Location: New York
It was a balmy August evening as we sat outside on the back patio of Ivan Ramen. Our group had just come from a friend's wedding a few hours earlier on the other side of the shore. We were dining with friends who enjoy eating and talking about food. Since I also enjoy eating and talking about food (especially talking about food while eating food and with food lovers), this was my ideal evening.
When I received my bowl of ramen, I noticed a lovely clarity in the broth. I took my first sip of soup and looked up in amazement from the clean taste. I then slurped up a small strand of noodles and delighted in the chewy texture. Finally, I took a bite of the thin, lean and tasty chashu which was tender and delicious. As clear as the broth was, it was even more clear that LOVE was a key ingredient in making their ramen - everything from the broth to the noodle to the meat. (For cheap-ramen-eating naysayers, take note: This is no comparison to a Shin bowl, not even the premium Black version.)
There are several reasons as to why a bowl of ramen at this establishment will differ from the ones you find in supermarkets. As I suspect, it also differs from the other ramen places popping up across the country. First, the soup is a very, very CLEAN chicken broth. Sure, it is easy to make a dirty broth. Anyone can make a dirty broth, but to create a beautiful, clean-tasting, and clear broth? Fuhgeddaboudit. That takes real work, love, and dedication. As for the noodles, they are custom made and uses rye to give it a rich, healthy, hearty taste. Healthy ramen? Yes, you heard me. If you don’t believe me though, then perhaps you will listen to Chef Ivan who once said, "Ramen, really, is basically junk food. But I wanted something you could eat every day and not feel sick. And hopefully, you'll come back."
Although we went there for the main attraction (the ramen), I have to admit that the side dishes took center stage a few times. These were not mere side acts for warming up the audience. The sides were incredibly interesting and delicious. For instance, they took the traditional deviled egg (which I love) and made it instead with a thousand-year egg a.k.a. century egg, preserved egg or pidan (which I do NOT like) and came up with the “1000 Year Old Deviled Egg.” Say what? Combining something I love with something I hate? Yeah, I liked it… a lot.
Another showstopper was the Tofu Coney Island which was made of miso mushroom chili, yellow mustard, scallion, and served over fried cubes of tofu. Of course, it tasted nothing like a coney island hot dog because it was much more interesting and tasted way better. I also have to give props to the crispy pork meatballs served with bulldog sauce and shaved bonito flakes. They were sweet, savory and devoured so quickly by my dining party that I did not even get a photo. In the midst of vying for a meatball - the last meatball on the plate actually - it did not dawn on me to take a photo until it was well inside my tummy.
Ivan Ramen is like an “upscale” noodle place without the suit and tie. And you know what is wonderful about ramen? It is the kind of food that can cross barriers and be shared by all walks of life. There is just something comforting and communal about huddling around a table with people and hearing the sound of slurping noodles all around you.
I saw this quote once from Chef Ivan which sums it up perfectly, "It gives you permission to be a slob. You're a cute girl, but you've got fat on your blouse, you're holding your hair back, and you're like, 'F--- it, it's delicious.’”
