Since opening last May, Rai Rai Ramen & Hawaiian BBQ has quickly become a local mecca for chopstick-wielding slurpers. The eatery is a fusion of sorts, with an extensive list of barbecue chicken and short ribs in signature marinades, not to mention a fall-apart kalua pork.
But it’s ramen that defines Asian comfort food—and Rai Rai’s is light years away from the pre-packaged college-dorm staple. Its extensive modern presentations combine housemade slow-stewed chicken, beef and vegetable broths as a base for miso, shoyu, shio or curry. Steaming bowls arrive full of hearty ingredients like fish cake, oxtail, gomoku, rib-eye steak, fried shrimp and more. Assorted dumplings, super-soft pork buns and textural vegetable dishes are also plentiful—and the sweet bubble teas are a must-try.
Rai Rai Ramen’s 100-seat space is comfortably large, clean and slightly zen, with a smattering of greenery. Be sure to tote a bottle of your favorite wine or brew along.
124 E. Market St., West Chester, (610) 738-8808.
