Moto Ramen

A nice change of pace from Very Serious Ramen Joints with hour-long waits, Moto Ramen is a neighborhood spot in Culver City that does high-quality bowls of black garlic tonkotsu and spicy miso ramen without the fuss. There's a large patio out back where locals linger with their tiny dogs, and most of the dining room inside is taken by an open kitchen where chefs silently assemble bowls of noodles for takeout. The star dish here is the tantanmen, made with a thick, sesame-infused broth that’s topped with a heap of ground pork. You can also order the tantanmen cold, which swaps out the broth for a spicy sesame paste, and gives you a chance to better appreciate the delicate, curly noodles slicked with sauce.