This was my first taste of ramen in the big apple and it was like nothing I’ve tasted before! I was very fortunate to find such a tasty treat on the first shot and bonus that it was walkable from the hotel. My mouth salivated as I stood outside reading the menu. They had a special that looked tasty and a tan tan ramen that called out to me so I had to try. One of the first things I observed walking in was that all the patrons were Japanese which is a really good sign for a ramen shop. Their special ramen is called Terrakawa ramen which is actually tonkotsu ramen. I’m proud to say I think I can now recognize a tonkotsu broth with confidence. To me, what can separate a great ramen shop from a good ramen shop is their combo items like gyoza and chahan (fried rice). When the gyoza and/or chahan are just as delicious as the ramen it can catapult the experience to a place beyond words!
Terrakawa Ramen and Gyoza Combo:
The Terrakawa ramen and gyoza special was amazing. The skin of the gyoza was thin and the bottom had that nice crunchy sear that all good gyoza have. It was juicy and savory aaand juicy….mmm…thinking about it is making me hungry! It was quite chilly in NY back in October so it felt really good to start off the trip with a big hot bowl of ramen. Bonus that it was tonkotsu. There were all kinds of goodies in the bowl like wood ear fungus, plenty of pickled ginger, a generous amount of green onions, bamboo shoots, a slice of pork and the best part: a flavored egg. I’ve never tasted a better egg and I’m still awed by how it was made! Like a tea egg the white was was soft boiled butIt’s currently my new favorite flavor. The noodles were the thin, al dente and whiter not yellower…I’m still not sure what they are called but I’ve had this type of noodle before.
Tan Tan Ramen:
Anything tan tan is normally hit or miss. This was a hit! The balance of savory and sweet was just right and as in most situations it could have been spicier but I’m not complaining, overall the soup was delicious. The noodles that were served with the tan tan ramen were closer to the type of noodles that I like which are chewier.
After this first experience it got me really excited about exploring the rest of the city’s ramen restaurants.
Terrakawa Ramen
18 Lexington Ave
(between 22nd St & 23rd St)
New York, NY 10010
(212) 777-2939
