ippudo

it’s taken me over a year to visit ippudo, because every single time i try to go, the wait is over two hours long! finally, one of my friends (thank you, sami) decided to run in, put our names in, and head next door for a drink while we waited the standard two hours. under most circumstances, i would be so annoyed about the long wait that i wouldn’t even be able to enjoy the food, but when it came to ippudo, i will say….it was worth it.

our hungry selves practically ran to our table in the back of the larger than expected, jam packed, minimally decorated restaurant.  we started with three appetizers: the shishito (deep-fried japanese peppers with yuzu salt), yamitsuki goma kyuri (cucumber mixed with sesame oil dressing) and one of the nightly appetizer specials, pork and mushrooms with lime jelly. all were delicious, but the cucumber and sesame oil dressing was, by far, my favorite. it was so clean and refreshing, and the toasted sesame topping and the dipping sauce that accompanied the dish were both packed with so much flavor and texture. i also must note how absolutely amazing the mushrooms in the pork dish were – they were some of the best, most memorablel mushrooms i’ve tasted.

our entrees: the ramen noodles. they.were.the.best.i’ve.ever.had.

i ordered the miso ramen, which was soy bean paste flavored ramen noodles in tonkotsu soup with pork belly chashu, cabbage, spinach, manma, ginger & scallions. not spicy at all, and a slightly sweet, perfect, delicate broth.

the karaka miso ramen, which was quite spicier than the rest, but not at all overpowering.

and finally, the shoyu ramen, which is soy flavored ramen noodle soup in a chicken and tonkotsu soup with pork loin chashu, menma, spinach, narto, nori & scallions.  the broth was so rich and full, yet the soup did not seem at all greasy or heavy.

ippudo is located at 65 4th ave, between 9th and 10th st.

phone: (212) 388-0088 (totally worth calling before you go. they’ll tell you the wait time.)