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Ippudo Review

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Posted by Alex at ( 17:47 / 31.3.2008 )

Real quick review ... just notes for now: Just got back from Ippudo's grand opening. Pretty good. Japan is better of course. NY branch is bigger and flashier than any I've been to in Tokyo. My biggest complaint is that there's no toppings on the tables. They brought some fresh garlic when I asked for it but they didn't have anything else. There are 2 dinning rooms, 1 with big booths. There is a bar in the front so you can have a drink while you wait. I saw maybe 10 kinds of sake, 4 shochu's and vodka and gin. Sapporo and Kirin on tap. The whole place is very stylish. Soup wasn't as strong as it is in Japan. Broth has a deeper taste in Japan. Yumiko likes a light taste so she liked the NY taste better but I like a deeper taste. Charshu was good. There's no directions on the menu that tell you to order your noodles soft/medium/hard and they waitress didn't ask, so I forgot to specify. The default noodles were good and thin but I like them cooked hard, which I got when I ordered the kaedama. The menu is bigger, they have "ramen salad" as well as some seafood kara-age. They don't have any gyouza which is lame. Bathroom is downstairs in the basement. When you go down there you can look through the window and see them making the broth in big vats, as well as the noodle machine which wasn't turned on when I was there. They cook the ramen behind big glass windows in the dining room. It's probably the best ramen in NY but needs some changes here and there.



Ippudo Update!!!

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Posted by Alex at ( 11:26 / 6.3.2008 )

I just got off the phone with the people at Ippudo and they are saying end of the month (March). This is the most solid news that I've heard up until this point. It's right from the horses mouth.

again

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Posted by Alex at ( 15:28 / 12.3.2008 )

Was craving Ippudo today so I called them again. Same story, end of the month.

3.19

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Posted by Alex at ( 22:11 / 16.3.2008 )

Word is out. 3/19... 5PM

Damn!

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Posted by alex at ( 13:6 / 18.3.2008 )

damn! they changed the website... now saying Mar 31

NYC OPEN NOW!

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Posted by jt at ( 15:55 / 24.3.2008 )

Today, 3/24 though Wednesday, 3/26, it's in "soft open" stage... limited menu. But they have the white and red-sea ramen bowls and a number of other items. No gyoza yet on the menu. But the white-sea bowl brought back many memories. The decor inside is gorgeous and the staff is full-on Japanese, and very friendly. RUN...don't walk... it's here!

ahh!

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 11:18 / 25.3.2008 )

Damn I need to go there today!!!



I love Ramen

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Posted by blur ting at ( 19:42 / 2.3.2008 )

I love Ramen, especially the spicy ones at Ajisen Ramen. It's the one kind of carbo I would indulge in without guilt. i wouldn't even finish a plate of pasta but I would eat up every single strand of ramen and drink up every drop of soup. That's how much I love ramen!



Hello World!

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Posted by Chris Giddings at ( 12:38 / 10.1.2008 )

You may have seen a couple reviews for ramen from Matsuya in Kentucky. I have agreed to join TastyRamen for providing more reviews. Please give me guidance as I look to add a wealth of additional reviews here. I'm curious if you all like the five point rating scale or not and whether the areas I rate are also the ones you're most interested in... if anyone cares to answer. :-)

Hi!

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Posted by Alex at ( 11:55 / 13.1.2008 )

Chris, loved the reviews ... I'm going to be adding a section for reviews that will include the five point scale, pictures of the noodles, and a map of the shop. Keep up the great work!

Five Point Scale

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Posted by Chris Giddings at ( 13:10 / 13.1.2008 )

I have some fun (I think so at least) ideas on how to handle the scale and rules to using proper ramen tasting technique (as discussed in several ramen related drama shows I own). I have some other ideas for the website as well if you're open to feedback and suggestion for the website itself.



Ippudo NYC update

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 11:47 / 11.12.2007 )

Word has it that the Ippudo shop in Manhattan will be opening in January. When do we start lining up?

huh?

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 10:42 / 8.2.2008 )

I guess this didn't really pan out, did it.



