Robert F.
Yelp
The owner must be obsessed with cats, given the name of the restaurant ("neko" is cat in Japanese) and the interior which has more maneki-neko (beckoning cat) figurines than I have ever seen in one place. Not to mention all the cat drawings, including a series of tatooed, yakuza-style kitties.
Maneki-neko bring good luck in Japan and I had the good luck to find this somewhat odd little place. It looks like it should be a branch of yet another fast food chain, but it is a standalone, family-owned restaurant with carefully, made-to-order food.
The menu is focused on ramen with six basic varieties, mostly using chicken or chashu (pork belly). There's also a vegan option and a kid's version. There are 15 choices for extra toppings. I don't think most people will find these necessary, although I do like to add a second egg to my order.
If you don't want soup, you can get fried rice or a rice bowl with pork or chicken. There are a variety of appetizers including dumplings (gyoza), shrimp, a pork bun, chicken, egg rolls, wontons, Brussels sprouts, edamame (soy beans), and takoyaki (octopus balls).
Besides fountain drinks there are sone canned teas, Japanese sodas (Ramune), and a small selection of sake and bottled beer.
I've tried the black garlic, miso, and tori ramen, the first two with pork belly and the latter with chicken. Are these the best ramen ever? No. However the broth has been made with care, all of the ingredients are very fresh, and the pork and chicken are tender and flavorful.
The ramen is served in beautiful, porcelain bowls--not cheap plastic. That definitely elevates the experience. You order and pay at the counter, receive a number on a stand, find a seat, and a pleasant staffer brings your order to you.
There's comfortable, inside seating for about 25-30. This is not fast-food. Expect your order to take 12-15 minutes to prepare. We arrived just a few minutes after opening and the space was already two-thirds full with take out orders starting to stack up.
I've enjoyed the food, the service, and the ambiance here. If you're feeling down, a bowl of delicious ramen and a wall of lucky cats is sure to cheer you up. Give it a try!