Monta Ramen
Las Vegas, Nevada
By the time the family picked me up from the airport, first thing out of my mouth was "I'm hungry."
However, because it was late and my body thinks it's after midnight, I wanted something light. I'm not in for the steak and eggs, midnight breakfast that Vegas is known for having for $3.99.
Since one of my friends recently posted picture of ramen from Monta Ramen a few days ago, that was the first thing I told the fam and off we went.
When we got there, the place was packed and it was 30 minutes before closing. If memory serves me right, there were about 5 tables: 3 tables for 4-6 people and 2 tables for 2. There was also a bar that sits about 6-8. We waited for a few minutes but all 5 of us were seated not a little long after. It was a little tight but the table space was enough for 5 individual servings of Ramen.
The menu was simple, not too complicated. We all got something different from the menu except my youngest sister (who I thank for the photo below) and I who both ordered the Tonkatsu-Shoyu Ramen. The Tonkotsu-Shoyu Ramen has a chicken and pork broth with thin ramen noodles topped with green onions, bamboo shoots, mushrooms (kikurage), and thin slices of pork (chasu).
The broth was cloudy and richer than the Shoyu ramen ( my middle sister's order) which is made of chicken stock but not as rich as the Tonkotsu ramen (my dad's order, he got the spicy kind though) which is made of pork stock. (My mom ordered some sort of black pepper Tonkotsu-Shoyu ramen that was a special menu item). In other words, I thought the Tonkotsu-Shoyu Ramen was a good balance between both and exactly what I needed.
The soup was hearty, the ramen al dente and the pork was melt-in-your-mouth soft. The first sip of the soup immediately welcomed me home. An initial slurp of the ramen enveloped me in a warm hug. Once the pork touched my taste buds, I reached contentment. The whole family enjoyed their's as well, savoring the yummy goodness in front of us.
The broth was warm and delightful. It was a cross between a cream soup and a clear soup texture which was what about I needed to fill me up. The ramen noodles weren't bloated and was cooked just suitable for my taste. It wasn't soft or soggy but firm which is how I prefer them. The chasu was to die for. It was thinly sliced and soft which made it easy to eat and cut with chopsticks. The toppings added a nice depth to the soup since it made it more than just noodles in broth which I appreciated.
The only issue I had with my meal is that I didn't want to finish the soup left at the end of the bowl. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't mix it enough or I just didn't keep mixing but as I got to the bottom of the bowl, the broth turned salty so I left it at that. Everyone else in the fam thought so too. Nonetheless, we all felt satisfied but not bloated full. My mission for a light meal was accomplished.
Prices for the basic ramen were between $6.95 and $7.95 which, to me, was reasonable for the overall experience. The prices go up if you want to add additional toppings. As for the service, it wasn't spectacular but it wasn't bad. It was forgettable. Definitely not the highlight of our visit. I give them kudos though for getting our food to us fast.
Although it satisfies for a full meal, I wouldn't go there for such since it is one of those places that seems to be a stop, eat then go type of place. If you're like me who enjoys taking their time eating especially with good company, then this experience won't be as pleasant. You will enjoy the food though. I can't say much for ramen conosuires but for me, who's never had the experience and had no expectations except for a light yet hearty meal, the ramen hit the spot. I wouldn't go here with a large group either since it's a small shop and it won't give much time for conversation and catch up.
Overall, I'd say a successful visit for a ramen restaurant newbie. The experience was memorable and the fact I'm writing this 2.5 weeks later speaks for itself.
Savour scale:
Location: yum yum yum
Price: um yum yum
Service: yum yum
Food: um yum yum yum
Overall experience: um yum yum yum
Other notes:
Website: www.montaramen.com
*Both the screenshot of the location and the menu were obtained from there
**Note that the photo looks exactly like what you get.
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