Karazishi Botan — Restaurant in New York

I come to Karazishi Botan at least once a month to dine-in. I used to work in the neighborhood, and I like to come back on a weeknight to treat myself to dinner, or to visit with friends. I'm not the type who is a stickler around authenticity; I simply enjoy a flavorful bowl of ramen noodle soup, and I've never had a bite that I didn't like at Botan. Here are some recommendations based on what I've ordered from the menu:

Iron Men 3: I tried it with menma, nori, scallion, and ginger paste as add-ons. The soup comes with a pipette of rosemary-infused oil. A bowl of indulgence.

Point Blank: Don't let the mention of horseradish turn you away from trying this soup. I find that it blends quite well in the broth, and the taste is milder than the aroma. This soup comes with a small glass of yuzu that you can add to the broth after you've eaten your noodles. Order if you want a refreshing boost in immunity.

Pan-Head: You can't go wrong with a classic bowl of tonkotsu. The broth is rich and the miso provides umami goodness. Pure comfort food.

Showa Classic: I tried it with nori, menma, and scallion as add-ons. This ramen is incredibly savory and the chicken broth is a unique flavor amongst Botan's pork-based offerings. Some may find the shoyu (soy sauce) broth too salty, but this bowl is one of my favorites.

The karaage, dumplings, and matcha tiramisu are fun to share with friends. Try the hot sake on a cold day, and ramune in the summer. Dining as a single person, I'm often seated immediately at the bar, and service is prompt and welcoming. I often see couples and small groups dining as well. Don't miss out on the heated, enclosed outdoor seating in the backyard if it's cold outside or crowded indoors. I'll be back to try and finish my quest to taste every ramen...

Overall a pretty okay spot! Worth the trek from Manhattan? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Tons of appetizers to choose from. Ton of sake to choose from (no hot sake though, bummer). 3 choices of ramen. Wine and whiskey are coming soon.

The bao buns were a little chewy. The edamame was pretty good. Covered in garlic which I was okay with but if you’re not a garlic lover you may want to keep looking.

The captain Brooklyn ramen is a veggie broth (mushroom and seaweed) and supposedly quite spicy though no one seemed to have any issues with the amount of spice. Also comes with the fun shield (you don’t keep the shield) that you use to protect yourself from the splatters of hot oil. Lots of fun marvel Easter eggs around the restaurant.

The chef special, pork broth ramen, was pretty good. The broth itself was a little salty (fine by me but not for all) and very tasty! The broth was the best part of the night!! Comes with a garnish in top and bamboo shoots. You have to order everything else. I do wish I could have added corn. Also, nothing currently for adding spice. Luckily the waitress snagged a bit of spice for us which was great!

Luckily we were in the first group seated. Opens at 5pm...by 5:20 the wait was over an hour. By 5:40 the wait topped 2 hours.

It wasn’t the best I’ve had but certainly better than many (if not most) I’ve tried in NY! I would change the menu to explain what comes in each bowl of ramen, add corn, spice, and hot sake. Otherwise this was a good spot. I probably won’t be making the trek back to Brooklyn for this ramen alone but if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for some good food, you’ll enjoy this...

Came here tonight on opening night, busy even at 9p. I expected nothing less in waiting. After I was kindly seated at the counter/bar the food and drinks I ordered arrived quite quickly. The service and hospitality is overall very very good. I tried the oxtail which was very delicious but the high price tag for 1 piece makes me question the worth of it. I then tried the Capt Brooklyn which might've been gimmicky in which they give you a small Capt America shield to protect yourself from the splashing oil that they pour over the bowl of ramen. I did feel a little bit if splash so gimmicky as it may be it does help shield you a bit. As for the point of it, it highly reminded me of the fire ramen I tried in Kyoto where they set your ramen on fire. It brings out a very fragrant smell and I'm sure it adds some flare to it. As for the noodles they were well cooked and the soft egg was perfect. As for the broth, it isn't for the faint of heart, it started off quite tame then as you eat and drink more of it the spiciness level catches up to you very quickly!

Overall food and service makes me highly recommend this place although it is quite expensive but for the area and being in NYC you really can't expect affordability when the restaurants need to pay the high rent. Also I would like to see how this location plays out as I think they may run into the troubles of lines out the door and people taking their time eating which might affect their service. I hope this won't...