Hide-Chan’s Black Ramen is a Garlicky Force to Be Reckoned With
Totto Ramen isn’t the only ramen place in the Totto empire that opened for lunch recently. Right before the holiday break Midtown East got their newest ramen spot, Hide-Chan Ramen, which began serving lunch in the former Yakitori Torys spot- also a sister restaurant to Midtown West’s Totto Ramen and Yakitori Totto (did I get that right, Zach? I’m getting confused between the Tottos, Ramens, and Yakitoris). While I work in a prime location for Menchanko Tei to be my main ramen spot, Hide-Chan has opened in an area that doesn’t have too much in the way of ramen. And let me tell you they are serving some awesome ramen, enough that I might haul it up a few blocks (in the winter months of course.)
Under Brownie’s tutelage, I’ve been learning the ways of the ramen for the past few years. It’s no longer just the junk food of my college years, but I still have a hard time getting past the sodium levels in most ramen broths. I enjoy the ramen… the five pound weight gain is another story. Basically, what I’m saying is if you see me start slurping down ramen like it’s the last meal I’ll ever eat, that means it’s great ramen. Since Hide-Chan is backed by an impressive reputation, I fully expected it to end up high on my ramen list. (At least that’s what I kept telling myself as I walked up these former peep-show stairs!)
The lunch menu that’s available from 12-2:30p hovers around the ML ceiling, a few items are just over $10, and any sides will surely put you well over $11. We had heard that Hide-Chan is doing a pretty authentic tonkotsu (pig bone broth) ramen, but I was in the mood for something different- and went with the Kuro Ramen or black ramen.
Roasted garlic flavor throughout from the ma-yu, this is the ultimate ramen for a girl with Eastern European heritage (my ancestors used garlic like we use pepper). The noodles were cooked to al dente, and the broth is where it’s at: cloudy, thicker, extremely flavorful, but not resembling a liquid salt lick. The noodles were also accompanied by some black dumplings and a few shreds of tender pork. I would have taken some close ups, but I was so enraptured by my ramen that I totally forgot. It’s that good; completely on par, if not better than, some of the other Midtown ramen joints, and surely a welcome addition to the neighborhood… you know, once fall is here.
Hide-Chan Ramen, 248 E. 52nd St, 2nd Fl (btw. 2nd+3rd) (212) 813-1800
Posted by Blondie at 11:45 am, July 14th, 2010 under Hide-Chan Ramen.
27 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
27 Comments
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roasted garlic ramen sounds epic!
How does the broth thickness compare to say, Minca’s or Ippudo’s?
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That looks like an octopus got excited.
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I had a friend who was telling me about this place last night. He said it was well worth it. I wonder what goes in the broth?
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what makes it black, exactly?
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childrens’ tears
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I know! It looks like squid ink.
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mayu is a black japanese sauce made from crushed roasted (charred?) garlic
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looks like the bowl in one of the bathroom stalls in goats office.
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I thought “wow, that looks like a japanese dish I’d actually enjoy”.
Then I read your comment.
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ha, sorry to ruin that experience for you.
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Two of coworkers went there and ordered 2 different ramens but they said both were way way too salty…
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same here…2 coworkers expressed that sentiment to me. I’m gonna give them a shot in any case because I like salt.
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Maybe it tastes good to SOME people (taste is VERY subjective, however), but I would NEVER in my life put ANYTHING in that particular bowl into MY mouth.
Period. End of report.
Carrion, please.
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so so SO going. will make it there at the least by the end of next week, even if i have to go eat alone. mark my words.
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robbie will go with you.
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you know why you rock? bc you are the 2nd biggest fan of robbie and me. :)
please schedule an appt in his calendar for dinner here tmr night at 8:30pm. his date will be waiting.
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don’t you have plans already tomorrow?
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..whom’s black hymen?
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WOW this looks so delicious!
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So that’s what BP started doing? Way to re-use.
I’d be down since it’s ramen.
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I got to say this was a pretty tasty bowl of ramen. I liked the texture of the noodles and though my bowl wasn’t nearly as black as your was, it was still pretty flavorful of roasted garlic. The slices of pork are a lot thinner than at most ramen spots, but they are also a lot leaner. So I guess it’s give and take when it comes to quality. I liked the decor, though they could use more ambient music.
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This place looks amazing, my brother went to Japan recently and looking at this reminded me of some of the pictures he showed me. I bet he would be interested in checking it out when we make it out to our grandmothers.
cheers
Johnny -
had their spicy ramen over the wkend. i didn’t think it was too salty at all. no saltier than my shin ramen or neoguri. ;) it was quite tasty actually.
the pork buns reminded me a bit of a big mac bc of the mayo. not what i was expecting from a pork bun, but i didn’t dislike it. i like big macs, i cannot lie…..
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I got there at the tail end of lunch service. Had firm noodles with medium broth.
Upshot – tasty but my bowl was poorly excecuted.
You can tell broth is really flavourful; however, whether it just got reduced too much through service, or someone was overly zealous seasoning – it was really, really, really unappetizingly salty. I ordered firm, but my noodle’s were soft and doughy.
If they had cooked the noodles for a couple of minutes longer, and had not gone overboard with the salt shaker, it would have been a glorious bowl of ramen. Poor execution ruined it.
BTW – they don’t take credit cards under $20.00, and no American Express. So much for business lunches.
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must go there Monday!!! *drooling*, sorry that’s so unlady like… but ohhh that looks god!!!!! though Totto does have my heart these days
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Tried this today. It’s remarkable that the burnt garlic oil doesn’t overpower the ramen. The pork is perfect. I’m not much of a soup/ramen eater, but I enjoyed this.
nice an actual review of the few at a “new” place. :P