"After a somewhat horrific experience downing 72 ounces of subpar ramen at Orochon , I briefly held the sentiment that I never wanted to see another bowl of noodle soup again. Just thinking about ramen gave me nightmarish flashbacks. The cure for my post traumatic stress? A visit to Ramen Yamadaya for tonkotsu ramen. Widely considered one of the best ramen shops in L.A. proper, the Culver City branch is often packed, with a line that snakes out the door. The décor of the relatively small eatery is stark and focused, simple wooden tables and walls adorned only with ramen related business, including a mission statement (above, right) that tells you they know exactly what they are doing. It reminded me, in the best way possible, of Ippudo in NYC (my favorite ramen place of all time) this place is not messing around. Having arrived just a few minutes after Yamadaya opened, we snagged a table in the back right away and ordered a couple of appetizers and some tea. The gy"
