Oodles of Noodles

With a bitter chill in the New York air this January, I decided to make it my winter mission to find the best ramen in NYC.  There’s nothing like a warm bowl of silky noodles drenched in a rich, flavorful, hearty broth to soothe the soul.  Over the past month, I have scoured the town and have slurped my way through several bowls of ramen from some of Manhattan’s famed shops.  I tried various styles of ramen and carefully selected my favorites along the way.  

But before I get into my “ramen” of choice, I want to help demystify some of the preconceived notions that most people associate with ramen.  And, I also want to provide a bit of history about the labor of love that goes into each bowl.  First off let’s just say ramen is much, much more than a package of hard dried noodles with a small spice pouch available at your local grocery.  Unfortunately, this is what most of the world associates it with, but, there is a very clear distinction between an instant ramen and a ramen from a restaurant.

In Japan, Ramen is a cherished dish served up at specialty shops in which chefs slave over hot stoves for several hours each day to assure that their signature broth is perfect. It is said that it requires years-long practical training to master be a ramen chef. 

Side Note: If you want to catch a glimpse of how this specialized process plays out (and you don’t live near a ramen joint) check out a little indy movie called The Ramen Girl starring Brittany Murphy (RIP).  Even though it was a pretty lame movie, it does help to accurately depict how much work goes into each bowl.

Ramen can be broadly categorized by its two main ingredients: noodles and broth.

Noodles: are made from four basic ingredients- wheat (gluten) flour, salt, water, and kansui, which is essentially a type of alkaline mineral water containing sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sometimes a small amount of phosphoric acid. Then Kansui lends a yellowish hue to the noodles and also helps create the firm texture that is associated with "ramen". Ramen noodles can come in various shapes and lengths.  They can be fat, thin or ribbon-like, as well as straight or wavy.  In a good ramen, the noodles should be served al dente vs. overcooked and mushy.

Broth: Ramen soup is generally made from pork stock (in some cases chicken), and combined with a variety of ingredients such as onions, shiitake mushrooms, kombu (kelp), niboshi (dried baby sardines), and beef bones and then flavored with a healthy dose of salt, miso, or soy sauce.  All which is slow cooked for several hours.

From these two staples, ramen is typically divided into a few different style categories:

Tonkotsu: A cloudy white colored broth, that is thick from the boiling pork bones, fat, and collagen over high heat for many hours (typically 12 plus), along with, garlic and soy sauce which suffuses the broth with a hearty pork flavor and a creamy consistency that rivals milk, melted butter or gravy. This style is typically served with thin straight noodles. Toppings include: Chashu (sliced braised/roasted pork belly), scallion and jelly-ear mushrooms, sometimes served with Mayu (charred/black garlic oil).  This is the richest of all broths...with lots of great flavor and fat!

Miso/Sapporo: This broth is typically pork based and infused with miso to create a thick, nutty, slightly sweet and very hearty soup. The noodles served with it are typically thick, curly, and slightly chewy. Toppings can include: sweet corn, bean sprouts, Chashu (sliced braised/roasted pork belly), garlic and a seasoned boiled egg. 

Shōyu:  A clear brown broth, based on pork, chicken and vegetable stock infused with plenty of soy sauce, garlic and ginger resulting in a soup that is tangy, salty, smokey and savory yet still fairly light on the palate. This is the most “traditional” style of ramen. This ramen is generally served with curly noodles. Toppings include: Marinated bamboo shoots, Chashu (sliced braised/roasted pork belly), green onion, kamaboko (fish cakes), nori (seaweed), boiled egg, bean sprouts and black pepper.

Shio: A pale, clear yellowish broth with plenty of salt and any combination of Chicken, pork, vegetables, ginger, garlic, seaweed and sometimes fish. This is the lightest style ramen broth.  Typically served with thin straight noodles.  Toppings include: Fried tofu, Chashu (sliced braised/roasted pork belly), bean sprouts, cabbage, bamboo shoots, and miso-simmered ground pork.  

Now that we all have our ramen 101, let’s get to the good stuff…my top picks!  Ranked in order starting with my favorite:

1. Akamaru Modern Ramen from Ippudo ($15)

The broth was a silky Tonkotsu cooked with pork bones from Berkshire pigs. The Noodles are thin, straight noodles made in-house. Toppings included: Chashu, cabbage, kikurage mushrooms, scallions, fragrant garlic oil and umami dama (a secret ingredient).

