Friday night we tried a Japanese izakaya-style ramen joint in Carlsbad called Gonzo! Yes, I think the exclamation point is part of their name.
It is located on the upper level of the Village Faire Shopping Center in Carlsbad Village. There were people there and it looked ok. It was one place to get away from the loud live music emanating from Coyote Bar & Grill.
They had more seating outside than inside. We went into the Gonzo! Store where you are supposed to order. We were told to stand in line and they would take us to our seat after. I was staring at the beers in the cooler when my son yelled at me. Apparently I needed to be in line with them so they could count us and would know where to seat us.
The ordering process was kind of annoying. I wanted to stare at the beers longer, as it seemed like the order itself would be almost overly simple. To me it came down to did I want Gonzo! Black—black garlic oil over tonkotsu ramen— or Gonzo! Red—spicy miso ramen. I ruled out the vegan Gonzo! Green.
My son got the red, I got the black, and my wife mixed things up with a non-ramen choice—the Pork Chashu Bowl. I tacked on some chicken karaage and the Spicy Garlic Edamame. I also got the Gonzo! Mania draft beer, but I kinda knew it was a mistake. I don’t really like Japanese style lagers. My wife had a green tea.
We were seated outside with our little order number sign. I would’ve preferred the more bustling inside, but it was a decent vibe all around. The decorative lights were nice.
The karaage and the edamame came out first. The karaage was good, but my wife—who was trekking across the terrace in search of a distant restroom—arrived only in time for the last couple of lukewarm nuggets. I thought the edamame stole the starters show anyhow. The spicy garlic was pretty awesome.
The ramen was very good. I tried them both. Strong broths, both of em. The pork belly came in big, thick, juicy slices.
Ironically the red comes in a black bowl and the black comes in a red bowl. Or maybe we were just confused. The pork chashu was also very good with sweet sticky rice.
My main problem with this place is just the ordering and seating method. I also prefer a more complex menu. I can even see how some might appreciate the exact qualities that I didn’t. The food is quite good, and it was a fun spot on a Friday evening.
Our bill was just under 90 bucks
Check out their website at:
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