Ramen for health freaks -- soba

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Posted by locomote at ( 21:1 / 7.12.2007 )

Hey guys, I went to a nice shop here in Takadanobaba (Tokyo) a few days ago. Their concept is to fuse ramen and soba to make an extremely healthy and delicious alternative for ramen lovers. It's well worth a try. The name is 安土. It's just over 5 minutes to the left when you come out Waseda exit on Waseda-dori. http://www.walkerplus.com/tokyo/gourmet/DETAIL/V-TOKYO-2RTAT728/

Baba ramen

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Posted by Alex at ( 12:53 / 8.12.2007 )

locomote ... welcome! There is some really good ramen in takadanobaba. I don't know the names of any the shops but there is good miso ramen on waseda-douri. I can't wait to go back to Tokyo. There's also some good bars in cafe's in takadanobaba. Do you go there a lot?

really?

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 16:25 / 8.12.2007 )

Health food ramen? Sounds like an oxymoron.

It's for real!

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Posted by locomote at ( 22:37 / 8.12.2007 )

Yeah - kinda odd. It's a bit strange as the noodles are a little tough compared to what I'm used to in Ramen, but I like soba too. If you go with an open mind, I think you'll like it. Alex: There are so many shops in Baba, it's hard to know what's good and bad. I like to taste around though. Just tried a new one a few days ago - "Kuro-buda ramen" (black pork ramen). The soup has some kind of floating blackness on top of it...makes for a really interesting sight. The soup is pretty typical, but I think someone with better taste buds than me could pick out some uniqueness in it. It's a new item in a rugged chinese shop on Sakae-dori. I've lived in Baba for about 10 months, and I've just started to taste all the great food around. I love this place!

Hey locomote

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Posted by Alex at ( 12:58 / 9.12.2007 )

Would you be interested in reviewing some of the shops in Baba on this website? You would get full credit, of course. Drop me a line at alex@tastyramen.com



best ramen in amerca

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Posted by ramenfreak at ( 3:58 / 29.11.2007 )

choices suck in america but there is one shop in san mateo california called santa ramen. specializes in tonkatsu but also has shoyu and miso. one of my trips to japan i was on iriomote jima (middle of no where) and met a japanese american woman on vacation who lives in san diego. i was lamenting about the lack of ramen in america and she said she knew one shop. i stopped her and said "santa ramen?" she looked surprised and said "yes". keep in mind that she lives 400 miles away. best ramen in the world is ton chin. has 4 shops but ive only been to the one in kabuki cho. fukuoka is over rated. almost any to tonkotsu shop in tokyo is better than the best shops in fukuoka, and most shops there dont even serve takana with the ramen!

Awesome

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Posted by Alex at ( 16:5 / 4.12.2007 )

That is a great story!

Another review of Santa Ramen

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Posted by Chris Giddings at ( 16:28 / 4.1.2008 )

Rameniac has a decent review of Santa Ramen... http://www.rameniac.com/resource/comments/santa_ramen/



Nuf

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Posted by Miso Hungry at ( 7:13 / 28.11.2007 )

In my opinion the best ramen on earth is here in Tomakomai. The variety is incredible and the competition to be number 1 is intense. There is yearly contest amongst shops in Sapporo. And only th top 10/12 are allowed to set up in a reserved area.

Miso...

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Posted by Alex at ( 14:18 / 28.11.2007 )

Yes! Miso ramen! Sooo good. I like the white miso style. There is a good shop that sells white miso ramen in Tokyo in Takadanobaba ... I think on Waseda-douri. I want to go back to Tomakomai! (not in the wintertime though)

Baba??

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Posted by locomote at ( 21:2 / 7.12.2007 )

Hey Alex - I live in Baba! Is it possible to give a bit better directions? Name? Something to work from...?



Taiwan Ramen?

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Posted by LittleMy at ( 22:36 / 27.11.2007 )

Anyone know a good recipe for taiwan ramen, or a good place in the New York area to eat it?

Alex

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 14:16 / 28.11.2007 )

Hmm. Never had Taiwan ramen. What is the broth based on? I will ask somebody that might know about it...

hmm

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Posted by Little My at ( 15:12 / 28.11.2007 )

I'm not sure, but I think red miso perhaps?

taiwan ramen

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Posted by bobby stokes at ( 21:45 / 13.1.2008 )

i think it's shoyu, but it's very spicy. It actually originated in Nagoya. misen is the most famous shop here, and they opened up at the central japan airport too



Setagaya? Santouka? Minca?

