Hide-Chan Ramen

After a long delay, we finally tried Hide-Chan Ramen. I first heard about it from my colleague who raved that it was her favorite ramen place. 

First impression is that the table turnover is much quicker than other popular ramen shops- Totto Ramen and Ippudo. We came on Saturday night 8pm and it seemed that the waiting time for 2 people is about 15 minutes. It was a little tricky for us as there were 7 of us and so, we waited approximately 45 minutes. Not too bad.

We tried the spicy pork bun. It was $1 more than the regular pork bun with the addition of the spicy mayo. Bad choice. Even though it sounded better with the spicy mayo, it turned out to be overpowering the flavor of the pork. Therefore, I believe it deserves another attempt (without the mayo) as currently, I preferred Ippudo's pork bun over Hide-chan's.

Here, you have the option to choose the firmness of your noodle and the richness of your soup- Hakata (richer) vs NY style- which is pretty good as I don't believe the other ramen places provide these options.

Both Michelle and I tried the Hakata Kuro Ramen (aka Spicy Black Ramen)- served with original "ma-yu" roasted garlic oil- with firm noodle and Hakata style. This ramen was featured among NYC's 5 best inexpensive bowls of soup by CBS. However, the waiters mixed our orders and so instead, one was replaced by Hakata Spicy Ramen. The only distinction between the two is just the addition of roasted black garlic oil in Hakata Kuro Ramen, but it clearly helped to alleviate the overall flavor as it was a clear winner to us. Both ramens featured the pork belly which I found to be pretty good but not as soft and tender as Santoka's Melty Pork Cheek.

Hakata Spicy Ramen

Hakata Kuro Ramen

 

On another note, I also tried my friend's Shoyu Ramen. I don't believe I had many experience with clear-soup based ramen but to me, this was the best ramen of its kind that I tried so far. The soup was very fragrant despite the fact that the soup looked plain. However, it might be laden with MSG.

Overall, I had a good first impression of Hide-Chan ramen even though to me, Totto Ramen has a slight edge towards Hide-Chan. I didn't realize that both ramen places appeared to be owned by the same owner till recently. In order of preference, I would rank 

1. Totto
2. Ippudo and Hide-Chan
3. Santoka.

My Deja Food Experience

Some people often ask me for restaurant recommendations and every time I do that, I have to rake my brains over and over again. Therefore, I tried to achieve something I haven't done before, that is to try to remember most of my past dining experiences over the last few years (USA/Japan only). It was a daunting task but I've somewhat achieved it. So whenever someone asks this question again, they can refer to this list.

The ratings are based on (1) price, (2) quality of food, (3) food impressions and (4) overall dining experience.

Note: 
Meal: what we tried

$$$$: determined based on my past dining experience

Rating: They are not meant to represent overall food quality of the restaurants as it is based on our food selections. For example, some of my friends' favorite restaurant is Perilla. However, when we tried their restaurant week dishes in 2012, all four of us went home disappointed.

Since price is one of the rating criteria, don't be surprised to see instances such as the affordable Halal Guys beating several fancy restaurants.

As this list is populated recently, some of these ratings might not be representative of our dining experience (marked with an *).

Michelin: Michelin Guide 2014 is used as an reference. 1,2,3 represents the number of Michelin Stars the restaurants received. "X" represents honorable mention by Michelin Guide.

Some of the highlights:

Per Se (Michelin 3 stars)- Oysters and Pearls

Del Posto (Michelin 1 star)-Truffled BEEF Carne Cruda 

 Nihonryori RyuGin (Michelin 3 stars)- Tangerine Candy

Ratings are sorted for each Meal category (colored coded).

