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Barbara’s Bits and Bites: Great ramen; frustrating dinette

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Though I enjoy writing about the local political scene, I look forward each month to switching gears to discover and rediscover fun places to eat in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

One place I recently discovered was Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai at 891 Baker St. in Costa Mesa.

If you’re a ramen fan, it’s certainly worth a trip.

A friend raved about the place, saying how authentically Japanese it was. But before I headed there to give it a try for lunch, I checked out its website, https://www.ramenbannai.com.

The site explains a bit about the founder, Akira Nakahara, and the restaurant’s roots.

“In 1958 the original Ban Nai Shokudo [eatery] was opened in Kitakata city by Shingo and Hisa Ban Nai,” the site says.

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Visiting Kitakata in Japan in 1987, Nakahara “was fascinated by Ban Nai’s Kitakata Ramen for its taste and quality,” which prompted him to start working and training with the Ban Nai family. Eventually he opened his first Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai in Shinbashi, Tokyo.

The franchise has 57 locations throughout Japan — with one now in Costa Mesa.

The interior of Kitakata Ramen Ban Nai on Baker is small and the tables are pretty close together.

The afternoon I was there the place was packed, which is why I suggest arriving a bit before noon if you’re planning to have lunch.

Our server was especially helpful explaining the menu, which is in English and Japanese.

She suggested we try two of the most popular dishes.

The Mixed Green Vegetable Ramen costs $8.50. It consists of pork broth, shoyu base, toro chashu, spinach, potherb mustard, crown daisy, red and green onions and garlic chips, and was quite tasty.

Her second suggestion was the Kitakata Ramen ($7.35), made with a pork broth, shoyu base, toro chashu, menma and green onion. It was equally as good.

From the starters menu, try the fried or boiled gyoza ($3.80), edamame ($2) or the juicy fried chicken ($3), marinated with a house special sauce.

The ramen portions are ample and pricing is reasonable.

Lunch for two with one appetizer, two sodas and a dessert of yuzu sorbet was about $30, including tip.

The yuzu sorbet wasn’t a favorite, but I’m guessing it’s an acquired taste.

*

The redone Ruby’s

Another place I tried was Ruby’s Dinette, 428 E. 17th St. in Newport.

As a big fan of the Ruby’s Diner concept, I’ve been watching the remodel of the restaurant for months as I’ve driven down 17th Street.

Ruby’s has always been a favorite lunch spot of mine and my little rescue dog, Stasha, because of its pooch-friendly patio.

I was looking forward to trying the new concept restaurant when it opened.

With Stasha and my husband in tow, we stopped in.

Though the décor has a ‘60s vibe, which I loved, the fast-food concept of standing in line to order at a counter made it difficult with the dog, who I couldn’t bring inside.

Gone are the waiters and waitresses who were part of the original Ruby’s experience.

While I stayed with the dog, my husband went inside to read the menu. Next it was my turn, so I ventured inside to place our order while he stayed with the dog.

I was disappointed to see the dinette menu was far more limited than the original Ruby’s.

And though there were only a few people ahead of me in line, it felt like forever before I got to the front.

And when I did, the restaurant was out of several selections I wanted, not to mention that the gal behind the counter wasn’t very helpful.

At that point I gave up and left after spending the better part of a half an hour trying to order lunch.

My suggestion is if you’re looking for the experience of a fast-food joint, head for McDonald’s because the chain has this concept down pat.

From what I experienced, the new Ruby’s does not.

But all was not lost.

We headed to my next favorite burger place down the street, The Counter, 1104 Irvine Ave. There we were served by a friendly waiter on the dog-friendly patio and enjoyed a couple of great burgers.

BARBARA VENEZIA, whose column appears Fridays, lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.

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