ramen – ChefsGirl

New Orleans’ Hottest Restaurant “Bars”…

Posted on September 12, 2017 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Whether you’re looking for a place to dine or grab a quick drink, these are the best “bars” to check out this Fall…

Bar Frances. I’ve been back to Bar Frances twice in the last week! Why? Despite the minimalistic menu, it’s clear that they strive to focus on a few set items and execute them well. I love the brunch options on the weekends…especially the list of bottomless drinks! I’m looking forward to what else Bar Frances has in store. Order the Chicken Biscuit and the Lemon Compari to start your day!

2. Nomiya. This HOT and NEW ramen “bar” made its entrance to the New Orleans food scene and it’s here to stay. Nomiya’s authenticity steams from their homey broth to their sweetly balanced braised pork. This ramen bar does not currently serve liquor, but Geki-Kara (“too spicy”) ramen bowl is a great choice to kickstart your night!

3. Seaworthy. I am absolutely in love with Seaworthy right now. They are truly the “Best Bar” in NOLA this Fall. Why? It’s hard enough to find a great eatery and hangout spot open past 10 PM, but Seaworthy’s kitchen is open until 12 AM Sun-Wed and 1 AM Thurs-Sat! You won’t find your ordinary hot dog and nachos (which I still love from time to time). The menu consists of an array of oysters from coast to coast as well as some sophisticated items such as the Gulf Coast Roll or Blackened Redfish. Seaworthy is a rare pearl in my book!

Check them out and let me know what you think! What other NOLA food bars would you recommend?

Tiger Den (Chinatown, Houston, TX)

Posted on July 21, 2017 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

On my most recent trip to Texas I made ramen a priority. Tiger Den is known as one of the top ramen restaurants in Houston so what better place to try than Tiger Den itself. When I lived in Houston, I heard a lot of hype and thought it would cool down, but here it is a few years later and hotter than ever…

Yakitori.

Spicy Cucumbers.

Spicy Shoyu Ramen.

Fried Doughnuts and Pandan Custard.

Tiger Den is located in the hottest strip mall in Chinatown, Houston amongst the some of the best such as ShareTea, Kung Fu Tea, Juicebox, Fu Fu, and many others. There was a clipboard where you could sign your name on a list, but we waited no more than 10 minutes at 9 o’clock on a Sunday night. The restaurant has a darker, bar-like feel that is immediately brightened up by their enthusiastic servers. We were seated on a long community table but there were booth and table options as well. Loved it!

The menu consists of a number of appetizers as well as an extensive Yakitori menu, which makes this a great spot for bar hopping. Yakitori literally means “grilled bird”, but as the menu states, the more modern interpretation of yakitori could be any type of protein grilled on a skewer over a charcoal grill. We ordered the Chicken Wings yakitori with soy marinade. These wings were a treat! You could really taste the chargrilled flavor!

The spicy cucumbers are a must-have. The spices appeared a bit overwhelming, but the cucumbers were light and refreshing, a necessity for a balanced ramen meal.

I can’t enjoy my ramen without a bit of kick so I opted for the Spicy Shoyu Ramen. The broth was well-balanced with the right about of spice and the perfect amount of richness. I find that ramen restaurants tend to veer towards an overly rich broth, but Tiger Den does it well with the perfect mixture of richness and depth.

I’m not finished yet! The Fried Doughnuts and Pandan Custard were amazing. It’s a simple and fairly “light” end to a great meal. Excellent job Tiger Den!

Regrets: Not trying the Tsukemen, dipping ramen noodles. It was highly recommended but we weren’t in the mood.

Rating: 5/5 spoons!

Ippudo (West Side, New York, New York)

Posted on December 27, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

I had just flown into New York and was really craving a good bowl of ramen. My last trip to NY I went to Ippudo on the East Side, but heard that Ippudo in Korea town was a bit different and I couldn’t wait to try it!

This location is way homier and more welcoming than the more modern Ippudo East Village location. There’s a large central bar for small groups and singles. I came alone that day so it was perfect!

