DINING: VALLEY
Chicken Katsu Don MegaPig Ramen
Fire Crackers Shrimp
Black Knight Ramen
Takoyaki Wu Lan Belly Bun
WU LAN RAMEN TAP HOUSE WORDS: BRYN HERRLEIN PHOTOS: ZACH CORDNER Jen Sun, owner of Wu Lan Ramen Tap House, hopes to be an inspiration to women like herself who have come to the U.S.A. searching for the American dream. At age nineteen, Sun and her husband immigrated to the United States where she enrolled in school to learn English. She earned a living by working in a Chinese restaurant. Six years later, they owned their own Chinese restaurant, then a Mexican restaurant, and even an American Diner. After nine years of juggling three restaurants, it was time for a change; they sold two of the restaurants and divorced. Once on her own with complete creative control, she chose to open a restaurant serving the cuisine she knew and loved—Ramen. Fast forward to 2016, and the Wu Lan Ramen Tap House was born. Raised in Taiwan, Sun has many happy memories cooking alongside her father who served as a Navy cook. Together, they shopped at local open markets, where her father would teach her how to choose the freshest and best quality ingredients. He also taught her the importance of the complicated techniques used to make Taiwanese cuisine. THEOSIDER.COM
Taiwanese cuisine is heavily influenced by Japanese and Chinese traditions. Ramen, like Taiwanese cuisine, is both Chinese and Japanese; the “noodle” (originally called Shin Soba) is from China, and the “broth” is from Japan. The first specialized Ramen restaurant was opened in Yokohama, Japan in 1910, and since has been popularized around the world as Japanese cuisine. Dining at the Wu Lan Ramen Tap house is like being magically transported to Sun’s family home in Taiwan. Making the same recipes her father taught her, she focuses on three broths: a fifteen-hour rich cloudy pork broth, a hearty miso broth, and a light chicken broth. My favorite ramen dish is the Black Knight— the pork broth topped with black sesame oil. Sun’s favorite is the Miso Hot. Yes, the Ramen is amazing, but don’t stop there—all of the appetizers are unique and delicious. Try the Takoyaki, or the Firecracker Shrimp for a special treat. A real bonus is that not one of the menu items cost more than twelve dollars. Sun’s novel approach to running a restaurant relies on the fact that if you treat your 60
Owner, Jen Sun
Wu Lan Ramen Tap House 4645 Frazee Road (760) 453-7526 staff well, they will in turn treat the customers well. She encourages a healthy lifestyle for all of her employees by providing Jazzercise and Pilates classes, occasionally even teaching the Jazzercise class herself. She has plans to include meditation to her wellness regimen for her staff and friends. The Wu Lan Ramen Tap House is so popular that she’s already contemplating opening up a second location. The future looks bright for Jen Sun!