Rachel V.
Yelp
My husband started frequenting this place after it was recommended by our friend/colleague. This ramen bar is NOT your traditional Japanese ramen. The noodles are not Japanese style ramen so I dock half a star for the authenticity factor because everyone is entitled to their own take on ramen dishes. The owners are Chinese so it's not gonna be like Ramen Danbo or anything.
However, the broth of the ramen is pretty darn close to the real thing. It's a really good pork broth, perfectly balanced, not too oily or salty, or spicy. Their seasoned egg is the perfect jamminess, it's not runny, yet not fully cooked through so it stays nice and soft. The noodles are not firm or straight. It's similar to the wavy ramen noodles you get from instant ramen cups/ packets. The chashu is two slices, and it's tender but thicker slices. Flavor is great, well seasoned and not overly savory or salty. Some places can really ruin chashu by making it too salty.
They offer kaidame or extra noodles for $4. At first I was surprised how much extra noodles cost compared to other ramen places but when they gave me a big plate of it, I was like okay, justified. Anyway, they seem to offer a full serving of extra noodles instead of half. Keep that in mind when ordering. You might just be better off ordering another regular bowl of ramen to avoid having too much noodle to broth ratio.
I tried a few appetizers during my visits here. I love the bang bang shrimp, it's light, crunchy and delicious. I tried the Toyo bun which is chashu and greens in a steamed bun. It was good, but not great. It really needs something acidic to cut through the flat tones of the steamed bun and greens. I think adding kimchi to this bun would make it a real winner.
The interior is very open and bright with large windows looking out to the street. They have big seats and tables and they're not too close together so you don't feel on top of other people.
Service is great. They're always super welcoming and they take care of my husband who is a regular in the evenings during his lunch break. They remember their customers which is nice. They're also pretty quick. You can have lunch in here and be out within 30-45 minutes. Perfect for anyone working nearby to have a nice hearty, warm bowl of ramen during the cold winter months.
We're super happy with this restaurant. It's centrally located on 7th avenue. Close to the hospital where we work, and there's plenty of metered parking for fellow drivers. Close to the train station also for fellow commuters.
Overall, good ramen place. Not authentic to traditional Japanese ramen, but again, it's their take and it's a pretty tasty one! Highly recommend this place!