Ramen Undergound has become my go-to spot when I’m craving ramen but can’t get to Japantown (or better yet, the South Bay). The broth is umami-laden, the noodles are chewy and full of bite, and the ambiance is fun. I usually order the shoyu ramen with a gyoza topping. Outside of the standard pork-based broth, Ramen Undergound also has chicken and vegetarian broth options on their menu.

I’ve never gone for lunch, but around dinnertime, it’s always busy, and there is nearly always a wait. And oh, it’s BYOB, in case you like your ramen with a cold beer. Ramen Underground is minimalist in its approach, which works just fine. The emphasis is on quality, and at the end of the day, I’m happy that when the craving hits, good ramen is just a short walk away.

Akiko’s stays busy, so we’d made reservations for our weeknight dinner. We were quickly seated inside the small restaurant, and ordered from both their standard and special nama menu, featuring nigiri and sashimi flown in from Japan.

Our agedashi tofu arrived first, arranged artfully and topped with grated daikon radish. Agedashi tofu is silken tofu, lightly dusted with potato or cornstarch, deep-fried until golden brown, and served in a sauce of dashi, mirin and soy sauce. This version was crispier than the standard version, and more minimalist (the dish usually includes green onion and shaved bonito flakes), but still delicious.

Next came our selection from the nama menu: suzuki, shiro maguro, and smoked uni nigiri. This was my first time trying uni in smoked form, and the flavor was much stronger than I expected. I prefer the untouched version, but uni fans should still try this anyway, just to experience it. The shiro maguro, or white tuna, was mild and clean-tasting — just the way it should be. The suzuki, or sea bass, was my favorite: super fresh, and served with a light ponzu sauce.

Our volcano roll arrived last, and was essentially the opposite of our nigiri plate: rich, fried, and over the top. Made up of spicy salmon, salmon skin, crab, avocado, crunchy tempura, green onions, sesame, masago roe, and drizzled with a garlicy sauce, the volcano roll made the sushi purist in me cringe, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t delicious.

Service can be slow at Akiko’s, but it’s thorough and attentive. Just be sure to make reservations, even if you’re dropping by on a weeknight. Akiko’s may not be the most traditional sushi restaurant in the city, but I’m happy to know I can find a good roll or nigiri downtown, should I get the urge.

I’m not sure when the seemingly-dated menu was last updated at Hon’s, but I usually get the first item: wun-tun and noodle in soup. After I add my requisite garnish of chili oil, I’m in comfort food heaven. The noodles have a good bite, the wontons (or wun-tuns) are full of shrimp and meat, and the broth is flavorful without being greasy. My only complaint is that the serving size is small (a bowl costs under four dollars), so sometimes I explore the menu and order a second dish to share with my dining companions. Curry beef or offal with sauce, anyone?

Speaking of dining companions, some staff at Hon’s speak English, but it’s helpful to go with folks who speak Cantonese. Service can be slow when Hon’s is busy (which is often), but once you’ve ordered, food arrives quickly. Stick to the noodle soups here and you’ll understand why there’s nearly always a crowd at Hon’s.

I visited with my family on a recent afternoon, hungry and curious to sample their Nepalese and Indian specialties. We started with a yellow lentil soup.

Hearty and cumin-flecked, this is comfort food at its best. Pureed legume soups are de rigueur in a lot of South Asian restaurants, but not all lentil soups are created equal. This one was freshly cooked and richly flavored.

For lunch, I had the lamb momos. These were my first momos, and they were deliciously juicy and beautifully pleated. The ground lamb and onion filling was encased in a slightly chewy dough and served alongside a mild sauce.

My family also shared an order of lamb keema matar (so creamy! so spicy!), lamb tandoori (so sizzling! so tender!), brown rice, and green salad. The salad was run-of-the-mill, but everything else was outstanding. To end my meal, I sipped on a cup of masala chai.

I’ve been back a few times since my first visit, and service has been consistently warm and friendly. Windsor might not be the first place that comes to mind when I think of Nepalese and Indian cuisine, but the secret is out. Himalayan Restaurant is serving some of the best South Asian fare this side of the Golden Gate.

I finally found it at Tanpopo in Japantown. A colleague suggested it to me and on a rainy afternoon, we headed over for lunch. She recommended the kyushu ramen, which I ordered.

Kyushu ramen (named after Japan’s southernmost island) is a specialty at Tanpopo: a cloudy, rich broth called tonkotsu, served with egg noodles, boiled bean sprouts, red ginger, chashu pork, bamboo shoots, boiled egg, fishcake, seaweed, and green onions. Whew. My only complaint is that the egg wasn’t soft, but then again, this was one of the few times I’ve finished my entire bowl of ramen.

Tanpopo is nearly always busy, so plan accordingly, especially since Japantown can be a bit out of the way and service at Tanpopo can be brusque. I can’t speak to their other styles of ramen, but the kyushu ramen alone is worth the trek.