You’re an independent grad who don’t need no help from dad.
Ok, so you’re not in college anymore. That doesn’t mean you can’t still love yourself some ramen. But you’ve gotta graduate from that sodium laden foam cup of noodles.
That’s where JINYA Ramen Bar comes in.
It’s rare to find quality ramen in a quality location, but Jinya seems to have found the perfect nook on Santa Monica’s ever trendy Main Street.
You know what I love about Santa Monica this time of year? It’s just warm enough to stop by the beach and just chilly enough to feel deserving of a hot bowl of ramen. Who needs a walk on the beach when you can walk from the beach to Jinya?
Who’s more beautiful? Your date or this ramen? It’s a Win-Win situation.
This just-ever-so-slightly chilly weather is the temperature Jinya was made for. You could choose the tiny, cozy interior to relax in, but why waste these beautiful LA winter nights indoors?
The patio is where it’s at.
Surrounded by just the right amount of heaters, you can choose between a small table or a larger communal table, complete with a glowing fire pit in the middle.
Sleek modern atmosphere. A romantic, purple glow reflects in your eyes.
Is there anything more adorable that sitting side by side with your date, their smile flickering in the firelight? The only thing that’s gonna get you to take your eyes off them is the ramen when it arrives.
College me would be so jealous.
At about $10 a bowl, you can’t go wrong when it comes to ordering the ramen.
Spice up your night with our waitress’ recommendation: Tonkotsu Black. Salty, rich, umami goodness in every bite. A good size portion or ramen noodles mixed with a delicious, fatty soup, veggies, garlic chips and your toppings of choice.
As someone who generally orders the veggie ramen when available, flavorless ramen is a BIG fear for me. There’s nothing I hate more than going to ramen and having it be some watery, flavorless, sodium laden liquid.
Bleh.
For some reason, a lot of restaurants think vegetarians must have chosen killing their tastebuds over the animals they won’t eat. Either that, or they don’t even have a vegetarian option, period.
Thankfully, Jinya does not subscribe to train of thought! With both vegan and vegetarian options, for once you don’t have to worry about if your vegan date will be able to find something to eat when you’re craving delicious, fatty pork broth.
The vegetarian option is lighter and comes looking like a massive salad atop a bowl of steaming soup. Desiring a creamier option, I hesitantly went for the Spicy Vegan Ramen, a cabbage-based broth with thick noodles.
It did NOT disappoint. Flavorful, rich, it hit all the key points that meat-eaters love about ramen, but with a healthier spin.
Pro-tip: Ask for fresh garlic to be added for FREE. SO. TASTY.
Double Pro-tip: Only add garlic if both you and your date don’t mind major garlic-breath. If you’re down to make out with garlic breath, you’re my kind of people!
If you’re adding drinks to your date-night, go for the can of sake ($10).
CAN you even handle this sake, bro?
Have you ever seen sake in a can? Yea, me neither. It’s on the bottles list but way more affordable. And even though I was skeptical because it was the cheapest, it was surprisingly refreshing, light and potent!
Besides reasonably priced ramen, Jinya also has a happy hour starting at 3pm. While there’s no ramen on the menu, you can find a few affordably priced small dish options, but sadly no alcohol deals. Who needs that anyway, when both ramen and sake run just $10 each?
Find out about other specials and recommendations on their Facebook page.
Ramen on a chilly day is the new chicken soup for the soul. Will you give in to the craving?
JINYA Ramen Bar
2400 Main St.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 392-4466
Happy Hour: Starts at 3pm
$20 Dollar Date Recommends: Spicy Vegan Ramen, Tonkotsu Black Ramen, Canned Sake