Yamitsu Goma Kyuri. Japanese Cucumber. Ippudo’s Sesame Garlic Oil.

Brooklyn Kaedama Ale Draft. Ippudo NY Exclusive Beer.

Ramen Toppings. Soft-boiled egg. Pickled Mustard Leaves. Bamboo Shoots. Pulled Chashu Pork.

Akamaru Modern. Original pork broth. Ippudo’s secret Umami Dama paste. Pork Chashu. Cabbage. Sesame Kikurage Mushrooms. Scallions. Fragrant Garlic Oil.

It was just a little before noon but when you’re a New Orleanian and on vacation, it’s never too early for a beer. Considering Ipppudo has their own exclusive brew called Brooklyn Kaedama Draft. It was warm and pretty strong to start the day with, but I loved it! I started the meal with the Japanese cucumber appetizer (Yamitsu Goma Kyuri). It was refreshing, light, and perfect to snack on in between bites of ramen. The Akamaru Modern ramen was delicious. A simple broth filled with delicious, perfectly textured noodles. These noodles are a bit different from other ramen shops. They’re thinner and more al dente in texture. Love it!

I love this location and the more chill and laid back vibe. It’s more welcoming, but the more modern Ippudo on the East Side is good for a night out with friends. The food is great at both! Check out my review of the other location here: Ippudo East Village . With so many ramen shops scattered all throughout New York City, it’s very hard to choose from, but I’d say that Ippudo is one of my favorites so far!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Ippudo (East Village, New York, NY)

Posted on August 18, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

One of the top 2 recommended ramen joints in New York is Ippudo. There are two locations, but we went to the East Village location. When you enter, Ippudo hostesses, waiters, and chefs greet you energetically in Japanese and immediately set the mood for a fun night. Apparently, Ippudo is an internationally recognized Japanese restaurants that even accommodates to Japanese internationals. Most servers are Japanese speaking. Our dinner guests were Japanese and spoke to our waiter in Japanese all night. Very legit!

There was six of us, but we definitely ordered for 12! Heck, my motto is to go all out especially when traveling and trying new foods in other states.

Yamitsuki Goma Kyuri. Cucumber marinated in Ippudo’s original sesame oil sauce.

Ippudo Salad. Mixed Greens. Wasabi Goma Shoyu Dressing. Daikon. Shredded Nori. Crispy Fried Sardines.

Tako Spicy Grill. Grilled Spanish Octopus. Potatoes. Ippudo Chili Sauce and Aioli.

Hirata Buns. Pork.

Shishito Peppers. Flash-fried peppers. Yuzu salt.

Akamaru Modern. Spicy Tonkotsu pork soup noodles. Umami Dama miso paste. Pork Chashu. Cabbage. Sesame Kikurage mushrooms. Scallions.

Shiromaru Hakata Classic. Tonkotsu pork soup noodles. Pork loin chashu. Sesame Kikurage mushrooms. Menma. Red-pickled ginger. Scallions.

Left to right:

Hirata Milk. Green tea gelato parfait with red bean. Shiratama mochi. Matcha jelly. Almond Coconut Milk.

Lady M Mille Crepe. Layered crepe cake. Pastry cream filling. House cranberry cream.

Green tea brûlée. Topped with Green Tea gelato.

We ordered so much that I’ll have to break it down.

Our first wave of appetizers:

1. Yamitsuki Goma Kyuri. This is a cucumber salad dish. It’s very refreshing it makes a great appetizer/salad or even a palate cleanser in between dishes.

2. Ippudo Salad. Like any other Japanese salad except the dressing is better and evenly spread.

3. Tako Spicy Grill. This octopus dish is Grade 3/5 spicy. It has a really good kick. If you’re not used to eating spicy, eat cautiously.

