cha menya ramen(茶麵屋） — Restaurant in New York

Cha Menya

As of 2022, Cha Menya is placed #1 on my personal “Best Ramen in NYC” list.

Eating ramen will leave an impactful experience. It’s one of those rare experiences that you will remembering the taste of their ramen broth forever and knowing any other ramen you have afterwards cannot parallel their authenticity until you find the next “best” ramen.

Wagyu Ramen - $32. If you had never been to Japan to eat wagyu beef, this is probably the best time to try their wagyu ramen.

Broth - 5/5. It’s very concentrated in flavor and I rarely use this word - Divine. Another thing I will say that the chef uses truffle paste in this broth as well. While I initially went to look for the “best tonkotsu ramen” this ramen truly is in its league of his own. Every slurp of the broth isn’t salty that makes you want to sip water. In fact, it makes your cravings and hunger even stronger (if that makes sense).

Cha shu - 5/5. In this particular case, it’s not cha shu but the wagyu itself. The wagyu is thinly sliced, with an egg yolk resting in its center. The meat itself melts in your mouth without having to chew on it at all.

Noodles - 5/5. The noodle has a very nice bounce and chew to it. While thin noodles aren’t my preference, I have a newfound appreciation for it as it absorbs the delicious broth as I’m slurping the noodles.

Side note: every other items I’m about to mention is highly recommended on trying. The chef here has truly mastered the skills in culinary and will make you appreciate everything and anything he cooks.

Classic Ramen - $15.00.

Karaage - $9.00. Japanese fried chicken.

Hamachi - $16.00. Thinly sliced sashimi with yuzu jalapeño dijon mustard.

Rose matcha latte - $6.00. It was so good, we got a second one to go!!! The flavor is very concentrated and not watered down like other places that would sell rose matcha latte.

Azuki matchapresso - $7.50. Japanese green tea with expresso and red bean.

Chestnut Mont Blanc -...

The server was very friendly and kind, and the service was quick and attuned. The ambiance is very comfortable, where although the seating are a bit on the tighter end, it's still distanced enough where you're not on top of each other. The hojicha latte was delicious where it was perfectly sweetened and thoroughly mixed without tasting any grains of undissolved powder, highly recommended! The Karaage was very tender and juicy, with a nice crisp and delicious aioli to pair perfectly with it! The Tsukemen Ramen, although flavorful due to its rich dipping broth, was a bit overly simplistic where the ingredients didn't really add much to its overall flavor profile. Adding some corn or seaweed may enhance the dish further by giving it more pleasurable contrast in terms of texture and flavor, but that's just my personal opinion and preference. However, the noodle had a nice bouncy texture and the egg was flavorfully gelatinous, which were both delicious. Overall, it was a good experience and I look forward to returning to try their other ramen selections!

Thank you for reading and...

How often do you hear of tea and ramen together? Well this is your place if you enjoy trying something different than your typical tonkatsu ramen.

The ramen texture was pretty good. Not overcooked and has a pleasant chewy texture. The pork chasu that comes in these bowls of ramen is very generous compared to most other ramen places. The only thing, is that it was a little salty for my taste. As for the ramen broths, out of the three I tried. I would stick with the classic ramen. The matcha and hojicha are very interesting flavors, and not something you can get everywhere. But they were not my personal favorites. The tea flavor is very strong but I personally feel like the tea flavor and the meats don't go well together but that is just my personal taste, other people may really come to love it. The squid (Ika) was really good. I loved the sauce that came on it and the texture was just right. It was not overcooked and super chewy. Overall this is a great places to get a bowl of ramen without breaking the bank. The staff is very...