Naruto is a comforting meal at a comfortable price

Eating at Naruto ramen shop reminds me of my days in college, sipping on a spoonful of broth in between classes.

I’m transported back to being 21 years old and tucking my backpack under the bar top of the ramen restaurant while I watch episodes of “Attack on Titan” instead of doing my homework. I had just returned to in-person college classes for my final semester, a little lonely and frightened about my future.

But there was something so soothing about the ramen shop just across the street from school, with its traditional interior and workers that yell “Itadakimasu” — a Japanese phrase said before eating that roughly translates to “thank you for this meal.” Something about that saying felt like home away from home, and one of the reasons I believe I survived a post-COVID college semester.

I’ve spent a lot of time eating ramen at Naruto. As a college kid, a heaping bowl of pork-flavored Tonkotsu Ramen for $12 was a major steal, and all I could really afford to eat, so I survived off ramen for the final months of school.

It was for this reason I returned to Naruto three years later. Was it just my poor college palate that made me believe Naruto was delicious, or was it truly as good as I remembered? And so I made the journey to Central Avenue on a Wednesday afternoon, hungry and nostalgic all the same. My boyfriend and I managed to secure a table just before the crowds filled in, but luckily, Naruto has a suggested dinner time of one hour, and they are sure to slowly pack up your meal right before the hour mark hits.

My partner and I started with a medium plate of Pork Fried Rice ($9.50). I’m typically not the biggest fan of the rice dish, but the pork adds a deep and robust flavor that pairs well with slices of green onion, leaving a flavorful but light taste in my mouth. Some people choose to get a large and enjoy the rice as an entree, but I prefer it as an appetizer.

I normally love trying a different flavor of ramen each time I go, but this time I wanted to enjoy a bowl of what made me fall in love in the first place: the Miso Ramen.

For just $12, the Miso Ramen is a filling meal that gives exactly what it says it does. Hot chicken broth and miso imported from Japan drip down the sides of the bowl, mixing in with slices of chashu pork to soften the delicious meat.

Green onion, bamboo shoots, narutomaki (Japanese fish cake), a seasoned egg and black mushrooms are the perfect addition to the ramen, brightening it while also giving a healthy serving of vegetables I wouldn’t otherwise eat. My partner gave me his extra fish cakes and eggs, I would have ordered extra otherwise.

To make the ramen more to my liking, I add a side of Extreme Hot Chile ($1.50) and Kimchi ($2.50). I absolutely loved the chile, but the kimchi was underwhelming at best, and I plan to steer clear of ordering it in the future.

With a degree and far more money in my pockets, Naruto is a place my boyfriend and I like to enjoy after a workout at Johnson Gym, a place where my friends and I celebrate birthdays and life accomplishments, and a place I go when I need a hug in the form of food.

And the food is just as delicious as it was when I was in college, while bringing me the same comfort I needed then.

Naruto a comforting meal at a comfortable price