Restaurant	City	Michelin	Memorable Dish	$$$$	Meal	Rating
Per Se	Manhattan	3	Oysters and Pearls, Maine Sea Scallop	$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.5
L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon	Manhattan	Closed	Le Foie Gras, Le Souffle, La Bulle De Sucre	$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.5
Sushi Dai	Tokyo		Lobster soup	$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.5
Bouley	Manhattan	1	Porcini Flan	$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.3
Morimoto	Manhattan		Toto Tartare, whitefish carpaccio, oyster foie gras	$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.2
Del Posto	Manhattan	1	Truffled BEEF Carne Cruda	$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	4.2
Zenkichi	Brooklyn			$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3.8
Eleven Madison Park	Manhattan	3		$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3.5
Nihonryori RyuGin	Tokyo	3	Nitrogen infused Frozen Dessert	$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3.5
Nougatine at Jean-Georges	Manhattan			$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3.5	*
Jewel Bako	Manhattan	1		$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3.25	*
Le Bernardin	Manhattan	3	Chilled Peekytoe Crab Salad	$$$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3
Kani Doraku	Kyoto			$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3
Tsunahachi Tempura	Kyoto			$$	Pre Fix / Tasting Menu	3
Park Avenue Winter	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	4.2
Riverpark	Manhattan		Pork Chop and squid ink pasta	$$	Restaurant Week	4.2
Megu	Manhattan		Gindara Cod with Yuzu Miso at Megu	$$$	Restaurant Week	4.2
Morimoto	Manhattan			$$$$	Restaurant Week	4
Perry Street	Manhattan	X	Roasted Chicken	$$	Restaurant Week	4
Nobu Next Door	Manhattan		Black Cod Limestone Sauce & Arctic Char with Crispy Spinach	$$$	Restaurant Week	4
Giorgio of Gramercy	Manhattan		Surprisingly the medium rare steak in Surf/Turf	$$	Restaurant Week	3.8
Jojo	Manhattan		Medium rare Salmon	$$$	Restaurant Week	3.8
Crema Restaurant	Manhattan		Tortaditas	$$	Restaurant Week	3.6
En Japanese brasserie	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3.5
Nougatine at Jean-Georges	Manhattan			$$$$	Restaurant Week	3.5
Oak Room @ Plaza Hotel	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3.5	*
Le Cirque	Manhattan		Crème Brule	$$	Restaurant Week	3.25	*
David Burke Kitchen	Manhattan		Pork Chop	$$	Restaurant Week	3.25
One if by land two if by sea	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3
Del Monico's	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3
Brasserie	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3	*
Maze By Gordon Ramsay	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	3	*
Russian Tea Room	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	2.5	*
Perilla	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	2.5
Po	Manhattan			$$	Restaurant Week	2.5	*
Jade Asian Restaurant	Flushing			$	Dim Sum	4
Golden Unicorn	Manhattan			$	Dim Sum	3.8
Asian Jewels	Flushing			$	Dim Sum	3.5
Grand Restaurant	Flushing			$	Dim Sum	3
Clinton St. Baking Company	Manhattan	X	Southern Breakfast	$$	Brunch	3.8
Brownstone	Jersey City			$$	Brunch	3.5	*
Jane	Manhattan			$$	Brunch	3.5	*
Almond	Manhattan			$$	Brunch	3	*
Calle Ocho	Manhattan		Unlimited mimosa	$$	Brunch	3
Amanda's Restaurant	Hoboken			$$	Brunch	3
Shake Shack	Manhattan		Double Shack Burger	$	Lunch	4
Chipotle	Manhattan			$	Lunch	4
Neptune Oyster	Boston		Lobster Sandwich and oyster	$$	Lunch	4
Sky Café	Philadelphia			$	Lunch	3.8
Waroeng Surabaya	Philadelphia			$	Lunch	3.8
Katsukara	Kyoto			$$	Lunch	3.8
Koreana	Buffalo			$	Lunch	3.8
Haru Sushi	Manhattan			$$	Lunch	3.5
Café Sage	Manhattan			$	Lunch	3.5
Koko	Manhattan			$$	Lunch	3
L'ecole	Manhattan			$$	Lunch	3
Totto	Manhattan		Spicy miso	$	Ramen	4.3
Ichiran Ramen	Tokyo			$$	Ramen	4.3
Ippudo	Manhattan		Akamaru Modern, Pork Bun	$	Ramen	4.2
Rokurinsha Ramen	Tokyo			$$	Ramen	4.1
Santoka	New Jersey		Pork Cheek	$	Ramen	4
Jinya Ramen Bar	Manhattan			$	Ramen	3.8	*
Ramen Setagaya	Manhattan			$	Ramen	3.8	*
Pho 99	Buffalo		Pork BBQ, Shrimp roll, BBQ Short Ribs	$	Dinner	4.5
TriBeCa Canvas	Manhattan		spicy tuna duo & crispy rice risotto	$$	Dinner	4.2
Nyonya	Manhattan	X		$	Dinner	4
Halal Guys	Manhattan			$	Dinner	4
H K Tea & Sushi	Brooklyn		Baked Rice	$	Dinner	4
Shake Shack	Manhattan		Double Shack Burger	$	Dinner	4
Maple Ave	Mclean		Seared Scallops with Basil ice cream	$$	Dinner	4
Bo Ky Restaurant	Manhattan			$	Dinner	4
Inakaya New York	Manhattan		Kobe Beef Roll	$$	Dinner	4
Balthazar Restaurant	Manhattan		Duck Confit	$$	Dinner	4
Scarpetta	Manhattan		Duck ravioli, spaghetti with tomato and basil, bread basket	$$	Dinner	4
Basta Pasta	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	4
Buddakan	Manhattan		Crying Chocolate	$$	Dinner	4
Gyukaku	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	4
