Ramen Man opens today.
Lunch:Noon to 2:30.
Dinner: 5 to 9.
Just ate there and heres the report:
The broth is based on a famous Kumamoto restaurant recipe, famous in part because it eschews the normal Kyushu Tonkotsu broth in favor of a very rich chicken bone and marrow stock. Its creamy, silky in texture and very, very rich.
Noodles are traditional thin Kyushu style, supplied by a famous LA place that creates noodles for a few Japanese places in SoCal. Perfectly cooked with just enough bite.
There is beer, Sapporo in cans to be specific, and maybe teething troubles, but it wasnt served with a glass, which was suboptimal.
Couple of sides, including rice and (not today) Kimchi. Free unlimited hard boiled eggs with a bowl for peeling (but no soft boiled Ajitsuki Tamago, which is a shame) for eating on their own, cool Hand Luke style, or better yet, put the cold, peeled egg right in your broth and eat it a few seconds after its immersed. Which is a Tokyo tradition.
There are also Gyoza and a delicious Sukyaki Don (beef over rice) .
The ramen is offered in a few variants traditional, garlic, shoyu and spicy miso. I had the latter and it was spectacular. Probably one of the best bowls I have had in Seattle, so well see how consistent they can stay.
The Char Sui pork was fatty and meltingly good, as it should be.
Ambience was interesting. They decorated the front in the traditional Japanese style with bowing curtains and lamps. so it looks festive and fun. Inside, the front part is actually a lot like a real Ramen joint, and even the slightly dank basement seating section feels like many a Tokyo ramen dive. Not a date place by any stretch of the imagination, but fun. It was completely full, by the way. Not bad for 58 minutes of business.
Service was in practice mode, but helpful enough. Heres what they need to be perfect:
Ajitsuki Tamago
Glasses for beer.
Juice or milk or something for kids (just soda and tea right now)
Prettier menus (which is weird because they had cool custom bowls and t-shirts) with better descriptions of the food and broth.
But I loved it. My favorite restaurant on 45th, overnight.
Chicken Kara age (this is optional lol)