more than once. The ruby is a novelty, the garnet is delicious, and I would come back for the takoyaki alone. Rakkan may not be a hidden gem thanks to their conspicuous stand-alone location along the PCH, but they are definitely a gem.
