Great ramen has finally arrived in the D.C. area: Ren's Ramen has opened inside of Daruma Japanese Market in Bethesda, serving up steaming hot bowls of Sapporo-style goodness. Ren's has taken over Daruma's seating area and, it looks like, part of its kitchen.

The wife, Japanese, had the miso ramen, which she declared very good. I tried the pork shio ramen, including extra pork, which had a very good, rich broth. The pork was a little disappointing, though -- not too tender. They also have vegetable shio ramen and shoyu ramen, as well as gyoza.

Prices are on the high side -- $10.00 for a bowl of miso or shio ramen ain't exactly cheap. Plus, my extra pork set me back another $3.50. Don't plan to order that again. Egg and corn are extra. But the ramen here, while not quite as good as some places in NYC and NJ, beats the hell out of the slop served at other places around D.C., including Temari Cafe in Rockville. My wife and I will surely be regulars.

The SSS Cordell Ave. location is now open.

I just took a look at their website. Looks like they've recently added the Bethesda address to their list of locations, so I guess they plan to open at some point. I walked by the Cordell Ave. location a couple of weeks ago. Doesn't look like much has been done there since last spring.

Snider's Supermarket in Silver Spring carries them, I believe.

Strolled by the Cordell Ave. location the other night. No where close to being finished.

Where is Big Buns? Never heard of it.

Yesssssssssss.

The wife and I strolled by the new SSS location late Saturday night. I noticed building permits posted on the front windows and some construction-related items inside.

According to my friend in the know, they're shooting for an early June opening.

Temari's katsu curry does indeed rock, bou. I get hungry just thinkin' 'bout it.

I concur with taka: Sushi Taro has the only halfway decent ramen in the D.C. area. Don't bother with Temari Cafe in Rockville -- or Daruma in Bethesda.

The wife and I had the udon from Maneki Neko's stand at sakura matsuri last year. It was basically a bland broth with not many very crappy udon noodles. The yakisoba blew, too.

The latest I've heard from a friend of mine who's in the know is that the owners have been stuck in MontGoCo permit hell for almost seven months with no light at the end of the tunnel. So, an opening date is unknown at this point. Certainly won't be April.

Compared to what's served at the many ramen-ya I've sampled all over Nippon, the 'men at Temari doesn't come close. And don't get me started on the shu mai !!!

*** Temari DOES have lots of good stuff on their menu -- the 'men and shu mai just aren't among them. The folks there are great, though. ***

The only decent--well, somewhat--place for 'men in D.C. and environs is Sushi Taro -- when they serve it.

Stay away from Temari Cafe in Rockville. The 'men blows.

Head north on '95 to Edgewater, NJ, for a steaming bowl of goodness at Santoka Ramen in the Mitsuwa Market Place food court. As good as Nippon!

Tachibana in McLean serves shabu shabu. The wife and I were there in late August last year to celebrate our anniversary, and we saw Newt Gingrich and his wife enjoying a pot.

T,

SSS hasn't opened yet. It looks like no progress has been made on the joint since I first reported the new location on CH last fall.

--Baka

Sukiyaki !!!

Cruising down Cordell Avenue while on our regular nightly stroll through downtown Bethesda, the wife and I came upon a vacant storefront close to California Tortilla (on the same side of the street). The big sign in the window indicates the joint will house a branch of South Street Steaks (the excellent Philly Cheese Steak place in College Park).

Yesssssssss.

--Baka

The wife and I had the burger, fries and 'rings at Urban. We were underwhelmed. A better burger can be had at Fuddrucker's.

Where is M'Dawg Haute Dawgs?

Grand Mart, Lotte, H Mart.

I concur, CCkt. They really need to work on the service. I was served a bacon cheeseburger...without bacon!!! The really sorry thing about it was that the wife and I were the ONLY customers in the joint at the time--from the time they took our order until we were served.

Another Japanese market in Bethesda--Hinata--is the place to go for carryout sushi. My Japanese wife and her friends consider it the best carryout sushi in D.C. and environs.

Checked out this good-looking new joint (maybe two weeks old) on Edgemoor Lane near the Bethesda Metro Station last night with the wife. Ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger that was served sans bacon, regular fries and sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries were fairly decent. The other items are not worth going out of your way for--especially at Fuddrucker-level prices, which is better.