Ivan Ramen NY
My previous experience with a restaurant recommended by NY Michelin guide was absolutely negative. So I was looking for another way of selecting a restaurant for my next dinner. While I was resting in my room at the Gran Hyatt, I noticed that the hotel TV was enabled for Netflix. I hesitantly inserted the credentials of my European account, praying that everything worked. To my amazement, everything went smoothly and once I had access to Netflix, I immediately selected “Chef’s Table” hoping to find inspiration for the evening.
Luckily, I run into the Ivan Orkin episode which had just aired. His story completely drew my attention and touched me. Besides, I am a fan of Japanese food, and having the opportunity to taste amazing ramen without flying to Japan should not be missed. As a consequence, as soon as the episode finished, I immediately reserved a table at Ivan Ramen by Open Table.
The Ivan Ramen restaurant, is located on Clinton Street, a 45 minute walk from the financial district. This area is mainly residential, without skyscrapers, but only 2–3 floor houses. On the ground floor of one of these houses I found Ivan Ramen.
Outside the place was quite anonymous. Indeed, I would not have noticed it, if I had not previously planned to go there. The most visible element of the restaurant was the “A Rating” obtained in the health inspection by the NY Health Agency, pasted on the restaurant window. For instance, the name of the restaurant was written on a blackboard posted on the pavement in front of the restaurant.
Once inside, my attention was drawn by the fact that, although the atmosphere was casual, everything around me appeared organised down to the most negligible detail. The tables were basic, but spotless. The wallpaper was coloured like flowers. Indeed, it was a puzzle of images and symbols of Japan.
I had another proof of my overall feeling when I experienced the service, which was amazing. In fact, as soon as I stepped inside, I was promptly lead to my table. The waiter, although he did not wear any uniform, was extremely professional. Besides, he was able to be easy-going and extremely polite at the same time. He was also capable of guiding me through the menu and helped me choose the desired ramen. I was positively astonished by that man. He always smiled and quickly answered all my requests. The overall satisfaction level of the experience dramatically increased when the food arrived to my table.
For my meal, I chose the “Tokyo Shoyu Ramen”, one of the Ivan Orkin’s traditional ramen. It was superb: the quality of the ingredients, especially the mushrooms and the meat, was excellent. Still, there were some aspects, that were not in line with my taste: the broth was too hot and too salty. Nonetheless, I cannot nitpick: Ivan Ramen was an unexpected positive surprise during my last visit to New York. That experience made me wonder how it is possible that Cafè China has a Michelin Star and Ivan Ramen is not mentioned at all in the guide.
After having one of the best bowls of ramen in the world, let me also say that Zazà Ramen is one of the most undervalued restaurants that I have been to. Indeed, both Ivan Ramen and Zazà Ramen prepare amazing ramen with excellent ingredients. The only difference is that, Ivan Ramen’s dish is more traditional while Zazà Ramen’s recipe makes some “adjustments” to match the typical Italian/European taste.
In conclusion, if you are in New York, you must go to Ivan Ramen. No excuses accepted.
