When you hear that some restaurant is the best in New York City, it’s tough to not be skeptical. There are so many restaurants with so many different kinds of foods from so many different countries, how can one be the best. Well, I’m here to tell you that when Ichiran Ramen says they’re the best ramen in New York City, it’s gonna be tough to prove them wrong.
I was going to New York City for a work conference, and I was ready for a new, interesting experience. It’s tough to find something different in New York City because (See above) a lot of places lie to get tourists in the door. Add to it that the location I went to was the Times Square location, alarms were already going off in my head as a scam. But, thankfully, I went for it anyway.
My theory in New York City, when you choose to dine at a restaurant with food from another country, is if people in the restaurant or in line are speaking the native language of the food in that restaurant, it’s a good tip that the food is decent.
Apparently, I was the new kid in line, because everyone seemed to know the plan, except for me. You arrive to the counter where you order your food on a screen. It’s ramen, yes, but you can decide the spiciness and other things to potentially include. Then, you walk to your space facing a window.
You hand the receipt you got from the counter to a person behind the window. You can’t see them; you just see hands. Everyone is speaking in Japanese, but there are translations around you so if you’re not fluent, you’re not totally confused.
If you order a dessert (I did), they give you a little dish. When you’re done with your meal, you put that little dish on a designated space, and somehow, that tells the kitchen you’re ready.
Everything I ate was amazing. The ramen? Best I’ve ever had. The dessert? Incredible. The experience? I won’t stop talking about it. It’s quite calming to be in a space where you don’t feel like you have to talk to anyone, or don’t feel odd for eating alone. Your back is to a room of people, but the experience is with you and the unknown people handing you food through a window.
A lot of times these gimmicks are just that, but the experience, paired with how delicious the food is, makes this a place I can’t wait to visit again!