With 10 locations in Southern California, Yoshiharu Ramen, noted for its creamy tonkotsu (pork-bone) broth that is simmered for 10 hours, will open its first South County location in Laguna Niguel. The ramen empire’s latest location will open its doors Wednesday, Feb. 21 inside Ocean Ranch Village.
In addition to its roster of ramens — which comes in a variety of iterations, including tonkotsu shio (topped with pork chashu, green onions, bean sprouts and a seasoned egg with a jammy yolk) or vegetable ramen (featuring a vegetable broth topped with assorted vegetables, green onions, bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, wakame, corn and tomato) — Yoshiharu also offers sushi, bento boxes, rice bowls, appetizers (like gyoza, karaage, deep-fried tofu and more).
“We are pleased to announce our 11th location in Laguna Niguel, California, expanding our presence further in the heavily populated Orange County region,” said James Chae, Yoshiharu’s president and CEO, in a written statement. “With the lack of competitors in the area, this strategic location presents a unique opportunity for Yoshiharu to firmly establish a presence as the first authentic Japanese ramen restaurant in the Laguna Niguel area.”
In 2017, Orange County Register food critic Brad Johnson named Yoshiharu Ramen the No. 37 best place to eat in Orange County, singling out the tonkotsu black, a ramen that achieves its dark color and intense flavor from a black garlic oil. The company opened its first ramen eatery in 2016.
While there are actually a handful of ramen eateries in the area, like Dana Point’s Maki Yaki OC or Poki Ramen in San Juan Capistrano, the loss of Ramen Shack, Keizo Shimamoto’s lauded spot in San Juan Capistrano that closed in 2022, had left a hole in the heart of many a die-hard ramen fan.
“As we kick off 2024 with strong momentum, we plan to use this opening as a driving force to propel our extensive pipeline of new restaurant locations and continue executing our growth strategy,” Chae continued.
The new Laguna Niguel Yoshiharu Ramen can be found inside Ocean Ranch Village, across from Trader Joe’s and in the same complex as Seasurf Fish Co.
Find it: 32341 Golden Lantern, Suite B, Laguna Niguel