I am a ramen slut. I give myself freely to sodium filled, dried packets of ramen and to high end ramen served with dashi foam in elegant restaurants. All these ramens incite my lust and excitement. But the ramen that I really feel for, with which I could really fall in love? Well, that ramen is the type of ramen that you would find in your Mama-san’s house.
That’s Tabata Ramen.
This minuscule, extremely clean restaurant on the south side of Port Authority ain’t fancy. There is a counter and a few tables in back, coke served from the can, and food that comes out quickly. This is a great place for a quick lunch or dinner – not a place to linger and discuss religion.
Green Salad
Every entree comes with this simple green salad. Just a few leaves of iceberg lettuce with a soy-sesame vinaigrette. Nothing special, but a nice way to cleanse the palate before what is a very hearty meal.
Pork and Egg Fried Rice
So, SO good. This is not the standard, dried out, soy-dominated fried rice at most restaurants. This rice was incredibly fluffy, with soft egg, caramelized nuggets of pork, and a pile of spicy pickled ginger on the side. The rice was so delicate that it made the dish seem much lighter than it actually was. That means you can eat even more of it. Awesome.
Geki Kara Ramen with Hard Boiled Eggs, Roast Pork, Bean Sprouts, Scallions, and Hot Chili Oil
Though this wasn’t quite hellishly spicy, as promised, it was absolutely delicious. Tabata uses chicken broth instead of pork, which gave it an extremely light, unsalty flavor. Usually after I eat ramen, I am dehydrated for hours, but not this time. The texture of the noodles itself was remarkable – springy, pleasantly chewy, and incredibly satisfying. The broth, which had a slow, light burn, was filled with snappy bean sprouts, fresh scallions, and these amazing hard boiled eggs. Amazing because although the whites were perfectly boiled, the yolks were velvety and not quite opaque – they were just a TAD jiggly. Creamy and smooth, they enriched the soup and added heartiness.
Though this wasn’t quite hellishly spicy, as promised, it was absolutely delicious. Tabata uses chicken broth instead of pork, which gave it an extremely light, unsalty flavor. Usually after I eat ramen, I am dehydrated for hours, but not this time. The texture of the noodles itself was remarkable – springy, pleasantly chewy, and incredibly satisfying. The broth, which had a slow, light burn, was filled with snappy bean sprouts, fresh scallions, and these amazing hard boiled eggs. Amazing because although the whites were perfectly boiled, the yolks were velvety and not quite opaque – they were just a TAD jiggly. Creamy and smooth, they enriched the soup and added heartiness.
Let’s not forget the pork, which was tender and juicy, though not quite as fatty as I prefer.
Gyu-Don
This beef over rice is like Yoshinoya, but about a thousand times better. Thin slices of beef and onions simmered in a sweet soy based sauce until the whole mess is caramelized. The fat on the beef melts and becomes succulent. Sweet, salty, utterly umami. Served over sticky rice, there is nothing more comforting and delicious.
That’s all Tabata is: comforting and delicious. And cheap. And fast. And convenient to Port Authority. Well, I guess it’s a lot more than just comforting and delicious. It really has a lot to offer.
Especially to a ramen slut like me.
So where would you say is GOOD to linger and discuss religion?
@Feisty-a church