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| - TL:DR version
-Ramen is good, but expect a surprising fusion of flavors there. Maybe some prep issues that will sort out over time.
-Small bites were the highlight: shrimp quesadilla, Tom Yum soup, gyoza.
-Beer selection is excellent: they have local stuff (Jackie O's IPA was great), as well as Hitachino Nest (notoriously hard to find, get it while it lasts)
-Cocktails are great too: 17th parallel is light, refreshing, and a really well-executed drink.
All I can hope is that they keep doing what they're doing, and keep things fresh and interesting here in University Circle.
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Having only been open for a few days now, my girlfriend and I figured we'd stop by Ninja City for some late night eats and drinks. Right when you walk in, the place is clean, attractively furnished, and pleasant to be in. The front window opens wide, bringing a nice breeze into the place, perfect to cool off the sweat you might work up trying one of the fusion ramen noodles they have. The staff is pleasant, attentive, and eager to make a good impression (exactly what you would expect from a brand new place).
On the ramen: it's obviously not your instant, deep-fried Cup-Top-Nissen stuff. But then again, neither is it a hyper-traditional Japanese ramen. The Tonkotsu ramen uses a wheat noodle (maybe less familiar to some than the more elastick-ey egg noodle), and combines a cured pork belly (reminiscent of a Canadian bacon) with Korean kimchi (spicy pickled lettuce, think fiery sauerkraut). The result is something that is good to eat, but also a new experience even for seasoned ramen aficionados. The one comment I have is that the noodles had a bit too much of a flour/dough flavor, and tended to take away slightly from the rest of the dish. Hopefully that is just an issue with preparation that will be ironed out over time.
What really moved me to give this place five stars were: 1) the little bites, 2) the beer selections, and 3) the cocktails. Each of the little bites we ordered were prepared perfectly, even for such small portions. The gyoza were crispy and full-flavored, without the thick dumpling skin that usually plagues most Asian-fusion restaurants. The edamame was salted just right, and cooked just on the right side of light preparation. The Tom Yum was the biggest surprise, as despite the slightly unappetizing appearance (black bowls are maybe not the best presentation for a clear soup), had an intense, spicy, sour flavor that worked perfectly with the fresh Thai basil and sliced white mushrooms. The shrimp quesadilla was an irreverent combination of a fried shrimp tortilla with a delicious sweet salsa/aioli dipping sauce.
The beer selection was thoughtfully done, with a nice variety of tall boys, local crafts (I mean unique beers actually from Ohio, not the usual Great Lakes that you can find nearly anywhere in the country), and three Hitachino Nest beers from Japan to complete the Asian feel. Hitachino White and Red are excellent examples of wheat and amber ales, respectively, and are typically quite hard to find, so kudos to Ninja City for getting the sourcing right.
The craft cocktails seem well put together as well. The "17th parallel" is a crisp, refreshing cucumber drink perfect as an apertif or to start the night. The other options were getting rave reviews from the others sitting by us, but I had indulged too much in the beer and food, so that's as far as we went. All I can say is, the wedding party that insisted on vodka on the rocks, jack and coke, and Jameson shots probably missed out on a major part of what makes Ninja City great.
All in all, this is a great addition to the University Circle area, a real Asian-fusion place that will get you great eats, beer, and cocktails, so long as you go in with an open mind ready to try something new.
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