Reviewing Ebaes: Asian Fusion near USC in Los Angeles.

Upon walking into Ebaes restaurant, the lanterns and wall murals made it feel very homey and inviting. We arrived around 4:30 p.m., so it wasn’t too busy, and we got lucky with a parking spot right out front. Ebaes offers great deals on drinks and food during their happy hours from 2-6 p.m., and again from 8-10 p.m. We sat at a table in the back with benches on both sides.

I ordered an iced green tea, and it came in a cute little Mason jar glass. To start, we got spicy garlic edamame and gyoza. As much as I wanted to love the spicy garlic edamame, it was a tad too spicy for me and I couldn’t eat it without immediately feeling my tongue burn. The gyoza were really tasty and perfectly cooked, and the dipping sauce had good consistency and flavor.

We then ordered the spicy tuna crispy rice roll and the USC Trojan roll. Both rolls were well-portioned as well as included fresh fish and delightfully cooked rice. The spicy tuna crispy rice was definitely my favorite of the two because of the uniqueness of the shape of the crispy rice and the amount of tuna on each piece. The eel sauce and spicy mayo combination was the right finishing touch, bringing the dish together nicely. The spicy tuna crispy rice is a must-order when going to Ebaes! The USC Trojan roll was truly delicious and unique too. As seen in the menu pictures, the sushi was definitely not bite sized and it took me a few bites before finishing. While I like the typical one-bite sushi experience, the size of Ebaes’ sushi really makes you feel like you’re getting a steal of a deal in comparison to popular sushi restaurants that are cheap with the amount that they serve per dish.

Lastly, we ordered the original Ebaes ramen with chicken broth and the tonkotsu ramen. Both ramens were fresh and tasty, and I would like to specifically praise the noodles and mushrooms. The original Ebaes ramen had such a distinct flavor; it was slightly sweet, which initially turned me off, but the flavor grew on me. The broth was rich and creamy. However, I preferred the tonkotsu ramen, which was salty and especially flavorful. Overall, I was particularly impressed by the freshness of the ingredients and the high quality of all the dishes. The portions were also extremely generous.

The staff was extremely friendly and the service was exceptional. They were quick to take our order, gave us a few recommendations, and consistently checked in on how we were doing throughout our meal. As mentioned, Ebaes has a very homey vibe which makes the dining experience so much more enjoyable. While both the food and the aesthetic of the restaurant were fantastic, I undoubtedly think the food is what brings customers back time and time again. Something that confirms my suspicion is the number of takeout orders they had going. I will definitely return to Ebaes and have already recommended this spot to many of my friends and USC peers. Some of my friends who were eager to find an exemplary sushi and ramen place near school tried it out and agreed that this spot is their new go-to near campus. Next time, I am going to be sure to try the spicy tuna and spicy salmon hand-rolls, the pad sie eiw noodles, and one of the rice bowls.