Ivan Ramen

After spending countless years living in Japan, where he studied all things Japanese, and graduating from the famed Culinary Institute of America, Ivan Orkin opened up Ivan Ramen in the Lower East Side. As this spot has quickly become famous through countless features of it on television, blogs, and magazines, I expected a lot when I tried it. Happily, it did not disappoint.

The Restaurant itself feels like an alternate reality 1950s diner with mid-century pop funk music playing in the background, a massive collage of 20th century Japanese culture in the foreground, and a classic diner counter located at the back of the establishment.

Japanese Fried Chicken

This heavily marinated and sauced appetizer of Japanese Fried Chicken was solid. The batter remained crispy despite being heavily drenched with a mildly spicy, fruity, and rich sauce. The chives on top provided needed brightness to an otherwise heavy dish. Finally, the white sauce (which strongly reminded me of the white sauce found at Halal carts throughout NYC) added a refreshing creamy end to the bite. After finishing the dish, I had the pleasant surprise of the mild spice and yuzu flavor that coated the chicken lingering on my taste buds.

Tonkotsu Ramen

Hiding just under the broth laid perfect noodles that despite their narrow width were still quite adept at picking up loads of broth. The added soft-boiled egg was perfectly cooked, and the pork (aka chashu), although uniquely thick, surprisingly stayed tender and juicy. Like a real high-quality tonkotsu should, this broth coated my mouth with a mildly creamy and extremely porky flavor that was deep with a black pepper kick.

The second main dish I tried was the Chicken Katsu. Although quite good, this was the weakest dish that I tried. The chicken cutlet was crispy and moist but unfortunately too thin which made the chicken go cold fast. While the Japanese curry was very good, I wish it had that home made flavor. Instead, it was definitely the generic, out of the box Golden Curry type. Similarly, the rice was good but not special. The surprising highlight of the dish was the different forms of pickled vegetables as they added a much needed vinegary kick that cut through the rich flavor.

Seafood Tsukemen

The last and best dish I tried was the Seafood Tsukemen. For those who are unfamiliar with tsukemen, it is a type of dipping ramen where the noodles are consumed right after being dipped in the broth - almost like a deconstructed ramen. The broth had a gluttonously rich bisque flavor that clung excellently to the thick, buckwheat noodles which provided such a wonderful bite. On the side of the bowl lay grilled cabbage that maintained its raw crispness while also having a mild, smokey kick. The best part of the dish was the fried crab toast. The toast bombarded me with both a shrimp flavor and bouncy texture. As a bonus, the bread itself was excellent, with a toasted sesame seed exterior that surrounded a fluffy and light interior.

What a fun meal! I definitely recommend checking this spot out if you are in the area.