OAKLAND | Shiba Ramen (review + vlog)

Back in January, Oakland celebrated its Restaurant Week as part of Restaurant Month all over California. The list of participating locations was such a diverse lineup of the city's culinary standouts, and trying to choose only ONE place to visit was the best problem to have. Ultimately, Kevin and I went with Shiba Ramen because ramen is one of his absolute favorite foods to eat, and we're both always open to try places that are new to us...but after a little more research, I found out that the restaurant has a bit of a unique background, as well!


Shiba Ramen is owned by the husband and wife team of Jake Freed and Hiroko Nakamura, a pair of retired chemists. Their blog, ramenchemistry.com, is a fascinating resource for the technical nuances of ramen. It has everything from ingredient breakdowns and the background of the ramen experience itself, to a behind-the-scenes view into building a business around this one particular dish, and it even gets down to the molecular level of human taste and umami receptors. But the important question is...Has all their theory translated to their product? What's the result?

Photo via Shiba Ramen

Shiba Ramen actually had a humble beginning inside Emeryville's Public Market food hall, which still stands today alongside an expansion venture, The Periodic Table (a taproom and sake bar). The newer Oakland location is in the heart of downtown. The space has a clean, contemporary feel as soon as you walk in. As first time visitors, Kevin and I appreciated the super nice staff who welcomed us in and explained all the items on the menu while we were ordering. The menu definitely has some items to get your attention, like the chashu pies and the soymilk ramen. They also had a good selection of add-on toppings to customize your soup with.

My ramen choice was the "White Bird." This was a chicken-based ramen with rich, creamy broth, CHICKEN chashu, a soft boiled egg, bamboo shoots, and chili paste. I enjoyed the creamy chicken broth and thought it paired well with the thicker style ramen noodles, and I also liked the fresh bite from the arugula (something different) and the salty kick from the shoyu soft-boiled egg. The chicken chashu was also a cool option...tender meat with a smoky char on the outside. Kevin ordered the "Spicy", made with a creamy sesame broth, spicy ground pork, bean sprouts, soft-boiled egg, bok choy, green onions, and shredded togarashi pepper. He enjoyed the flavor, but expected it to have more of a kick. (He has a really high heat tolerance, though.) We also both agreed that the broths were a touch on the salty side. Just enough to make you crave a cold beer on the side. Which, they do happen to have on tap along with a small selection of Japanese brews...I see what you did there, Shiba.

For our sides, we ordered shiba wings (nagoya-style sesame fried chicken) and gyoza (a pan-fried dumpling filled with pork). The wings had a great sesame flavor...a little nutty, a little toasty. The gyoza were cooked well, with a great crispy crust on the edges. These dishes really rounded out the meal without taking away from the ramen. And for dessert, we both got a serving of the "Shiba Scream." A scoop of Fenton’s Creamery ice cream is sandwiched between crispy, hand-made-in-Japan mochi monaka shells. As the only dessert even offered on the menu, it was a really enjoyable sweet treat. Yummy, but not too heavy. I also love that the ice cream itself is a nice nod to the city of Oakland. (Fenton's is a longstanding Oakland institution and even had its own cameo in the Pixar movie Up!)

Overall, Kevin and I thought it was a great, casual spot for delicious ramen. They've really got it down to simple science here...just come in and enjoy your food. In their own words:

In Japan, ramen is comfort food. It's what you eat when you're looking for a completely satisfying, but casual experience. You pay in advance, so when you're finished, you get up and leave. You don't break the bank, it isn't a production, and it tastes great.

Check out our vlog below for a closer look and a bonus boba recommendation!