UPDATE: Menya Musashi closed in April 2020.
Menya Musashi is one of the newest restaurant to open on Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA. The restaurant is named after the legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who was famed for his double sword style. Menya Musashi debuted in Tokyo and the founders are considered to be icons in the ramen industry.
Menya Musashi occupies a space on Sawtelle, a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the other restaurants near Olympic Blvd. Unless you are eating at off hours, street parking is extremely limited. There is a nearby public lot on La Grange that charges $7, but I would rather park further away and apply $7 towards food or beverages.
Comparisons with nearby Tsujita are inevitable. Menya Musashi’s broth is subtly complex, and not as salty or oily as Tsujita’s. Unlike Tsujita’s thick and round noodles, their noodles resemble flat linguini. The topping to take notice of is pork belly. It is braised, sliced thick, and full of flavor. The soft boiled egg is perfectly gooey inside.
Tsukemen appears to be gaining in popularity and it is what shines here. There are a number of different toppings available and diners can “have it their way”. I really like the regular or the Musashi (with egg) tsukemen. As you dip the bite sized portion of noodles, the dipping sauce nicely adhered to the wide noodles.
They also feature a variety of Donburi rice bowls. The Pork Katsu Curry Don was prepared with a thick and savory curry. The pork katsu was fried so that it was crisp on the outside and yet was still tender inside.
Menya Musashi is an excellent place for casual conversation with friends. The service is prompt and attentive. What I appreciate is that they are quick to refill your cold or hot water (for tea) and they don’t pressure you into leaving. The bill is brought to you when you are ready to leave.
My only criticism is that the price for the basic regular size tsukemen is $18 and can go into the mid $20 range if you get carried away with the toppings. For me, I’d rather dine at Menya Mushashi than wait for a hour in line at Tsujita.
Menya Musashi, 2012 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025; 310.231.7188
menyamusashi.sg