​Iza Ramen

Established in 2013. Blowfish to Die For’s Executive Chef, Ritsu Tsuchida, unveiled the now-legendary ramen recipe at the Iza Ramen and broke the widely held belief by Bay Area’s ramen connoisseurs that one must venture outside the city to enjoy authentic ramen.

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Iza ramen is comprised of painstakingly slow-cooked, impossibly tender BBQ pork belly, fatty triple-stock broth, perfectly chewy noodles, soft boiled egg, and a variety of other tasty topping options. Chef Ritsu is also offering Tsukemen for those who prefer dipping their noodles to letting them soak.

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The Iza Ramen pop-up shop operated for two and a half years at the Blowfish Sushi in San Francisco.  Even with the limited open hours, Ramen lovers from Bay Area supported and enjoyed Iza’s Ramen as well as a selection of Japanese Izakaya appetizers including well-known Iza original Karaage Fried Chicken. After years of looking, Iza Ramen found a perfect permanent location in Lower Haight.

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Ritsuo Tsuchida (Ritsu) is the co-owner and the Executive Chef of Blowfish Sushi to Die For which opened the original location in Mission, San Francisco in 1996. Chef Ritsu comes from a long line of chefs and his family takes great pride in being in the restaurant business in Tokyo for several generations. He received a traditional training by a renowned Sushi Master in Tokyo before immigrating to Bay Area.

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Chef Ritsu’s remarkable and innovative dishes and his food artistry quickly gained popularity in San Francisco and he expanded Blowfish to Hollywood, New Zealand and Santana Row, San Jose.  His talent was recognized by the prestigious James Beard Foundations and was invited to present his culinary skills at their San Francisco event in 2005.

Chef Ritsu has worked all over the world as a guest chief alongside celebrity European chiefs and continues to explore his unlimited pallets and creativities.

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