* This was one of the most expensive bowls of ramen I tried, but definitely the best in my eyes.  It was decadent and dreamy and I am still craving it.
Ippudo: 65 Fourth Ave between 9th and 10th Sts (212-388-0088) 

2. Momofuku Ramen from Momofuku Noodle Bar ($16)

The broth was a based on chicken, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, scallion, mirin, soy, sake and Benton's bacon.  It was light but delicious.  Mr. Chang uses straight alkaline noodles in his ramen. Toppings include: Chashu, roasted pork shoulder, nori, napa cabbage, a poached egg, sliced scallions and a fish cake.  The poached egg yolk added a depth to the broth which helped to thicken it making a nice effect. The pork in this ramen was the best out of all the ramen’s I tasted.  It was perfectly cooked and had great flavor. 

Momofuku Noodle Bar: 171 First Ave between 10th and 11th Sts (212-777-7773) 

3. Hakata Kuro Ramen from Hide-Chan ($9.75)

The broth was an extremely rich and thick Tonkotsu.  The noodles were house-made, thin and straight served perfectly al dente. Toppings included: Mayu (charred garlic oil), Chashu, scallion and jelly-ear mushrooms.
Hide-Chan: 248 E 52nd St between Second and Third Aves, second floor (212-813-1800) 

4. Totto Paitan Ramen from Totto Ramen ($9.50)

The broth was warming and flavorful made from chicken bones, soy sauce and vegetables.  The noodles were thin and straight house-made noodles. Topping included: Chashu), scallion, bean sprout and nori seaweed. I asked for a side of the rayu (house-made spicy chili sauce) to add to the broth.  It brought out the flavors and gave it a little kick!

Totto Ramen: 366 W 52nd St at 2^nd Ave (212-582-0052) 

5. Kambi Ramen from Kambi Ramen House ($10.50)

The broth was on the lighter side made from pork and chicken with soy sauce. They served it with Thin- Straight noodles, and were a little overcooked but still decent. Topping included: Chashu, Chinese-style mushrooms, bamboo shoots,  scallions, marinated hard boiled egg and nori.
Kambi: 351 E 14th St between First and Second Aves (212-228-1366)

6. Hakata ramen from  Menchanko Tei ($8.50)

The broth was rich, cloudy Hakata-style pork-bone style (Tonkotsu).  The noodles were very thin and straight.  Toppings included: Chashu, black mushrooms, red ginger and scallions.  The broth and noodles were cooked fine, but the pork was not.  It was flubbery and flavorless.
Menchanko Tei: 131 E 45th St between Lexington and Third Aves (212-986-6805)

7. Signature from Naruto Ramen ($9.00)

The broth was a soy sauced based Tonkotsu, which lacked in flavor and depth, but the noodles were cooked great and were thin/straight. Toppings included: Chashu, bamboo shoots, marinated boiled egg, scallions, dried seaweed, bean sprouts, and a fish cake.  The pork was not cooked well and was extremely fatty.  

*This was my least favorite shop, but it was not terrible.  One plus, is that it's in my neighborhood (on the UES), so if I need a ramen fix, it will be the quickest spot to get to.

Naruto Ramen: 1596 3rd Ave between 89th & 90th (212) 289-7803 

One that didn't make the list, but probably would be on top…is the soon to open Ivan Ramen from the famed Ivan Orkin.  Coming to the LES sometime (hopefully) very soon! I will definitely be among the first "in line"  

*Please note that most of these locations are "cash only" so make sure to stop by the ATM before planning a visit! Also, most of these shops are very small and typically have a wait to be seated, so don't come starving as you will most likely be standing around for about 20-45 mins. 

I would love to hear about some of your favorites....please shoot me a note or email with your choices!  

The ramen journey always continues......Happy slurping!

Ice Ice Baby: The Unsung Ingredient of the Cocktail World

Just in case you missed my ICE AGE article last week on CookingDistrict.com in relation to Tales of the Cocktail 

Here is the full version for your reading pleasure:

With cocktail innovation on the rise and spirit companies seeking the next grand gesture in mixology, more and more focus has taken a precedent on the anatomy of a great drink.  The most basic ingredients can have a large impact on the outcome of a well made cocktail, and can help take the notion of a simple drink to a highly crafted cocktail.   One of the most important ingredients, which can be somewhat of an unsung hero, is the ice cube.  Ice has the ability to elevate the presentation and quality of a drink, but in turn can also have some adverse effects. Most standard cubed or crushed ice available on the market today is made with unfiltered tap water, which may contain impurities and minerals that can cloud the taste of a spirit or cocktail. This type of ice may also dilute a high quality beverage quickly due to the high volume of surface area exposed to the drink.

