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If you don’t have much time to spend, you’re an impatient person, Ikkyu at 2040 W. Orange Grove Rd. # 180 needs to be at the top of your list — your Fast-Food-That-Actually-Tastes-Really-Great list.
Owners Hiro and Yukari Fujimoto opened Ikkyu in 2008 as a second location to Hiro’s fast-food Japanese restaurant Samurai, which he ended up selling in 2009 after 23 years of business to focus on Ikkyu.
At Ikkyu, you’ll order at the counter, each meal is around $10 — give or take a couple of bucks — and then your food is usually ready within less than 10 minutes.
Menu favorites include the Spicy Tuna Don — volcano style. The Spicy Tuna Don is fresh, finely chopped tuna with spicy mayo on a bed of white rice topped with sweet, tangy eel sauce, tempura flakes, and thin strips of seaweed.
Ikkyu’s ramen broth is made from scratch, starting with pork and chicken broth before mixing it with one of a few sauces like Miso, Shoyu, or Tonkotsu.
The Tonkotsu has a rich, flavorful broth that’s been slow-cooked, intensifying the pork’s essence and building a deep, spicy heat for a bowl of soup that’s both hearty and complex. If you’re looking for a simple yet extremely tasty bowl of ramen, think about ordering the Shoyu (two slices of pork, a fishcake, bamboo shoots, and green onions).
If you’re looking for something other than what we’ve already mentioned, explore the sushi menu, dive into their Chicken Curry, or order one of their neatly portioned bento boxes.
Tucson Foodie Insiders
Ikkyu is also a Restaurant Partner, meaning that Tucson Foodie Insiders can score a free Taiyaki Ice Cream every month with a purchase of an entree.
For $20 a month, Insiders get a stack of cash vouchers to local restaurants worth over $5,000, free tasting events at local restaurants every month, access to members-only monthly dinner series with local chefs, discounts on events, and monthly mixers with other members. Learn more and join!
Ikkyu is located at 2040 W. Orange Grove Rd. # 180. For more information, call (520) 297-9011 or visit ikkyutucson.com.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
