Himawari, a ramen shop in downtown San Mateo, is tough to miss. If the line out the door at peak times doesn’t tip you off, the glow of the blue neon sign surely will.

Once you step inside, it’s clear where the focus is, though—it’s all about the ramen. Each bowl is custom-created by the customer, which means that you always get exactly what you want. You start by choosing your broth—soy, salt, miso or regular—and go from there. If it’s your first visit, regulars say it’s hard to go wrong with the Tan Tan Men, a spicy chilli miso soup with ground pork and noodles. If you’re not in a rush, you can augment the soup with sides of edamame or kimchi. The restaurant’s interior design is simple and unpretentious, with two neat lines of tables heading back to the open kitchen, and walls decorated with LP covers.

Public Domain/Pixabay/Chun-San