Every time Cookie Monster and I walk by Totto Ramen, there is a long queue of people waiting to slurp up the ramen goodness waiting for them inside. The place is tiny: there is a long counter where patrons eat and behind that counter are 3-4 Japanese guys cooking up ramen and dishing out steaming bowls. Maybe two or three small tables in the way back but this place probably doesn’t hold more than 15(?) people? You walk up, put your name on the sign up sheet and wait to be called.
Yesterday we decided to try our hand by going in at 2pm for a late lunch and scored. Seated within 10 minutes.
The menu is no frills and straightforward. There are chicken, pork and vegetarian options. There is a spicy, uber spicy broth and a miso based broth. There are a couple appetizers and a list of add ons for a fee like extra pork belly, a hard boiled egg, bamboo shoots…
Cookie Monster got the spicy broth with chicken. I got the uber spicy broth with pork and bamboo shoots.
First they handed me the spicy oil to add to taste:
It really wasn’t so spicy at all but I’m Korean and my spice tolerance is quite high. Cookie Monster found his ramen bowl spicy enough – his nose was running and everything.
I didn’t snap the photo when the bowl arrived – sorry. My greedy self dipped right in and after several bites I remembered to take the photo.
Anyways, it was very prettily arranged with some sprouts, nori, 2 slices of succulent pork belly, sliced scallions and the bamboo shoots I asked for at an extra charge. Broth is thick and definitely not your canned/packaged variety. It was salty but in the best way possible and very full of flavor. The pork belly was sooooo good! It was very tender and fatty. Cookie Monster agreed that the pork was much better than his chicken…DUH. Pork is always best. The noodles were springy but I can’t say they were better than Ippudo. I heard they hand made their noodles but I couldn’t really tell and usually one can feel the bite of hand made noodles….
Overall the bowls of ramen were good but honestly? I didn’t think they were worthy of waiting 30 minutes or more for. I mean there are lines constantly out there – when it’s freezing cold, when it’s raining…
At any rate, the food was good but not anything special so we probably won’t go rushing back. It is a good ramen option in midtown if you don’t want to travel downtown.
Totto Ramen, 366 West 52nd Street, New York, NY
