craving ramen

Sometimes a craving just hits you like a big yellow school bus. A couple weeks ago, ramen was my big yellow school bus. I couldn't get it out of my head and I knew the only cure was to find a big steaming bowl of Japan's famous soupy noodle delight. I rounded up a couple of my friends and we headed to Totto Ramen in Hell's Kitchen. The line is usually murder but luckily they opened their second location on 51st Street, an avenue away from their original location which is slightly bigger and not as crowded.

With my 5 friends, we were able to grab a table that comfortably fitted 6 people (and probably could've fit 8) and placed our orders. The waitress seemed attentive and carefully wrote down everyone's order and it was a great start to the meal. Unfortunately that is where things ended. Our waitress disappeared and other servers stepped in to wait our tables. All the orders came out incorrectly and there was a lot of miscommunication. My order of extra spicy miso ramen came out as a regular ramen, spicy sauce and miso were no where to be found. I asked the waitress about the mistake and she brought out side dishes of both the miso and the spicy sauce. However, the extra toppings that come with the miso ramen were also missing. I had to reach out to the staff again regarding the mistake. Eventually all the mistakes were remedied but as our first visit, it definitely left a bad impression which I'm sure contributed to my dissatisfaction with the meal on a whole.

As many New Yorkers know, Totto Ramen is one of the top ramen shops in NYC and after that substandard experience, I was unwilling to let that be my final impression of the restaurant. Four days later, I decided to go again. This time I ordered the extra spicy regular totto ramen (no miso). I found the miso a bit much, thickening my broth into a gloopy mess. I went old school original this time around. The service was on point and the original is the way to go (spicy is a no-brainer for me, the spicier the better - you'll see as this blog progresses). 

I also ordered the tuna avocado appetizer to start. The best part of that dish was definitely the yuzu dressing. The yuzu was mixed with fresh wasabi and just tart enough to balance out the rich creaminess of the avocado. Not the best tuna appetizer but definitely worth a try.

Thank goodness I gave Totto Ramen a second chance because it really is a nice bowl of ramen. Their broth is thick and complex and their noodles are the perfect kind of chewy. I can see why it is one of the best ramen joints in New York City. Unfortunate the first time didn't go smoothly but until I find myself in Japan, it's good to know I have a viable option near home.