Buttons Bursting
I have so much I want to say about Mu Ramen, I don’t know where to start. This post is filed under ” Pants Stance” because I am taking the stance that Mu Ramen is a) different from many other ramen shops b) worth the trip to Queens and c) has a dish that is one the best things I have eaten in a very long time. Deep breaths, thoughts gathered, here goes…
Mu ramen is very small, and can get very busy from what I hear, and it is for those reasons as well as a conveniently timed meeting that DZ and I found ourselves walking into Mu Ramen at 545pm on a week night. Usually at ramen joints we can resist the temptation of starters, snacks, pork buns, etc, in an effort to concentrate on the main event, but to do so at Mu Ramen would be a huge mistake. Our starters, or “treats” as they were listed blew our f–kig minds. The U & I ( uni, ikura, spicy tuna, nori strips served over rice) was so delicious we were unsure if we would be content simply sharing one. The appeal of the U & I is the simplicity of the combined flavors and textures, a dish that only needs to have the freshest ingredients placed together in order for the taste to be extremely satisfying and impressive.
Now, what I really want to talk about, the Okonomiyaki. I am not sure how to say that, but point, grunt, nod or nudge your way into selecting this item from the menu, and you will be enlightened. The parts: scallion pancake, smoked trout,shaved bonito, and foie gras syrup. The sum: Mind-blowing. The dish is beautifully presented and is just absolute fireworks on your tongue, revealing every possible taste sensation all at once. I really don’t like anything about syrup ( the texture, the sweetness) but used sparingly here it is the perfect contrast to the salty, smokiness of the fish. This dish was truly unlike anything else I have eaten in a very long time.
Now, after all of that, we still had room to slurp down some ramen. I tried the tonkotsu 2.0 (main photo), and DZ had the spicy miso ramen. Our noodles were completely different sizes and textures, with the spicy miso having thick noodles that looked like udon. The pork in the tonkotsu was cooked better than any other ramen pork I have had, and in the spicy miso ramen it was chopped rather than in big chunks. Both dishes were rich and perfect.
Also of note is the kale kimchi, a spicy kick on its own, or as an added punch to the U & I or ramen…
Mu Ramen is easily accessible from the 7 train, one stop from Grand Central…
