koku ramen, koreatown nyc

It's really not important what type of food you decide to eat for your first meal in a different city. Italian, Japanese, Indian- it's all good. What matters is that you eat it enthusiastically, and that you choose a restaurant prioritixing authenticity over convenience. I was really feeling ramen for my first meal on my recent NYC trip, so I found a nearby Koreatown ramen spot and enthusically sat down for a quick lunch. Good eats. We went with the spicy miso ramen and the shrimp tempura.

Shrimp Tempura

The sauces once again stole the show. The simple ginger sauce was excellent. This was my first time really enjoying shrimp, and it's all thanks to the sauce. The batter left something to be desired, certainly; but the shrimp was decent enough that it wasn't too much of a detractor.

Sauce: 9/10

Batter: 6/10

Shrimp: 8/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Spicy Miso Ramen

It was spicy. But it was also yummy (for everyone saying I can't start a sentence with “but”, you've been indoctrinated by Bif Grammar to believe a lie). The noodles were nice and chewy, and the broth was nicely seasoned. The chicken was fantastic, and the egg was decent; the spinach definitely felt underutilized.

Spin: 4/10

Broth: 7/10

Spice: 10/10

Chicken: 8/10

Egg: 7/10

Overall: 7.5/10