By Roy Kwon

Staff Writer

  My mouth began to water as my nose caught a whiff of an aromatic broth and continued to drool as I eyed a perfectly cooked egg paired with numerous toppings. As I bit into the egg, the flavors of soy sauce bursted out, complementing both savory and salty flavors. The ramen was cooked to a nice and supple texture whilst maintaining the perfect amount of chewiness and the hot steaming tonkotsu broth had a rich creamy texture that was mellow, but packed a punch.

  If one was looking for a meal to enjoy by themselves or with a couple friends, KIYO Arcadia is the place to go. KIYO is a japanese sushi and seafood restaurant that also sells ramen. It is a new restaurant that opened its doors on Aug. 15, but for the short time its been up and running, business seems to be doing fairly well.

  I went during the evening around 7:13 p.m., and the restaurant was already bustling and crowded. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by friendly waitresses that were very attentive and helpful. Showing me to my seat, the waitress was very kind and patient in dealing with my indecisiveness, as well as offering a few helpful suggestions.

  While I placed my order, I noticed that the restaurant was filled with decor and had plenty of indoor lighting. The room was filled with ambient chatter and their choice of music was soft jazz, which added an extra element of classiness to the room and made it feel much more luxurious than it was. The seating arrangements were nice and  plentiful, while their chairs and tables were wooden.

   My food was presented to me in the span of 20 minutes. I felt that this was a bit long for a bowl of ramen, but it was well worth the wait. I could tell that my bowl was made with quality and care because all ingredients were placed carefully with a delicate touch.

  The ramen bowl came decorated with bean sprouts, dried black fungus, bamboo shoots, green onions, spinach and four pieces of chashu. The seemingly random toppings paired quite well with each other and really accentuated the flavors of the broth. These toppings were free of cost, and the lightly salted edamame came on the house as an appetizer.

  The restrooms in KIYO were separated by male and female compartments. It was very well kept and spotless. Parking outside is spacious due to it being located inside a plaza.

  One shouldn’t just a book by its cover, great service and food quality made this an outstanding joint. Coupled with the vibrant environment and classy music, this restaurant is an excellent choice to eat at with friends or family.