3. Hirata Buns. The Hirata Pork buns were awesome. The aioli and spicy sauce really set off this bun.

4. Shishito Peppers. From what I hear, 1/10 shishito peppers are extremely spicy. It was thrilling not knowing whether one of us at the table would get the spicy one. Luckily, no one did and they were all very delicious.

The Ramens:

1. Akamaru Modern. Well seasoned chashu. What I loved is that the chashu aren’t fatty like at some restaurants. The noodles are thinner and more “al dente” than your typical ramen noodles. It’s very similar to the skinny Chinese egg noodles.

2. Shiromaru Hakata Classic. I didn’t find an extreme difference between these two ramen dishes except this one had ginger and a different cut for the chashu. The meat was even leaner.

3. Cold Ramen noodles. I’m not sure of the exact name of this dish, but I do know we ate it towards the end of our meal and were all pretty stuffed. If it was delicious, it was hard to tell. We were so gluttonous!

Onto the desserts…

1. Hirata Milk. Green tea gelato parfait with red bean with Almond Coconut Milk. This was creamy, light, and delicious!

2. Lady M Mille Crepe. Layered crepe cake. Pastry cream filling. House strawberry cream. This one had to be my FAVORITE. The pastry crepe layers were so delicate and when you cut your spoon, it cuts right through for the perfect bite BUT still retains it’s crispiness. How?! I don’t know but it was one of my favorite dishes of the night.

3. Green tea brûlée. Topped with Green Tea gelato. Creamy, dense green tea sweetness. My 2nd fav!

We definitely had the full on Ippudo experience. Everything was delicious. What’s unique here is the fact that Ippudo is a more modern experience as opposed to your “homey bowl of soup noodles” kind of feel. Also, everything seems to be quite authentic. The noodles are a little different for the soup ramen, but the cold ramen dish had what seemed to be your typical ramen noodle. If I had to do anything different, I would add an egg to my ramen. Our friend ordered for us so we didn’t get the option. Regardless, it was still very good and I’d definitely come back for the fine service and food.

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Totto Ramen (Midtown East, New York, New York)

Posted on July 7, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

You’ll notice when I’m traveling, I LOVE to eat ramen. There’s just something about that homey bowl of noodles, egg, and pork. Very simple and soothing to the soul. That being said, Totto Ramen was recommended to me by the locals when we arrived in New York. This location in particular is their newest location and there is actually another ramen place right next door called Hide-chan. I did a little bit of research and found out that they’re both owned by the same guy, Bobby Munekata. What separates the two neighbors apart is that Totto Ramen’s specialty is the chicken broth, whereas, Hide-chan Ramen specializes in a pork broth. I haven’t come across many chicken broth ramens bowls before so I couldn’t wait to try it! The restaurant is narrow with limited seating so don’t be surprised if there’s a wait during prime hours or days. Inside, it has a bar-like feel and is very casual…

Ramen cousins.

Totto Spicy RamenTotto Spicy Ramen. Rayu. Spicy Sesame Oil. Paitan Ramen. Scallion. Bean Sprouts. Nori. Added: Corn, Char Siu Pork, and Boiled Egg.

Taiwan Ramen. Spicy Ground Chicken. Bean Sprouts. Garlic Chives. Added: Corn, boiled egg

I ordered the Spicy Totto Ramen. The broth was light, but rich with spice and chili oils and with just the right amount. I’ve had some ramen bowls with overwhelmingly too much oil and that’s a real turn off. You know your food is good when everything balances each other so well. There was a charry smokiness from the seared pork combined with the nuttiness of the sesame oil, which added a great amount of depth in the broth flavors. I like the layers of flavors since that’s what separates it from a regular bowl of noodles.

The chef ordered the Taiwan Ramen, which was very good and the noodles even looked a bit different from the Totto Ramen. What made it unique was the different noodle. It was softer and even chewier or more al dente. Also, the garlic chives really set off the flavor in this bowl!

Honestly, I can’t tell the difference between the chicken broth ramen from the pork broth ramen that I’ve tried, but I will say that it seemed lighter. Also, keep in mind that I mainly ate the Spicy Ramen so sometimes the spice overpowers the pure broth flavor just a bit.

