Epic Ramen Yokocho Throwdown Hits Santa Anita Park on March 28

Forget the heat: it’s ramen battle time. If things haven’t cooled off by the end of March, the inbound Ramen Yokocho championship festival is going to warm things up even further out in Arcadia at Santa Anita Park. Taking place over two consecutive days, March 28 and 29, the all-out championship is once again pitting U.S. ramen shops against one another, with four ringers sent straight from Japan as comparison. And the winner is determined by you.

What’s more, Alvin Cailan’s fledgeling bowl spot Ramen Champ is competing, offering to take on the competition with his less-than-traditional ramen style. Other L.A. favorites include Shin-Sen-Gumi and even Urban Ramen, purveyor of the spicy miso along Sunset Blvd. Otherwise, expect a high-end crop with the likes of Men Oh from San Francisco and Kamitoku from Hawaii.

For $8.50 per bowl (cash only, folks), the seven stateside competitors will square up alongside Japanese mainstays Shrimp Tonkotsu from Osaka, Kurume Tonkotsu from Kyushu, Miso Bai Tang from Fukushima and Kagoshima Shoyu from Kagoshima.

There are no general admission tickets for this one, so just bring cash and be prepared to get in line. However, if you do want to skip the waiting process, Express Lane passes can be had for $25.

Get prepped. Get pumped. Ramen is coming on March 28 and 29.