I came here a few times with my cousin when we are craving ramen...mainly because of the convenient location and the Milk Bar.
The service is mediocre and the food is good but definitely not worth the price. On this particular occasion we ordered:
- Pork Buns ($10 for 2): there was plenty of meat and the buns were super soft and fluffy but I found it a bit bland. And at $5/each there are many better options (think: Banh Mi Boys)
- Inari (raw beef with rice in a tofu-like pocket - $6): the beef was great but overall this dish was unappealing to me, likely because of the rice in it which was dry. Also, there is only one bite-sized pocket in a order so it is difficult to share and not worth it to order.
- Chicken ramen: we decided to stray away from the usual pork ramen and tried the chicken. I was pleasantly surprised...the noodles were cooked perfectly, the chicken was very tender and the the toppings paired well. The broth was surprisingly not as salty as their pork ramen so that was a plus.
- Ginger scallion noodles: this is a cold noodle dish with no broth and pickled veggies. I usually like this dish as it's a great alternative to the noodle soups. However, my noodles today were over-dressed..there was a pool of oil at the bottom so I was unable to finish it.
I do enjoy the atmosphere/venue - simple, modern and delicious treats within reach (Milk Bar). It can get a bit noisy and the tables here are communal so it will be difficult to have a private conversation.
If you are willing to forego the Shangri-la charm and travel a little more north, then there are many other more worthwhile, authentic ramen joints.