Ramen boy and I took Uber (his new favorite mode of city transportation and must confess rather convenient) to Totto Ramen. We got there a few minutes before the noon opening and there was already a line forming outside the door. So we stood there and waited and waited and waited until 12:30. No one questioned the wait while some of the staff stood outside and smoked cigarettes without a care in the world. Tired of waiting ramen boy suggested we try the ramen shop next door. Given a few more minutes I would have succumbed to try Hide-Chan Ramen which specializes in tonkotsu ramen and under the same management. So of course I logically told him that since so many people were queued up the ramen must be worth the wait. A runner friend of mine recommended trying Totto Ramen since it specialized in a whole chicken and soy sauce based soup and I’d be damned if we didn’t try it. Luckily they opened the doors for business and we were quickly seated. We both ordered the Totto Spicy Ramen with a homemade blend of chili-sesame (rayu) and topped with chashu, bean sprouts, seaweed (nori) and scallions. The noodles were springy and al dente the way I like it and the broth was surprisingly rich but not heavy and full of flavor. The rayu added a nice touch of oiliness to the soup and loved that the scallions were sliced lengthwise instead of chopped. The egg was split in half. Still delicious but I prefer my egg whole so that I can take a bite and let the soft oozy flesh of the yolk mix with the broth and noodles. Ramen boy gave Totto Ramen a thumbs up and said he’d be happy to come back again.
Totto Ramen (Midtown East)
248 E 52nd Street (Between 2nd & 3rd Avenue)
New York, NY 10022
(212) 421-0052
www.tottoramen.com
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