week 36: totto ramen

and just like that, as if it were on some kind of cue,

it is soup weather. 

{you know, the edible version of scarf weather. the best kind of weather}

not that it needs to be soup weather to eat ramen

because ramen was the non-kosher food of choice at summer camp... 

my friendsies brought cases of the stuff in their duffels. don't even ask how we cooked it. it's really embarrassing. 

but anywho. 

ramen is the type of soup that tastes best when you're eleven and you've just had a really long ice skating practice and you're still in your skating tights and your little skating dress but you must have food to even have the energy to change into your jammies. so your mommy bypasses the leftovers and just sticks some "line noodle soup" on the stove. bless her.

and maybe it's because i'm so used to the mommy line noodle soup that i've not been so terribly wild about all these ramen places around the city {i am no chris p thompson}

but let it be known

totto ramen

is the exception. the first of its kind.

there are two levels of spiciness, but i think one would win:

there was a really long line when i went but i think my friend matt must have given the hostess the sexy eyes or something because we got in way sooner than we expected.

we started with the 

char siu mayo don

pork+mayo+magic rice+green things

even though it was pork, it was very light and clean tasting. like a good albert herring performance... at first impression, you think you're going to want a little something more {like a spicy bit or a sauce} but, no no, it's quite comforting as it is. 

the ramen that both matt and i got was the

totto miso ramen

koji miso+ground pork+paitan soup+egg+green things+bean things+onion+char siu pork

what is a koji and a paitan? i do not know. but they were happy and them two together in the broth were i think the secret behind why i liked this ramen a lot a lot.

the broth was thick. not thick like the dead sea up in thur, but in it you could taste the little miso granules.

and the little granules clung to the doodles.

my goodness it was tasty.

{alas, still no doodle will be mushy enough for me, but these were actually closer to my liking than i expected. yay!}

it was really mega flavory. 

even matt who will only eat at harry's burritos really liked it.

hopefully soup weather is here to stay because the owner of totto has another new place, hide chan, across town...

so don't be surprised if that's one of my 12 remaining restaurants!!!

xoxo

yeh

totto ramen is on 52nd and 9th. 

next to lucky burger, kitty-corner from brian's old apartment {read: many a drunk percussionist know this block well}