I had Friday lunch at Marufuku Ramen in Cupertino. This restaurant took over the space in the Marukai plaza where Liang Mama’s Kitchen (aka a Taiwanese beef noodle shop) used to be.
When I got there at 12:15pm, the restaurant was 90% filled. There were 3 parties ahead of me, but I agreed to be seated at the bar, so I got to eat right away. Since it was my first time there, I went for their signature Hakata Tonkotsu, which consists of ramen noodles soaked in pork broth with thin strips of pork on top.
The $16 soup (~$20 after tax + tip) didn’t take long to make. Within 10min, I was digging in. The portions were smaller compared to other noodle shops in the area, but that made them just right for me. I enjoyed my meal. The staff was friendly and the loud welcomes in Japanese made the atmosphere festive.
One thing I noticed is that both my neighbors at the bar ordered a side of $8.50 chicken karaage along with their soups. That fried chicken sure looked good and would definitely be something I’d like to try in the future. (The $7 rice bowls and $9 Marufuku bites also look interesting.)
