Bay Area's First 'Stamina Ramen' to Debut at Soon-to-Launch Dojo

L. Chong

The Santa Ramen spin-off will focus on the spicy and the stamina-inducing.

​Popular Santa Ramen in San Mateo is adding a second location expected to open April 8. Just as S.F.'s Green Chile Kitchen recently opened the spin-off Chile Pies (& Ice Cream) at its pre-expansion site, owners are launching offshoot Ramen Dojo in the original Santa space. Dojo will specialize in spicy versions of ramen.

Owner Kazunori Kobayashi is introducing his own variation of "stamina ramen," which will make Dojo the first shop of its kind in the Bay Area. A type found in Japan, as well as in New York and L.A., stamina ramen is supposed to give you plenty of energy (translation: plenty of calories). Dojo's spicy ramen will be available in three base broths: shoyu, tonkotsu, and miso. We feel invigorated just thinking about it.

Opening April 8:
Ramen Dojo 805 South B St. (at Eighth Ave.), San Mateo, (650) 401-6568; open daily 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:30-9:15 p.m.