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 12:59 / 27.11.2007 )

Best ramen in New York? They're all pretty good I guess. Santouka is a pain to get to but probably the best in my opinion.

Location, location location

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Posted by feitclub at ( 5:42 / 28.11.2007 )

Where are the first two? I know Minca is in Alphabet City and I like it, but I've never tried Setagaya or Santouka.

Re: Location

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Posted by Alex Kane at ( 17:27 / 30.11.2007 )

Setagaya is in the Village I think on 3rd Ave. Santouka is in New Jersey unfortunately.

Santohka

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Posted by jonny at ( 13:57 / 30.11.2007 )

I like Santohka very much!! Also, Ezo Fukuro, which was introduced in a spot event the other day, was tasty as traditional miso ramen.

yo

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Posted by Alex at ( 17:26 / 30.11.2007 )

Really? Miso ramen shop in NYC? Where is Ezo Fukuro? I want to go this weekend.

Ezo---

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Posted by jonny at ( 13:10 / 9.12.2007 )

It was an event in Japanese supermarket held in NJ in Oct or Nov. I am hoping to have them here soon. As you can imagine from the name, it is originally from Hokkaido.

ah

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Posted by Alex at ( 13:16 / 9.12.2007 )

Ahh I know what you're talking about now. The Hokkaido fair at Mitsuwa. I didn't know that they had ramen there though. If I had known about that I would have gone. Do you think they'll open up around here permanently?

Let's hope

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Posted by jonny at ( 15:56 / 4.1.2008 )

I don't know whether they are coming again or not. Let's hope that they will come back again.



Is it Ippudo or Ippudou?

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 15:48 / 26.11.2007 )

Isn't Ippudou supposed to have an "u" at the end? According to the Kanji I'm pretty sure it is.

It depends

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Posted by feitclub at ( 5:37 / 28.11.2007 )

It's a long "o" at the end so you can write it with an extra "u" if you want. Other romanization methods use a macron above the "o." But nothing's written in stone. Have you ever seen someone write "Arigatou?"



My favorite ramen is ...

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Posted by Porkroach at ( 13:25 / 25.11.2007 )

Shio-ramen... salt. 私は塩ラーメンが一番好きです。 バターとコーンをトッピングすると なおおいし！　 日本人といえば、なんといってもしょうゆラーメンが一番人気ですよね。 ちょっとこってりコクのあるものを好むなら 背脂しょうゆ。 これもまた美味ですね！

Tonkotsu

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 15:51 / 26.11.2007 )

Salt? To light. For shio-ramen your best bet is Setagaya. I like tonkotsu though. Minca is pretty good... other than that, bleh.

Shio, Tonkotu

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Posted by jonny at ( 13:13 / 9.12.2007 )

I think that Salt (Shio) is one of the flavor and Tonkotsu is one of the soup base. Am I right? I like Tonkotsu ramen with salt flavor, though.

Alex

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Posted by types of ramen at ( 13:22 / 9.12.2007 )

They're actually 2 different types. Shio is the salt base (with a simple taste) and tonkotsu is the pork base (with the deep taste). There is also shoyu and miso.



Hakata Ippudo Ramen

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Posted by Ramen Master at ( 12:45 / 25.11.2007 )

Raise your hand if you love Ippudo Ramen. It will be coming to NYC soon.

I do

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 13:32 / 25.11.2007 )

Yes ... can't wait. Best tonkotsu chain.

when?

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Posted by Anonymous at ( 11:14 / 26.11.2007 )

When will it open?

WHAT?

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Posted by feitclub at ( 5:41 / 28.11.2007 )

It's coming to New York?!? Oh man...I mean, I live in Japan now so I can get it whenever but I craved it so badly when I returned home from my study abroad last year. On the plus side, I just introduced my family to this chain on their last visit and now they have something to look forward to at home!

yup

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Posted by Alex at ( 14:15 / 28.11.2007 )

Yes - Ippudo is coming to NYC. 65 4th Ave. They've been working on the place getting permits and stuff but it seems to be taking forever. Feitclub: what part of Japan are you staying in?