TabeTomo
| Cuisine | Japanese |
|---|---|
| Price | $$ (16-30) |
| Rating | 7/10 |
| Last Visit | June 22, 2019 |
| Location | New York: East Village |
General Notes
The best way I can describe TabeTomo's ramen is: a toned-down, comfortable, and better version of Yume wo Katare's ramen. I think most people would agree that Yume wo Katare is a bit too greasy. Their ramen definitely leans more towards fatty, garlicky, and strong flavors, yet it doesn't feel overwhelming or overly greasy like Yume. The texture of the ramen is similar - thick, firm, and chewy. These attributes align perfectly with my personal ramen preferences. I certainly enjoyed my experience (the atmosphere of the restaurant is also really nice) and I would absolutely recommend this restaurant if you have similar ramen preferences!
Positives
> As I mentioned, the ramen here is well-tailored to my preferences for ramen. Their broth doesn't necessarily have the complexity of flavor that some other places have, but it has a savoriness and intensity of flavor that is unmatched by most other ramen places I've been to. Perfect texture on the ramen - thick, firm, and chewy. Relatively fatty and garlicky without being uncomfortably greasy.
> The ramen is customizable to your preferences. The servers are really friendly, and they'll ask whether you want less, regular, or more fat (the correct answer is regular). There are plenty of good topping options (the kuro-oni is really good), and you can also customize the amount of vinegar used if you order tsukemen.
> The portions are very large. I eat more than almost anyone else I know during meals, yet I felt very satisfied (perhaps even a bit too satisfied) after lunch. The food is really affordable, especially considering the size of the portions.
> The atmosphere of the restaurant is really nice. Open-air, minimalist, quaint, cozy, and elegant. The noise level is also comfortable.
> This isn't really a positive, but they also offer a $48 mega-sized bowl of tsukemen ramen, which is apparently 8x the size of a typical bowl. This is an absurd amount of ramen, especially considering how big a normal bowl is. Nevertheless, if you finish it in 35 minutes, it's free, you get a tshirt, and you will receive everlasting glory.
Negatives
> The tsukemen broth has a really strong vinegar flavor. I found this to be a pretty good level (perhaps slightly too much vinegar), but I think that most people would probably enjoy the "less vinegar" option.
> Be careful about what you ask for. I asked for regular fat, but my friend asked for more fat. The ramen ended up being remarkably similar to Yume wo Katare's ramen, a bit too fatty for our taste, even though we both prefer more fatty and savory ramen.
Dishes Tasted
- ★★★☆ Tonkotsu Chashu Tsukemen -- Tsukemen is dipping ramen - similar to your typical bowl of ramen, except the noodles are served cold on the side, and the broth has a lot of vinegar. This was my first time, and I think I enjoy standard ramen a bit more (slightly too much vinegar for my taste), but still with incredible flavors and textures. The broth was intensely savory, and the toppings were excellent - the chashu in particular was so incredibly savory and tender.
Tsukemen (Noodles/Chashu)
