Ivan Ramen — Restaurant in New York

If you consider yourself to be a fan of ramen, or even curious about it, you need to know and appreciate Ivan Orkin (@ramenjunkie). A NY native who made his name starting a ramen shop in Japan and succeeding, he is a veritable legend in the ramen world, respected for his dedication and passion for ramen. I was super hyped to try his signature bowl, the Tokyo Shio, where he made “Ivan Ramen” a true icon. Got a wagyu pastrami bun as an appetizer, but it was just a foretaste of the wonderful meal that was coming.

The broth is light, just like many shio broths, but this one had a depth that kept flowing in after the initial sip. It positively dissipated throughout the body, and shio flavor was just enough to keep you coming back for more.

The noodles use rye wheat, which is an Ivan Orkin original twist to the ramen noodle. They’re thin and wavy, and pick up the light broth with ease. They were also cooked perfectly, not al dente but not soggy either. The noodles disappeared in an instant, and I kind of wish I got more.

The chashu slices were very thinly cut and had a good amount of fat, melting in the mouth and falling apart. It would’ve been nice if they were seasoned more, but I enjoyed them all the same.

The roasted tomato is another Ivan Ramen signature original topping, and it was a much thicker slice than I expected from other photos I’ve seen. It was soft and tender, while still firm enough to hold in the chopsticks. I love tomatoes on their own, but having it in this ramen bowl really took it to the next level.

My friend Tori got the chicken paitan, and I did get to sample some that as well. While it uses the same noodles, the broth was a richer, denser experience. There is also a good amount of black pepper, so much that I couldn’t finish the bowl.

I wish I was in NYC longer so I can sample every bowl they’ve got, but I have a feeling I’ll be back pretty soon. This shop is no joke, and it’s worth it to get ramen from a legend. Unfortunately he wasn’t in the shop today (apparently he was on a morning show earlier), but his ramen was just incredible. You won’t regret getting...

(Last visited June 4, 2023.) Hanging out in NYC with some friends and we were on the lower east side this time. We were walking down the street and the incredible umami smell of ramen wafted our noses so we decided on Ivan Ramen! Here's how it went.

Atmosphere/Appearance: This place may look a little small, but there's a lot of space in here in separate compartments. It was SUPER busy so we did have to wait a little bit, but it wasn't too bad. It was nice outside so we actually went IN to the restaurant then out like, a side door to another outdoor section that was so beautifully setup. It was quieter outside (naturally) and just felt nice to eat outdoors, but not be sitting right next to the street.

Service: I can't remember who took care of us, but I don't remember having any issues at all.

Food: We started off with their Wagyu Pastrami Buns which is a concoction of house-made pastrami, sauerkraut and japanese-russian dressing. These were delightful! Rich, meaty, creamy and a lil' crunchy due to the sauerkraut. Well-executed. We then tried Ivan's Karaage which is crispy fried chicken, lemon, and choice of sauce: yuzu-kosho mayo, black garlic honey, shiso buttermilk, or yuzu-chili sauce. Of course we went with the yuzu-kosho and this too was delightful! Crispy, crunchy, tender chicken that was rich in flavor! For my ramen/bowl entree I decided on the Triple Pork Triple Garlic which is a less soup-y style of ramen made with a tonkotsu broth, shoyu-braised pork chashu in two ways. My goodness this was off the chain! Hot, tender pork, rich, salty broth and excellent balance with textures. Well-done.

Value: It's New York City. I mean, you know the deal. Each of our appetizers were $14.00 and my ramen was $20.00. Not bad at all to be completely honest. That's extremely reasonable and worth every penny!

In conclusion, I'd absolutely pull up here again and get these exact things! Of course I'd love to try some other menu items as well! Check this place out if you...

“Don’t believe the Hype” has never been more true. I heard so many great things about this place and seen so many YouTube videos. So my expectations were high. Upon entering the establishment, I was kind of turned off because it didn’t feel like a ramen spot. But I just ignored it because the food is what matters. Most of the bowls were around $16, which is fine, especially in the NYC area. But when the bowl came, I was greatly disappointed. The portion is small and I couldn’t even see all the ingredients. The noodle to broth ratio was terrible. The broth tasted like they made a pork and chicken broth and then doused it with soy sauce. Then it was loaded with green onions. The combination of the green onions with the overwhelming taste of soy sauce was awful. The egg was pretty good but it soaked up some of the broth, which again, is atrocious. The pork is actually really nice. But they give you a tiny piece, the size of my thumb. The noodles were awful as well. Spongey tasteless noodles with no snap. AGAIN they were sitting in the broth, so all you get is the nasty taste now with spongey texture. I had to force myself to wolf it down because I didn’t want to waste it. But I couldn’t drink the broth. I would’ve become nauseous if I forced it. I also took a picture of my friend’s Mazemen. He said it was alright. I guess because it didn’t have the broth. At the end of the day, even if the dish was decent to great, $16 is too much for what you get in this bowl. My favorite spot, Nishida, has an exponentially better bowl of ramen for $12. Larger portion, better pork, more pork, fantastic broth and amazing noodles. You don’t have to pay premium for great Ramen. Yea I know $16 isn’t exactly a lot more but it’s crazy how much more I can get for $4 less. I will never go back to Ivan, even to try the other dishes, that may be better, but they have lost my trust and respect with that awful...