Went to Ippudo with a friend for dinner and was seated almost immediately. The interior was impressive; I quite liked their posters and decorations, all with very unique style. From the moment we sat down, we noticed these fabric-colored boxes, to which the waitresses told us to keep our bags and backpacks in to keep them from the floor -- so considerate! We were started off with the French Fries & Takoyaki balls, both with the mayo sauce. French fries were crunchy and perfectly salted, so they were still tasty even without the sauce. The takoyaki were also delicious, though I wish they added more drizzle and octopus inside the filling. As for the ramen, I ordered Karaka Spicy while my friend opted for the Akamaru Modern. I'd read on the menu that adding toppings would cost extra, but I also wasn't expected to be charged $4 for an egg...? Granted, it was a nicely boiled egg -- not overboiled but still runny -- but that still surprised me a little. The dish itself was filling with generous amounts of noodle, but maybe two or three thin slabs of meat with more green onion. Contrary to its name, there was little to any spice at all and the broth rendered the ramen so salty to the point I couldn't finish it (my friend ended up taking half of her order home for the same reason as well). For a $25 bowl of ramen, I was definitely expecting a wider variety of flavors, but it is what it is, I guess. Their customer service is the only reason why I'm giving Ippudo 3* -- the waitresses were just so kind and attentive to us. So by no means was this a bad experience; I just don't know if I'll see myself coming back for the actual food. read more