My affection for hot noodle soups like ramen, pho, laksa and even some homestyle chicken noodle is evergreen, but it reaches its apex come autumn. I think most people can roll with me on this: The spooky season brings out our love of pumpkin spice, horror movies and bowls of steamy, soupy goodness.

I've really come to enjoy soup that singes the mouth as the result of both temperature and spice level, which led me to Oishi Ramen near the South Salt Lake Chinatown Supermarket. Their menu of Chinese and Japanese ramen is full of unique options, and doesn't shy away from bringing the heat.

Though Salt Lake's ramen game has risen considerably over the past few years, Oishi Ramen has become a standout. A lot of this recent praise comes from their hand-pulled noodles; you'll often be able to see one of the talented chefs twirling and twisting Oishi's ramen noodles in their openly visible kitchen. On top of that, Oishi boasts a menu of options that blend traditional Chinese street food with offerings for those who like to indulge with a bit of offal from time to time.

On your first visit to Oishi, you may be tempted to get right down to business and order up a bowl of their signature dish. I'd encourage you to pause and give the appetizer menu a look first, however. The starters at Oishi are far from an afterthought, and their street food snackability goes hand in hand with the ramen mains.

Those who are fond of traditional Chinese skewers will want to check out their beef ($4.99), lamb ($5.98) and tofu ($4.98) skewers. They're seasoned to perfection, and capture the magic of a freshly grilled skewer. You can also get fried intestines ($4.98) or quail eggs ($4.98) if you're after something a bit harder to find in Utah.

Every so often, I like to test my tolerance for eating guts, so I tried some of those crispy intestines. While it's safe to say that I'm not going to be whipping up any fried entrails at home any time soon, the seasoning on these little intestinal rounds is really quite good. I think if you've got a preexisting proclivity for pancreas, you're going to like the guts you get at Oishi. You can even get them stewed with your ramen if you so choose.

If a grilled meat skewer doesn't do the trick, then I'd suggest the soup dumplings. As vast as our Asian cuisine options are, it's uncommon to find steamed soup dumplings on our local menus, which is a real shame. Also, serving soup dumplings at a soup-based restaurant seems like a no brainer—soup in all its forms should be welcome.

The soup dumplings at Oishi come served in a bamboo steamer with a delightful vinegary sauce for dipping. The filling is seasoned nicely, and the interior broth spikes the whole dumpling with just the right amount of acidity. They're slippery, savory and delicious. I was also a fan of their pan-fried pork buns ($12.98), which add a pleasant seared crispness to the top and bottom of a steamed bun. A little soy sauce or black vinegar on top of these adds up to an excellent way to prep your appetite—or you can just keep them on hand to dunk into your ramen broth when it arrives.

Speaking of ramen, you've got plenty of options at Oishi. It seems like most ramen fans lean toward the traditional tonkotsu ramen ($12.98) or its spicier cousin ($13.98), both of which are perfectly respectable options. Their tonkotsu broth is luscious, and it's supplied with a very satisfying arrangement of mushrooms, green onions, sliced pork and hard-boiled egg. Seeing as how the noodles are whipped up right there onsite, it's no surprise that they're excellent.

I was after a bit of a kick to my ramen journey, so I went with the kimchi beef ramen ($12.98). It's got a nice mix of bok choy and kimchi along with a spicy broth that hits you right in the back of the throat if you slurp too vigorously. I also liked the thin slices of fat-marbled beef; they absolutely melt in your mouth. The curry ramen ($12.98) is a good bet for those who want something in between mild and spicy, plus it comes with a tasty pork cutlet that's fried to golden brown perfection.

Though you've got plenty of familiar ramen options on Oishi's menu, it's also one of the few places that incorporate tripe and intestines into their menu. If you're not a fan of all that meat on meat, their vegetable tomato ramen ($12.98) is a nice bowl of plant-based comfort. With its solid menu of street food snacks and a wide range of ramen options for your enjoyment, Oishi Ramen is definitely one to keep in the rotation as the temperatures start to drop.