[New York] Totto Ramen
Totto Ramen | tottoramen.com | Yelp
Address: 366 W 52nd St (Midtown West/Hell’s Kitchen), New York, NY 10019
Date visited: 2013.06
Total bill: $25 + tax and tip for two people
Will return: Yes
What to get:
– Totto Spicy Ramen
– Char Siu Bun
Totto opens at 12 noon for lunch on weekdays. We came a few minutes before it opened and in typical New York fashion, there was already a long queue outside the shop (reservation are not accepted). The process is to put yourself on the list and wait to be called. There are seats at the counter and a few tables as well. The fewer people you come with, the quicker you will be seated.
Totto Spicy Ramen (Choice of Pork or Chicken $11) with straight noodles, chili oil, spicy sesame oil, scallion, bean sprouts, and nori in chicken broth
Recommend: yes
Of the well-known ramen shops in New York, Totto’s ramen broth came closest to the flavor I made up in my mind of what I would like ramen broth to taste like, if that makes sense. I imagine a good ramen shop in Japan would hit the spot but I haven’t had that yet. I liked this broth more than Momofuku Noodle Bar and Ippudo‘s broth.
Paitan Ramen (Choice of Pork or Chicken $9.75) with straight noodles, scallion, onion, and nori in chicken broth
Recommend: no
Not as good as the Totto Spicy Ramen. I recommend the spicy ramen over this.
Seasoned Boiled Egg ($1)
Recommend: maybe
I always like to add an egg if ramen doesn’t already come with it. I wish the yolk wasn’t cooked all the way though.
Char Siu Bun ($3 per bun) with tartar sauce
Recommend: yes
Pretty good, although there is not a sweet element to it like Momofuku and Ippudo‘s pork buns (which get their sweetness from their sauces). I prefer salty with a hint of sweetness in my dishes. I like Momofuku’s pork buns the best but I wouldn’t hesitate to get this next time I am here.
Chef torching the char siu to get a smokey taste.
