Dashi Ramen and Izakaya Cocktail Bar

Two stories of Asian bliss, Dashi offers hearty bowls of ramen noodles on the first level, while upstairs — look for the patterned manga wallpaper — is the izakaya, where you’ll find some of the most interesting cooking going on in Durham. From the grill is a smorgasbord of meaty goodies, from spicy miso chicken to wasabi beef tongue to yuzu kosho (spicy chili) marinated pork heart ($4-$7). The takoyaki hushpuppies ($8), based on the ball-shaped Japanese snack, is made with octopus and served with a citrusy yuzu mayo.

When it comes to Japanese food and ramen, my best dining experiences have come in NYC in a place like Ippudo NYC. But finding authentic ramen in the Triangle is no guarantee so of course, Dashi (Japanese stock-broth) was a welcome addition. A two-floor restaurant specializing in ramen on the first floor and an izakaya (Japanese pub with food) upstairs!. Run by the Cotlers from my long-time favorite, Toast Paninoteca, online reviews for Dashi have been a bit all over the place.

Dashi is one of the most unique restaurants in Durham, NC for ramen and delicious Japanese food. Dashi serves both traditional and updated Japanese dishes in a beautifully designed restaurant that elevates the entire dining experience. Whether you dine upstairs atIzakaya in the Japanese pub-style restaurant, or downstairs in the Dashi noodle house, you’ll feel the love owners Billy and Kelly Cotter have poured into Dashi.

The restaurant was extremely loud—it felt overstimulating and made it hard to focus on conversation or enjoy the meal. While the decor itself is nicely done, the atmosphere was far from relaxing. We ordered a variety of dishes: tonkatsu ramen (gluten-free with rice noodles and no soy egg), fried dumplings, pork buns, skewered chicken hearts, grilled edamame (without togarashi), vegetable tempura, and matcha gelato.

What makes Dashi worth revisiting is the way surprising Southern ingredients pop up. On the current menu, I love the spears of pickled green beans tucked around the rim of the Shoyu ramen, how their bright, green crispness cuts through the big funk and fat of soy sauce and roasted pork. Who knew a bowl of Japanese noodles could take you back to a jar of dilly beans from childhood, picked off a general store shelf?

Dashi took Durham’s ramen game to a new level when it opened downtown almost two years ago. The Tonkotsu bowl is the most popular: milky, wholesome broth boiled for over 24 hours with local pork bones and featuring roasted pork belly, sautéed escarole, soy marinated soft egg, bean sprouts, pickled red onions, black garlic oil, and scallion. Every season, Dashi incorporates new ingredients in the bowls.

Dashi has perhaps the best to be found anywhere in the Triangle. From the porky tonkotsu to light miso soup, Dashi's ramen selection is exactly what you want in a bowl from top to bottom. Dashi also is home to an izakaya that offers small plates, including tendon crackers (crispy fried beef tendons with house kimchi), the Takoyaki hushpuppies that hide flavorful bits of octopus, and seasonal yakisoba.

The openings of three Asian restaurants – Basan, Dashi and Juju – have provided an auspicious jumpstart to the new year. The eateries showcase how diverse Eastern foodways can be: Basan spotlights sushi and sashimi, often featuring fish from Carolina waters. Dashi specializes in springy ramen noodles in umami-rich broth, as well as Japanese pub food in its upstairs izakaya.

Just down the street, Dashi is another ramen shop with an izakaya serving Japanese-inspired grilled skewers and small plates upstairs. Pay attention to their social accounts to catch their popular omakase series as their announced each month. Namu is something of a hidden gem, bringing causal Korean eats amid a bamboo forest tucked away near a shopping center.

Nearby, you are in for a delicious surprise — a ramen bar in the middle of North Carolina, christened Dashi (415 East Chapel Hill Street), the soup stock star of Japanese cuisine. This ramen shop and bar stays busy. If you can, consider grabbing a seat at the ramen bar so you can watch the masters at work.

This spot offers a nostalgic vibe with delicious ramen and standout cauliflower, perfect for a cozy meal experience. We left feeling underwhelmed by the entire experience. The restaurant was extremely loud—it felt overstimulating and made it hard to focus on conversation or enjoy the meal.

Dashi in Durham is the destination for those who want to slurp their way through a variety of ramen bowls. Don't be surprised if you find yourself inhaling the savory broth quicker than your own breath. Plus, their steamed buns will make you realize that bread is a thing of the past.

Popular international restaurants include Copa, which serves farm-to-table Cuban tapas, Dashi, a Japanese noodle shop, and Goorsha, an Ethiopian restaurant serving a variety of dishes, all of which are scooped up with traditional injera bread instead of silverware.

For a unique and immersive dining experience, Dashi’s omakase menu offers something truly special. “We offer personalized 4-course omakases. In an izakaya, ordering omakase entrusts your order to the chef—it’s essentially a chef’s tasting menu.

Can we make a list of best places to eat without including a ramen restaurant these days?. The menu includes all of your classic ramen recipes infused with local produce. My favorite part is that it’s also an Izakaya, or Japanese pub!

This two-story restaurant is a downstairs ramen bar and an upstairs izakaya. If the downstairs is full, don’t despair, there are also noodle bowls upstairs and better luck with a seat.

Here are some of my personal favs: -JuJu (absolutely love!) -Blue Corn Cafe -Happy + Hale -Dashi -Heavenly Buffalo -Luna -Goorsha -Guglhupf -Refectory Cafe -The Parlour