Ippudo NY

The melodious invitations of “irasshaimase” (“welcome”) from all the staff at Ippudo NY as I walked into the restaurant quickly transported me back to Japan although I must admit it seemed to me slightly dissonant, almost like a dubbed movie, when I heard the phrase perfectly uttered from some of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed waiters. But the welcome was a nice touch, an additional layer of the place’s verisimilitude. We waited for our table in the busy bar area where ramen bowls lined its red walls like trophies in a hunting lodge. The glowing reviews and reasonable prices make Ippudo NY a very popular choice even at six in the evening - presumably just a late lunch for New Yorkers. The restaurant does not take reservations so expect a little wait. We sat in a narrow wing filled with a concentrate of small tables: You are close enough to your neighbors to smell what they ordered and be influenced by their decisions. We started with the pork bun, a popular choice: It was smooth and creamy but not as sweet as the ones I had in Japan. My wife and I both ordered ramen, she the miso tonkotsu and I the traditional tonkotsu, and we delighted in its milky oil-dappled broth, the telltale soft boiled egg, and the freshly pulled ramen. We finished with the matcha (green tea) ice cream and soft tofu, a distinctively Japanese combination, and it completed our reintroduction to the dining experiences we so loved in Japan and we were left to reflexively whisper to ourselves “oishi.”

When it comes to noodle shops, I'm partial to the hole-in-the-wall variety. The kind that seats you elbow-to-elbow with students speaking Japanese. The kind that's more memorable for its fare than its fanfare. With its calligraphy wall hangings, blond wood booths, and sleek styling, Ippudo is a more grown-up place to get in on New York's ramen rage. I had the Shiromaru Hakata Classic with the recommended addition of mustard greens and was not disappointed.

This place features the best ramen noodles I've ever had. The broth is heavenly, the pork belly melts in your mouth, and the atmosphere is a rarely experienced mix of Japanese kitsch and New York hipster cool. This ramen haven is going on my permanent list of places to visit each time I go to NYC!

If you are anywhere near 4th avenue, you need to check out Ippudo! Some phenomenal Ramen!