Cairo R.
Yelp
This spot is located on a really fun street, Farmington Avenue in West Hartford, surrounded by plenty of choices for dining. We chose this restaurant to go to because from the outside it looked both fun and laid back. Once inside, you see the decoration is all wood-based, with these pieces hanging from the ceiling. It's a stunning visual effect. The music playing was a cool, calm hip-hop and thankfully it wasn't blasting through the restaurant. (I can't stand when you can't hear yourself when out to eat!) We were immediately seated. The menu is on a little slate that has drinks on one side and food on the other. From first glance, without knowing anything about Mecha, you'll see this place is Asian fusion styled food. There were menu items including ramen, pho and bao as well. If this isn't your typical cuisine or you're not familiar with those items, I'd recommend looking it up a little beforehand because the menu does use the culturally appropriate words to describe what is in the dish. For example, when ordering the ramen, words like "chashu" (pork belly slices) and "tamago" (soft-boiled egg) are on the menu and it helps to know the meanings. I ordered the house made lemon hibiscus soda as my drink. It had a very light and refreshing taste, but I wouldn't compare it to a soda and it didn't seem fizzy to me, but still nice. Our waiter brought over some edamame, on the house, as we had said it was our first time here. The edamame was absolutely amazing! There was a rich flavor from the cloves of garlic and rosemary that you see in the bowl and perfectly cooked in their oil but not greasy at all. We also got the General Tso's coconut shrimp with sticky rice as an appetizer. It was a good blend of... not spice as in spicy, but heat... it left a warm feeling in your mouth without the spice taking over. Then the main attraction, in our case the Tonkotsu ramen that we ordered, came out. I'm incredibly picky about ramen, as I've had some really good ones and feel like I know what I expect from a bowl. This place did not disappoint. At first glance, you see that the bowl is nice and full of ingredients. It's perfectly hot, and ready to start eating right away without burning your mouth. The broth has a creamy texture and great umami flavor that leaves you wanting more. The pork belly chashu is cooked precisely on point with the combination of the meat and the brim of fat melting in your mouth as they merge with the broth. I love that the noodles are actual ramen noodles, not the store bought 50 cent package that I've been served in some other ramen spots. They were cooked well, with enough of a bite to them that doesn't leave them as sloppy pieces dangling from your mouth. The last, and my favorite, part of the ingredients is the soft boiled egg. As an ingredient on its own, it is a little salty, but remember it's made to be eaten in combination with everything else which balances out the flavor. This bowl was a perfect mix for me of what noodles should taste like. I instantly put it at the top of my list of one of the best ramen spots I've ever been to. I also can't forget to mention that it was so affordable! This bowl of ramen costs only $15.50! Super satisfied, super happy and content with everything about the Mecha Noodle Bar as a restaurant. Our service was great, with our waiter being thoughtful but not on top of us in an annoying way. The food was delicious, and the overall environment was both cool and fun to be in. I'd definitely come back and also recommend this spot to anyone looking for good food.