1,000 PAPER CRANE WISHES & DELICIOUS FOOD
Ramen Haus is a uniquely Ogden story with authentic Japanese cuisine.
Paper cranes hang from the ceiling inside Ramen Haus. Photo by Deann Armes/The Ogdenite
EAT DRINK OGDEN
I may be a bit biased, but before coming to Utah I did not like ramen. Most likely it’s because growing up my sister loved to add her own “twist” to the instant ramen we'd have for lunch quite a bit. Ramen Haus completely changed my perspective.
The comforting, homey food (it's hard to go wrong with broth and noodles), chill atmosphere of soft multicolored lights and pop-punk music, and paper cranes surrounding the restaurant make it a truly warm and welcoming experience whether you are celebrating, or mourning, or just out with friends for lunch. My favorite part, though, is that Ramen Haus has what feels like a uniquely Ogden story while still offering delicious authentic Japanese cuisine.
Vegetarian Ramen with Panko Tofu. Photo by Deann Armes/The Ogdenite
I had the pleasure of sitting down with the current owner Weston Lay and chatting with him about his story. Originally from Utah, Lay grew up going back and forth between Utah and Japan throughout his life. He and his wife Megan had a food blog to document their quest for the best local ramen, bringing them into contact with the previous owners of Ramen Haus who at the time were planning to sell.
While he already held the previous ramen house in fairly high regard, Lay wanted “the authenticity of Japan” that he had grown up with. It seemed like a great time, as the Lays were looking for a new adventure but neither of them had a food background. But Weston Lay, an electrical engineer, has a love for ramen that had him branch out—”obviously Ramen Haus is way more fun,” he says.
Gyoza: crispy pork or vegetarian dumplings with Su-Shoyu sauce. Photo by Deann Armes/The Ogdenite
Another major challenge was their not-so-perfect timing. The Lays closed the deal on the shop in March 2020, five days before Utah shut down all the restaurants due the COVID-19 outbreak. “It was a super freaky, super scary time," he says. “I had pretty much my whole entire life as collateral for buying this place.”
However, Ogden rallied around Ramen Haus. He says, “One thing I will say about Ogden, Ogden is fantastic. Everybody is super local-oriented and all the fans came out in droves.”
Ramen Haus’s success was due to the local response and in turn, Ramen Haus has given a wonderful eatery to the community. In order to give back to their hometown that rallied around the restaurant, they decided to bring a little bit of peace to everyone in the uncertain times. Based on folklore from Japan that says if you collect a thousand cranes you get a wish, they offer a promotion: anyone who brings in ten paper cranes gets some free food regardless of purchase.
“Our goal was to collect 1000 cranes so we could make a wish of health for the Ogden community during the most difficult COVID times,” says Lay. The goal was to give back to the community by providing good, affordable food when times were tight, and to put something good back out into the area.
Katsu Curry dish at Ramen Haus: breaded pork cutlet on rice served with Japanese Curry. Photo by Deann Armes/The Ogdenite
The displayed cranes aren’t just from the Ogden community. They are the cranes Megan Lay made for their wedding—one more personal touch that shows the love the two have for Ramen Haus and the Ogden community.
Now I have talked a lot about the story behind Ramen Haus, and I think it’s a good one. But no one goes to a restaurant just for the atmosphere or the story, though it adds to the experience, especially here. No, you go to eat. And like I said before, I didn’t like ramen until I got to Ogden.
At Ramen Haus, I got the Curry Udon to mix things up a bit. It was fantastic, with a rich curry gravy over amazing noodles with perfectly blended flavors. My wife had Tonkotsu Ramen, the more classic style, with pork (that I would love to have tried but there wasn’t any left by the time I finished my meal). Another favorite of mine is the Umami Bomb Ramen which I tried at Weston’s recommendation.
Curry Udon: Udon Noodles with Japanese Curry with carrots, onions, and beef topped with Aijitama egg and pork cutlet.
Photo by Austin Buckius/The Ogdenite
Lastly, is the dessert: the Honey Toast. Now let me warn you, when I first ordered it I was thinking your normal sized, maybe Texas-sized toast, and having the appetite I have and knowing my friend's sweet tooth I tried to order one for each of us. As soon as I saw the concern on the server’s face I knew that I had made a mistake. She politely recommended that we start with one and see how we were feeling. When our toast came out it looked like half a loaf of bread topped with ice cream honey and wafers. I would argue it is one of the best, if not the best, desserts in Ogden. But it is a monster. When they say serve four they may be underestimating a bit but if you go it is a must-have.
Honey Toast: Buttered and toasted Japanese Brioche bread smothered with honey and topped with seasonal fruits, vanilla ice cream, and wafer sticks. Photo by Austin Buckius/The Ogdenite
Now, I do not have the elegance to explain how good the food is nor the way it makes you feel while eating it. However, you can tell how much Weston loves his food when he talks about it. “A bowl of ramen is not a one-minute microwave food. That broth is cooking for over twenty-four hours. And we just boil the crap out of the bones, pulling all of that collagen out of the bones.”
Now, that’s just the broth; they also make their own bamboo shoots in-house. The pork is the central part of ramen. “If you’re familiar with Chashu pork it's the pork belly. And we roll it up and marinate it and the goal of a good bowl of ramen is that Chashu pork just melts in your mouth, right? You don’t want any sort of tugging at the meat,” he says.
And while he goes on to say they don’t always get it right, I have yet to have any piece of meat not melt in my mouth. Now, anyone who has had ramen knows that there are usually eggs in the broth. At Ramen Haus they are treated with the same care as the broth and the pork. They soft boil the egg until the yolk is just a little bit runny and then they marinate their eggs using the same meat sauce that they put on the pork to give it a more hearty flavor.
With this much love and attention provided, it is no wonder that Ramen Haus changed my stance on this popular dish, and why it has become one of our regular dinner stops when we go out. From love of community to love of food, Ramen Haus is a staple in Ogden. I, for one, am incredibly grateful I got to write about this gem of the Ogden community. I may have to go grab some ramen for lunch now.
Ramen Haus is located at 2550 Washington Boulevard in Ogden, Utah. They are open daily: Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 9 p.m. ramenhausogden.com
