Ramen By Ra — Restaurant in New York

I’m not sure I can adequately express how much I enjoyed dining at Ramen By Ra this past Sunday, but I will try. I’d heard of this spot either late last year or early 2024 and wanted to try it since then (I also wanted to meet a new name twin doing great things). I’d wanted to go for my birthday weekend back in November, but hadn’t fully researched the location and didn’t understand what I was getting in to.

I was a bit confused as my friend was making the reservation when she texted me the menu and asked me to choose what I wanted to eat and drink. When we arrived early for our reservation, I completely got it. I knew the space was going to be small from what I’d read prior, but I was pleasantly surprised when we got to Bowery Market which I had never been to before. This area was my favorite stomping ground from the late 90s to around 2005, but I’ve only really driven through the area in the last 5 years. Anyway, the market is super adorable with Ramen By Ra nestled neatly in the rear right corner. I was really impressed with the set up and decor of her tiny space which is perfect for this concept.

We were very early for our reservation, and I didn’t want to interrupt the 4 guests prior to us. When they left, I introduced myself and let her know we were next, and Ra assured me she’d be ready for our 2pm reservation. When we came back around 10 to 2, we were greeted by a gorgeous set up of crystal wares as she began preparing our meal. I’m all about efficiency, and her kitchen is the perfect set up for one person to work in. I enjoyed watching her work and was in awe as Ra meticulously constructed our dishes which I can tell she does with love, care and passion.

I had the gravlax ramen with a sparkling ginger drink, and my friend had the steak and egg (which I will be trying next time). Though I love ramen, I’m not huge on broth by itself. I tried the broth first, and I don’t think my taste buds could comprehend what was happening for a few minutes. This is hands down the best broth I’ve had in any soup dish ever! The combination of the gravlax, soy egg, fried capers and pickled onions along with the broth was the fix I didn’t know I needed since lox bagels are in my top 3 favorite breakfast items. I savored every single bite of this dish, and the ginger drink was the perfect pairing in my opinion. The flavor stayed on my taste buds after I finished my meal way longer than I expected. For me, Ra is the master of umami! I will admit that I got a bit alarmed (it’s a texture thing for me, and I hope she couldn’t tell! 😩) when she started whipping up and adding the foam to my dish as I’m generally not a fan of foam (not even on my lattes!) but chose to trust the process and was pleasantly surprised at what it added to the dish. My friend enjoyed her dish and drink immensely as well.

Aside from the phenomenal food, Rasheeda is a very pleasant person to talk to and very open with sharing about who she is, how she got into making ramen and how she turned it into the business Ramen By Ra is today. This isn’t simply a yummy bowl of ramen but a soul satisfying experience that I highly recommend for those who are into ramen as well as those who are not. I can’t see how anyone could be disappointed by this top...

I have been to Ramen by Ra at least 4 times already and have tried almost everything on the standard menu as well as the Potlikker special. Each dish stands out from the next with distinct flavors and textures; each bowl exploding with deliciously artful balances of savory, pickled, sweet, silky smooth and textured. The differences in each offering allow you to return again and again dancing between whatever flavor profiles you hunger for. However the two unifying themes amongst all of the plates, are: 1.) the meticulousness of the assembly, the process, that lets you know this unique bowl was made just for you. 2.) That feeling of soul-warming comfort that bubbles through your being head to toe as you drain the bowl slurp by slurp. One aspect of the comfort is tied to the flavors drawing deep nostalgia from classic comfort food breakfast flavors: B.E.C (baconnneeggganncheeese), everything bagel and cream cheese, chimichurri steak and egg. A broad range of international comfort food flavors are distilled into these artisanal bowls and the care, the conversation, the effort that Rasheeda puts into every drop compounds everything to make you "feel the love". I've had the good fortune to speak to Ra about movement within the fashion and restaurant industries and her journey to define this space that feeds her soul while at the same time services and literally nourishes the community. For those that understand the importance of taking a moment, hitting pause; truly regrouping and feeding their mental and emotional reserves, I urge you to reserve one of the 5 seats at the counter-top of the corner stall of the Bowery Market that Ra has built with passion, vision and love. I fully believe in the osmosis of good vibes and positive direction from unique soul-charging stations like this. There's a Japanese concept of Ikigai which involves the convergence of your loves, skills, societal and financial needs. It's where your passion, mission, vocation, and profession converge. Ra is living Ikigai through Ramen by Ra and you can literally taste it at this port in the storm, this oasis in the Concrete Jungle of NYC. Get in there and fill up on her...

I made two reservations for this restaurant, one for November 15 and one for November 22. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, me and my boyfriend arrived late to the first reservation on Nov 15, his birthday. We tried to find the owner's contact phone number on the website, on google, and we even tried to contact the Bowery Market directly. We had no luck, so we just showed up. When we arrived and asked if it was possible to still eat, the woman owner immediately took a tone with me, blaming us and saying we should've known better. I tried to keep our encounter calm, I had no issue with accepting that we wouldn't be served, but the manner in which she told us her policy was incredibly abrasive. Keep in mind I had paid $81 for our dinner when booking the reservation, and so I asked if there was a possibility of a refund, or to take our food to go. She shot down every solution offered and began passive aggressively calling me names. I walked away from the whole encounter, as I thought maybe she was having a rough day and I could try again the following week with my second reservation. She told my boyfriend as we walked away to rebook for the future. A few days later, I receive an email from the owner CANCELING my second reservation, and further, asking me not make any future reservations. I had to read it a few times to know if this was serious. I've been in the service industry my entire life and growing up in a family restaurant I can tell you- this was the most disappointing and unprofessional experience I have ever had in NYC. She had every opportunity to show compassion and understanding to a paying customer who had paid her $170+ in advance for two dinners, but instead she was hateful and disrespectful. Truly a shame, I'm sure the foods good, but the gall of that woman left a bitter taste in my mouth...