Domo Restaurant VS. Izakaya Den

For some reason, I have always been a sucker for a bowl of hot noodle soup.  It can be Chinese Won Ton Mein, Vietnamese Pho, but I am especially fond of Japanese Ramen.  Around Denver, there are only a few places that I have found so far that serve authentic ramen, one of which is Domo Restaurant.  (1365 Osage Street  Denver, CO / 303-595-3666).

Domo, which means "Thanks" in Japanese, is hidden on the side of downtown in what appears to be a converted warehouse with train tracks beside it.  The outside of the building looks like a modified warehouse, but the inside is an interesting variation on the standard Japanese design.  The theme of the decor follows the theme of the food, which is to say that everything is somewhat rustic and simple.  The chairs, for example, are hewn from tree trunks and then simply covered with padding, while the tables are solid stone (and not always flat).

By contrast, Izakaya Den (1518 South Pearl St. Denver, CO, 80210 / 303-777-0691) is a study in contrasting modern cuisine with traditional flavors.  The decor is a sleek, contemporary rendition of Japanese wooden framing, but the chairs and tables are much more "normal" than the slabs and stumps seen at Domo.

Izakaya is traditionally an establishment that serves small dishes along with sake in Japan.  The style has evolved into a similar idea as Spanish Tapas by serving small, tasty dishes with a variety of flavors and textures.  This of course leads to the introduction of new ingredients in order to modernize and constantly update the menu while still maintaining its Japanese roots.

We recently visited both restaurants to sample their ramen, and came away impressed with both.  Domo offers both Shoyu (soy sauce) and Miso (soybean) based broth, with interesting variations such as spicy salmon or pork.  Izakaya Den on the other hand offers some very non-traditional flavors, such as Lobster or Maguro (tuna).

In the end ScaryMsMary prefers the Lobster Ramen at Izakaya Den, complete with the Lobster Dumplings and Miso Lobster broth, while I personally enjoy the traditional Shoyu Ramen at Domo Restaurant.  I am still on the search for a good Tonkotsu (pork bone) Ramen in Denver, but I would not hesitate to order either of these again.