Ramen isn’t just bachelor chow, and Majikku Ramen proves that this innocuous pasta medium can be used to make meals fit for special occasions.
Majikku is a Japanese ramen house with a wide selection of delicious and daring menu items. Majikku is brimming with dishes I just can’t find anywhere else, such as unagi (eel) fried rice or grilled yellow-tail tuna cheek.
Their grill is open after 4 PM and offers items under $5 such as grilled beef tongue, grilled chicken (wings, thigh, gizzard, heart), mushrooms and scallops. Don’t let the strange ingredients throw you off, most dishes like their pot stickers or rice dishes are much tamer, but flavorful.
My favorite appetizer is the fried oysters with tonkatsu sauce. These oysters are cooked to perfection, the juicy and the breading is crisp, but not too oily. They’re the best oysters I have ever had.
Most entrees are under $10 and half portions are available. Most entrees also have the option of customization with additional toppings for an extra dollar.
As for the ramen dishes, you will wonder why you never tricked out your cheap $0.50 pasta packets. Their house special, the Majikku ramen is a spicy powerhouse that will punch you in the mouth repeatedly and then caress the wounds with a cube of pork the size of your fist that is as tender as butter. Other notables include the katsu curry ramen with fried pork cutlets and the seafood ramen with squid, scallops and shrimp. Most ramen can also be changed into udon noodles if you prefer a heartier noodle.
Another enjoyable quality about this restaurant is quantity. This place has leftover factor, all but the hungriest of diners will go home with a helping of food for a late night snack, which I often pair with the exceptionally cheap beer sold at the next door market.
The restaurant itself has an enjoyable atmosphere and barely ever gets loud. The service is amazing, and everyone who sits down get free green tea (which I think tastes mysteriously like popcorn) along with pickled salad. The music is always agreeable and often jazzy, making for soothing ambiance.
The television behind the bar is a double-edged sword. A Japanese cooking program is always on, which is excellent for working up an appetite; however, the show can be extremely distracting to those not facing the bar trying to make conversation. You’ll find yourself craning your neck to see what your date is ogling at.
The parking lot is abysmal and if all parties can manage the walk I would suggest parking on the nearby streets closer to Westmoor High School.
Altogether, Majikku is a shining gem in the thick of Daly City’s foggiest neighborhood. Don’t be afraid of the new and the previously-considered underwhelming. Come to this restaurant and find yourself looking at your next cup of noodles with shame and opportunity.