Peking House	Manhattan		Peking Duck	$$	Dinner	4
Elmo's	Buffalo		Honey Mustard Chicken Wing	$$	Dinner	4
Tao	Manhattan		Miso-glazed Chilean seabass and Tuna Tartar with Crispy rice	$$$	Dinner	4
Sakagura	Manhattan			$$$	Dinner	4
Otafuku	Manhattan			$	Dinner	3.8
Congee Village	Manhattan	X	Peking Pork Chop	$	Dinner	3.8
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao	Flushing			$	Dinner	3.8
Umami Burger	Manhattan		Truffle Burger, Fries	$$	Dinner	3.8
DB Bistro Moderne	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8	*
Lombardi	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8
Picnic Garden	Flushing			$$	Dinner	3.8	*
Harth Restaurant	Mclean		BBQ shrimp and grits, Bread Pudding, Scallops, Pork Shoulder, Crab cake	$$	Dinner	3.8
Mercer Kitchen	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8	*
La Sirene	Manhattan		Escargot	$$	Dinner	3.8	*
Colicchio & Sons	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8	*
Zengo	Manhattan			$$$	Dinner	3.8	*
Ninja New York	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8
Cinema Brasserie	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.8
Little Owl	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Minetta Tavern	Manhattan	1	Bone Marrow	$$	Dinner	3.5
Peter Luger	Brooklyn	1		$$$	Dinner	3.5
Go Go Curry	Manhattan			$	Dinner	3.5
Mika	Manhattan		West Roll	$	Dinner	3.5
Kraverie	Jersey City		Kimchi Cheese Fries	$	Dinner	3.5
Teppan Bar & Grill	Jersey City			$$	Dinner	3.5
Kirakuya	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Upi Jaya	Queens			$	Dinner	3.5
Paris Sandwich	Manhattan			$	Dinner	3.5
Big Wong Restaurant	Manhattan			$	Dinner	3.5
Qi Asian Eatery	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Cuba Libre Restaurant	Philadelphia			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
The Palm	Mclean			$$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Room Service	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Mono Mono	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Legal Sea Food	Mclean			$$	Dinner	3.5
Vapiano	Manhattan		Got the wrong order	$$	Dinner	3.5
Grimaldi	Hoboken			$$	Dinner	3.5
Wei West	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Junior's Restaurant	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Inoteca	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Blue Fin	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Landmarc	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Lockwood Restaurant	Chicago			$$	Dinner	3.5
Frontera Grill	Chicago			$$	Dinner	3.5
Spice Market	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5	*
Petite Abeille	Manhattan		Unlimited Mussel	$$	Dinner	3.5
Hatsuhana	Manhattan		Box of Dream	$$$	Dinner	3.5
Capital Grille	Mclean		Porcini Rubbed Delmonico with 12-Year Aged Balsamic	$$	Dinner	3.5
Hill Country Barbecue	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.5
Wolfgang Steakhouse	Manhattan			$$$	Dinner	3.5
Les Halles Park Avenue	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.25	*
Fabio Piccolo Fiore	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.25	*
Skinner's Loft & Cove.	Jersey City		Shoe String Fries	$$	Dinner	3.2	*
Luke Lobster	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3.2
HanGawi	Manhattan	X		$$	Dinner	3	*
Ilili	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3
Edi & The Wolf	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Fig & Olive	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Lupa	Manhattan	X		$$	Dinner	3
Joy Yee's	Chicago			$	Dinner	3
Great NY Noodletown	Manhattan			$	Dinner	3
Xi'an Famous Foods	Flushing			$	Dinner	3
Sushi Samba	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Confucius Asian Bistro	Jersey City			$$	Dinner	3	*
Tartine	Manhattan		Escargot	$$	Dinner	3
Pylos Restaurant	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3
Bianca Restaurant	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Essex	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Macao Trading Co	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Shabu Tatsu	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Sunburnt Calf	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	3	*
Sushi Yasuda	Manhattan			$$$	Dinner	3
DBGB Kitchen & Bar	Manhattan	X		$$	Dinner	2.5
Double Crown	Manhattan			$$	Dinner	2.5
Cha An	Manhattan		Sesame Crème Brule	$$	Dessert	4
Lady M	Manhattan		Green Tea Crepes	$$$	Dessert	4
Takahachi	Manhattan		Green Tea Crepes	$$	Dessert	3.8
Tous Les jours	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3.8
Paris Baquete	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3.8
Laduree	Manhattan		Rose Macaron	$$$	Dessert	3.8
Chicalicious	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3.8
Bosie Tea parlor	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3.5
Ferrera	Manhattan			$	Dessert	3.5
Sprinkles	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3.5
Veniero's	Manhattan			$	Dessert	3
Baked by Melissa	Manhattan			$$	Dessert	3