Da Sun Ramen

Delicious ramen! We tipped (which we know isn't a Japanese thing to do... But we are in the US) and got a free order of edamame. One quibble: the egg we ordered wasn't soft-boiled. We assume that they assumed that we (a white couple) wouldn't want soft-boiled. So, you may want to clarify when ordering.

First time here, it was excellent! Me and my boyfriend were both extremely happy. Our waiter was also extremely friendly and restaurant is social distancing properly.

Sapporo Lives!!!! The tonkutsu Ramen is the best around!!
We truly loved the original place and the new place in Sapporo’s original location has the same chef’s, same menu, and same delicious taste that we truly love!!! Thank you guys so much for reviving a “True” loving treasure of Orlando!!!

Everyone should take Da Sun for a ride! You won’t be disappointed!!

When I heard that Sapporo was closing, I was devastated since it was my favorite restaurant at the time. So I did the only thing I knew how to do to cope with the loss: wait in line for hours each week until it finally closed its doors.

A while later, a friend mentioned that a new restaurant called “Da Sun” was taking over where Sapporo was. I was pretty skeptical so I went to check it out and it was like Sapporo never left. The old staff and menu are pretty much identical, the only major difference is the way the tables are laid out and the new decorations on the wall.

I have no complaints about the service. You order and pay beforehand, so the pressures of a sit down restaurant are gone so you can relax and enjoy your meal at your pace. There’s also a water dispenser that’s easily accessible so there’s almost never a need to ask for staff assistance. The staff is really friendly and the food comes out relatively quickly. I have never once thought to myself “why is my food taking so long?”, since it always comes out before that thought even pops into my head.

So what about the food? I’m no food connoisseur, but I have been to Japan so I know a little bit about how the food should taste like. After eating here pretty much every weekend for a few months, I finally tried everything on the menu and it’s safe to say that this is one of Orlando’s top traditional Japanese restaurants. Almost everything was as delicious as I remembered and the only item that wasn’t as good as before was the curry.

My pick for the top two entrees are the tonkotsu ramen and gyudon. The tonkotsu broth here is probably the best I’ve had outside of Japan. It’s super rich and creamy without being too overpowering. If it’s your first time, this would be my top recommendation. If you’re not in the mood for soup or want something that’s not too heavy, the gyudon is the next best thing on the menu. You can’t go wrong with some savory caramelized beef and onions over rice. Since I love a lot of meat in my gyudon, the only minor nitpick I have is that I wish there was a bit more beef in the bowl.

For appetizers, the top two would have to be takoyaki and onigiri. The takoyaki are balls of batter that’s crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside with bits of octopus in the center. With sliced ginger and takoyaki sauce drizzled on top, it’s my favorite comfort food. An order comes with 5 so it’s easy to share with a group. Close runner up is the onigiri riceball that is really cheap and cost effective coming in at only $2 per riceball. It’s wrapped in some nori seaweed and filled with various toppings, with smoked salmon being my favorite.

And finally for dessert, there’s only 1 clear winner and that’s the mochi ice cream, which is even cheaper than the onigiri coming in at exactly $1. Cold, refreshing ice cream wrapped in delicious, chewy mochi is always the best way to end a heavy meal. They have a bunch of flavors ranging from mango and strawberry to chocolate and red bean, but my favorite will always be the green tea. I have never ordered desserts when dining out at other restaurants since the price of the dessert is usually a little under the price of an entree. But here, I don’t have to think twice since it’s just 1 dollar and the enjoyment I get out of it far exceeds that small change.

TL;DR
10/10, would eat again