Don't choose between sushi and ramen at Ramen Nori—get both - Review - Seattle - The Infatuation
"Lazy lunches that happen to involve Japanese food don’t get much better than Ramen Nori. This oak-covered spot specializes in both sushi and ramen, and their showing is so good that it’s hard to decide between the two—even though the mechanical noodle bowl at the entrance makes a good case for tonkotsu. Pesto swirls and parmesan melt together to elevate a bowl of creamy tonkotsu broth. Crackly pan-seared gyoza don’t even need a sauce dunk. And nigiri is sculpted with precision, wasabi dollop and all. Bellevue has no shortage of casual meals, but this is one to prioritize. Food Rundown Pesto Ramen Basil adds this bright vegetal quality to our old pal ramen, and the result is terrific. Clumps of parmesan cling to noodles, the broth has a welcome burst of freshness, and to top it off, the super soft, caramelized chashu is some of the best we’ve chomped. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Black Sesame Ramen Set aside the fact that this bowl of squid ink-infiltrated ramen looks like a Halloween prank. Black sesame and the aforementioned ink don’t influence its flavor more so than its color, but it’s still a delightful bowl of soup. We just prefer the pesto. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Agedashi Tofu There’s a nice panko crunch surrounding dashi-soaked tofu spears, and it’s a pleasant fried app. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Gyoza These craggy-crisp dumplings are extraordinary, with a filling so savory you can even skip the soy-based dip. (But don’t—it’s very good.) An abundance of coarsely chopped scallions adds an onion-y burst of sharpness, too. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Nigiri Excellent cuts of fish, an appropriate amount of slightly warm sushi rice, and a little dab of wasabi to mean business. We’re fans of the seared salmon and otoro. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Temaki You get your money’s worth with these handrolls—they’re practically overflowing with tasty toppings. The creamy scallop has a mustard-like zing, and the salmon avocado has a surplus of both. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Spicy Tuna Roll Spicy tuna rolls get lost in the shuffle sometimes. That’s not happening here. There’s a lot of stuffing in the mix, and it has a good kick. Get it. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo" - Aimee Rizzo