I will have to admit that this restaurant is in my top 3 ramen bowls in the whole U.S.!

Rating: 5/5 spoons!

Santouka (Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on June 7, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

I’ve been on a little hiatus and doing some traveling, but I definitely haven’t forgot about my readers! I have some great places to share from San Jose, CA and Chicago, Il!

First stop…Santouka in Los Angeles, CA.

For those who aren’t familiar with ramen, it’s a Japanese style noodle soup containing homemade ramen noodles, Chashu pork, seaweed, and boiled egg. Every restaurant has their own take so occasionally you’ll see different cuts of meat or a sous vide/soft boiled egg instead. Imagine pho….but Japanese style. Quick and fairly cheap eat.

Santouka is located inside of the Mitsuwa Shopping Center. Ramen is pretty popular here in the Bay Area and there’s almost one on every corner. There’s actually another ramen place right around the corner from the Mitsuwa Market called Kahoo, but we decided to try Santouka first…

Consistently long line at Santouka inside of Mitsuwa Market.

Cute display menu.

The setup is cafeteria style so you’ll have to get in line. While waiting, there’s a super cute display case that makes ordering simple. You can choose from Shio (Salt), Miso (Soybean Paste), Shoyu (Soy), or Tokusen Toroniku Ramen (Pork Choice Ramen) for your Ramen broth of choice. There’s a variety of combo meals that includes the ramen bowl and a small side or you can order a la carte.

Spicy Miso Ramen. Pork Broth. Miso paste.

Seaweed and Bonito Flakes Bowl.

Shio Ramen. Mild, creamy soup. Salt-seasoned. Pickled plum.

Braised Pork Bowl.

Once everything is ordered, find a seat to enjoy your food and your number should be called shortly. We waited approximately 15 minutes. Not bad of a wait considering there were so many folks ahead of us.

I ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. You can also order the regular miso ramen and flavor to taste with their chili paste (extra 0.50 cents up charge). The broth was homey, simple and satisfied by ramen craving but the Chashu was extremely fatty and so was the broth. The broth was mainly on the fattier side due to the chili paste so next time, I would order the regular Miso Ramen and flavor to taste with the extra side of chili paste. The spice was perfect, in my opinion, but I tend to eat most things on the spicier side.

The rice bowl was simple and some would say it’s a bit plain or dry but pouring a few spoonfuls of broth into the rice bowl was quite homey and moistened it up a bit.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience. There’s a bit of a line, but service was surprisingly quick. The ramen was a quick, cheap bite, but I did wish my broth and Chashu was less fatty. Regardless, it was a great bowl of ramen and sometimes you just want a little bit of that “hominess”.

TIP: Make sure to bring cash. CASH only here!

Rating: 3.5/5 spoons

Toki Underground (Atlas District, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 12, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Toki Underground is one of the TOP ramen shops in Washington D.C.. I’ve heard so many great things, but I’ve also heard the wait can be up to 2+ hours. We went on a Friday at 11:30…probably not the most optimal time if you’re looking to avoid the wait, but we were craving ramen! The wait was about 1.5 hours and they setup a text message so that you’ll receive a text 5 minutes before they are ready for you. There’s not much to do around there and the neighborhood is slightly shady , but there are a few bars and places where you can grab a small bite (ha!) while you wait. We decided to hang out at a nearby Bagel shop and bar: Bullfrog Bagel.

1.5 hours later…

Limited Seating, but cool decor!

Fried Chicken Steamed Buns. Japanese Mayo. Sweet Chili Sauce. Seasonal Pickles. Herbs.

Special: Chicken Wings in a Vietnamese Fish Sauce Glaze.

Kimchi Ramen. Kimchi Infusion. Pulled Pork. Greens. Sous vide egg. Kimchi. Pickled Ginger.

