Kumako Ramen - Roy's Tea Station - Japantown - San Jose

Nihon Machi - literally translated, Japan Town.
On a crisp December afternoon, N and Co. went to Japan Town on Jackson Street to have a late lunch. Oh, I didn't know San Jose had a Japan town? Of course you wouldn't since it's only two blocks long on one street. No one really goes to Japan Town, except once in a while to eat Japanese food. Nevertheless, I take comfort in the fact that we have one. Makes it feel like I live in an official city because it has a Japan Town.

Touristy looking historical signs and memorial benches scatter the street giving the appearance of being rich in history. And I'm sure Japan Town is rich in history but no one I know has ever stopped to read these signs. Kind of a pity. Maybe someone needs to do better marketing to attract visitors.

Marketing like this. This picture just screams, "Our sushi is so fresh, we don't even kill it!" They must call this the shark fin roll. Notice the shark is bleeding from the mouth and gills and looks like someone harpooned him. Captain Ahab, was that you?...

I was definitely hoping to eat somewhere else but that restaurant may have to wait. Due to Japanese standard business hours, closing from 2pm-5pm, our restaurant was closed and we settled for Kumako Ramen. That pedo bear is telling you they serve bear flavored ramen there. Doesn't it look like he's sitting in a bowl of ramen and eating it?

From foreground to background, Tonkatsu ramen, Tonkatsu with shoyu flavor, and shoyu ramen. All of which were just meh. I'm not much for ramen and this place does not convince me otherwise. It was just blah. They give you cool ladle spoons though.

Afterwards, we hung out at Roy's Station, Coffee and Teas. This place is so cute. The patio area beckoned me in.

The fancy shmancy coffee you can only find in a Korean drama made me stay.

"Hi, you may remember me from such meals as Han Sung BBQ."

The company, the board games, and the atmosphere made me stay until closing. I'm definitely coming back again. I read from their website that Roy's Station used to be a Mobil gas station owned by grandpa Roy back in the day. If you see the building design, you can see they modeled it after a gas station. That is a fun fact of the day. And that's the last of my Christmas outings folks. Looking forward to 2010.

Japan Town on Yelp
Kumako Ramen on Yelp
Roy's Station on Yelp