At 1600 sq ft, the waiting game occurs largely outside. You write your name on a list with your party size and won't get seated until your entire party is present. Luckily, since it was early, the owner sat 3/4 of us. Inside, the decor has wooden panels and black seats with street scenes on the wall. I love it! There's even a "bar" where customers can enjoy their ramen in front of the kitchen.
We started with popular skewers: squid teriyaki ($8) and chicken wings ($1.75/ea). They had bold flavors and the char was nice. Loved the fish shavings on the squid as well. The chicken wings were tender and flavor balanced.
All of us ordered their Spicy Miso Ramen ($9). The other flavors were miso, garlic black bean, and tonkatsu. From reading online reviews, many people have been dissatisifed with the noodles as they are not authentically "Japanese ramen". Here, the noodles are very similar to those in wonton noodle soup but thicker. I didn't think it detracted from the dish and ate every strand of it. :) Al dente and generous in portions, my tummy was a happy camper. A friend sitting across commented, "It's the best noodle I've had in Chinatown".
The broth was milky white from hours of pork bone marrow being extracted in a broth of pepper, corn, and other secret goodies. I thought it was well-balanced, deep in flavor profile, and not as salty as Nippon's (which is my preference). The spicy miso was very mild and added the necessary kick to its richness. Toppings included octopus, half an egg, wood ears, bamboo, and 3 very tender slices of pork. We couldn't fit in dessert with our full bellies but next time I'll be sure to try their custard doughnuts.
The service was pleasant and turnaround is fast. They take your order with ipads and are attentive to your food. Hours start at 5pm everyday except Monday. Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant if your party is 4 and under.
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