Back before ice was making its way into the hands of imbibers world-wide, a man named Frederic Tudor, also known as Boston's "Ice King", had a genius idea to help bring cold beverages to the masses.  He capitalized on the business of harvesting ice from frozen ponds in New England in the early 1800s, and founded the Tudor Ice Company, who distributed the cold gems by ship to high temperature regions such as the Caribbean, Southern Europe and India.  Over the past several decades, trends in ice making have developed from classic cubes to smoking dry ice to high-tech spheres.  Technological advances have made ice a mainstream item in most households and dining establishments around the globe, making it easy to have an “ice-cold” beverage instantly. 

Today, ice has become somewhat of a secret weapon during the current cocktail revolution in our country.  Ice plays an integral part of a properly made cocktail.  Just like glassware, bartenders must select ice wisely depending on the type of drink they are serving; using the wrong size of an ice cube can over dilute a drink.  A general rule is the stronger the beverage, the bigger the cube, i.e. 1 large cube for an Old Fashioned or Bourbon on the rocks.  Playful juleps or tiki-style cocktails require ice to chill a drink quickly as well as to water it down a bit, which is why crushed ice is ideal for these types of cocktails. Most martinis only need only a whisper of ice (shaken or stirred), too much can lead to dilution and ruin the spirit's aromatics and the cocktail's smooth texture, which is why it is also important to use quality produced ice to limit any impurities.

A few entrepreneurs recently saw an opportunity to enhance this trend creating a specialty style of cocktail ice mainly for on-premise establishments looking to take their bar program to the next level. 

One company in particular, who has mastered the skill of hand-carved cocktail ice, is Hundredweight in New York City.  Founded by Bartender and Owner, Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills Bar and Pain Killer and barman Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin, Hundredweight supplies artisanal ice to several bars throughout the five boroughs. They found a very cool, no pun intended, niche for themselves in the industry and are now known as the ice authorities and ice historians within the bartending community.

I was lucky enough to sit down with the ice-man Zack Gelnaw-Rubin to learn about the importance of the frozen water they are making and hear how their operation runs:

Q: What makes the ice you craft unique?

A: We hand chisel 300 lb blocks of clean ice every 3.5 days, then hand-pack and hand-deliver, it’s a very “hands” on operation.  We carve several styles of ice, including 4 sizes of rocks (i.e. Cubes) ranging in sizes from 1.75” to 3”, Highball spheres, Crushed Ice, and large format Punch Ice Bowls.

Q: How do you make 300 lb blocks of ice, and where?

A: We use Clinebell IceMachines and freezers at Dutch Kills and Weather Up Tribeca.  These machines produce the amount of ice we need and have created a system of production that is efficient enough to sell and distribute our ice daily to customers in the New York area.

Q: How did you learn the craft of making bar ice?

A: I began my ice studies as a bartender at Dutch Kills. During my training there I learned how to create rocks and shaking ice using only a hand-saw, mallet and chisel. When Richie asked me to be his right hand in the opening of Weather Up TriBeCa, I was introduced to the Clinebell machine, and the first stirrings of making “ice” a viable business venture. I asked Richie if he would want to partner with me and Hundredweight was born.

Q: What is your favorite style or shape of ice to make?

A: I don't really have a favorite style to make. It's all frozen water to me.

Q: On average, what is the melting time for the 2 inch cubes before it starts to dilute a spirit? How is that compared to average bar ice?

A: The moment any ice touches a liquid, it begins a phase change.  However, in a barroom setting, one large cube will forestall the inevitable over-dilution of any spirit or cocktail for much longer than say, a handful of Kold Draft ice cubes. It's a matter of reduced surface area; one large cube has less surface melt in contact with the liquid being chilled than a bunch of small ones. In addition, "big ice" is meant to be stored in a freezer during service, as opposed to scoop ice, which sits in a room-temperature bin all night long. This factor also contributes greatly to increased control over temperature and water content.

Q: Do you ever offer ice classes to the public?

A: We don't offer classes to the general public, but we do offer free trainings to new bar clients who want their staff to become proficient in the ways of ice cutting.

Q: Strangest ice request to date?

A: We've gotten some pretty strange requests, as many people think we are sculptors and want horses and penguins and scale models of the Statue of Liberty and such, but the strangest that I've actually executed would be a tie between a giant vodka luge for Hugue DuFour of M. Wells and an order of 20 ice scorpion bowls for an event at Pain Killer.

Q: Any last words of wisdom?

A: Better ice makes better cocktails!