For appetizers we had the Fried Chicken Banh Baos and Special Vietnamese Chicken Wings. The sides were great and made great bar food, but the ramen definitely was the highlight of it all…

I really enjoyed the depth and richness of the broth. There was more to this soup than a bowl of broth and noodles. I could taste the time and effort that was put in to create these multi-dimensional flavors. There were hints of ginger that I would occasionally taste with every other bite. Very refreshing. A unique feature was the sous vide egg. The egg is cracked perfectly poached into your bowl. If you request an extra egg, you can actually crack it into your bowl yourself. Instead of a normal hard-boiled egg, you get a soft-poached burst of yolky goodness into your ramen bowl!

Was it worth the wait? I’d say so! The wait can be definitely long, but I’ve had friends who have been seated immediately. I hear Tuesday through Thursdays are the slower days in case you don’t have 2 hours to wait.

Rating: 4.5/5 spoons

Daikaya Izakaya (Penn Quarter, Washington DC)

Posted on April 3, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Chefsgirl has landed in D.C.! “The Chef” and I decided to try to visit the cherry blossoms hoping there would be some sort of bloom. Unfortunately, this cold season has put a hold on that and what could warm us up more than a hot bowl of ramen so we decided to pay a visit to Daikaya Izakaya, one of D.C.’s ramen hot spots. You would never think by the outside and inside decor that the restaurant is Japanese. It’s clean and modern on the inside and uniquely has non-asian servers. Nothing wrong with that! It just goes to show how anyone is welcome to have some ramen! When we arrived, we were immediately seated so there’s not much of a wait time (unlike Daikaya’s competitor: Toki Underground)…

Fresh Ramen noodles.

Pan Fried Dumpling with Pork and Cabbage filling.

Shio Ramen.

Spicy Miso Ramen. Added corn.

Soft Serve. Avocado Yuzu with Toasted Coconut. Calpico Yogurt with Crushed Wasabi Peas and Chocolate Balls.

Our server recommended that we try the Spicy Miso Ramen, “but once you try it, you won’t wanna try anything else!”. I opted for the original Shiso Ramen and “The Chef” ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. To be honest, I was actually sad when I tried both bowls, because I really wanted the Spicy Miso Ramen to myself! She was right, but there is nothing wrong with the Shio. I’m a spicy kinda girl so the Spicy Miso would have been the perfect choice, but for those who want something more mild, I would go with the Shio or other ramens. The broth is very homey and simple compared to Toki Underground’s rich and intense broth. Don’t forget you can add toppings to your bowl: corn, extra ramen, Chashu, veggies, and more. The potstickers were good, but they came after we almost finished our ramen, which leads into our next topic: service.

When we originally sat down, the server expected us to order right away and considering it was our first time, the menu was confusing so we had to inquire about a breakdown of the menu and special recommendations. Afterwards, everything was okay, but I expected more since we were 1 of 2 tables in house.

Before leaving, something caught our eyes: soft serve! We ordered the Avocado Yuzu with Toasted Coconut and the Calpico Yogurt with Crushed Wasabi Peas + Chocolate Balls. I’m so glad we ordered it! They were so delicious. Now that I’m back in NOLA, I don’t know where else I can get this! My fav was the avocado since the texture of the soft serve was so smooth and airy, almost like whipped marshmallow?? So good! I highly recommend that you leave room for dessert and to get the Avocado Soft Serve if it’s available that day! Although service was a little iffy, the ramen and soft serve is delicious and is definitely worth a shot. How does it compare to other ramen shops in the city? Stay tuned!

Rating: 3.5/5 spoons

ChefsGirl

Tag Archives: ramen

New Orleans’ Hottest Restaurant “Bars”…

Tiger Den (Chinatown, Houston, TX)

Ippudo (West Side, New York, New York)

Ippudo (East Village, New York, NY)

Totto Ramen (Midtown East, New York, New York)

Santouka (Mar Vista, Los Angeles, CA)

Toki Underground (Atlas District, Washington D.C.)

Daikaya Izakaya (Penn Quarter, Washington DC)

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