New York City is home to some of the hottest restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in the country. But what's really delicious and deserving of your hard-earned dollars is another story. While on my most recent trip to NYC, I stopped by these much-talked-about places to learn what's really worth waiting in line for and subjecting your tastebuds to.
Ivan Ramen may have the best broth, ramen, and egg that I've ever encountered in my life. Salty, rich, piping hot broth starts the party right. The buckwheat noodles are cooked to perfection while retaining the ideal chew. And the egg white is cooked through while leaving the yolk nice and runny. I could do without the tomato and salad portions, but it's not enough to dissuade me from visiting this slurp shop again and again.
1 / 6
Skip: Dominique Ansel Bakery
Image Source: Anna Monette Roberts
We normally rave about Dominique Ansel and his bakery, but the last visit to was so dissatisfactory, I wrote a whole piece about it. All of Dominique's classic pastries delivered, but his most notable ones: the Cronut, lobster tail, and Cookie Shot failed to impress. My guess is the bakery is exhausted from the 1 1/2 years of fame and is lacking a hands-on leader to control the quality.
After years of being a David Chang fangirl, I've tried Ko and the Milk Bar, but I've never visited Momofuku Noodle Bar. I expected my ramen experience to be otherwordly, but it honestly fell flat. The broth itself was only slightly warmer than room temperature. The noodles had a slimy coating and a gritty texture. And the egg was basically raw, since the broth wasn't warm enough to fully cook the whites. My near-full bowl signified the sorry letdown. However, the mushroom buns (veggie version of the pork buns) may be worth a visit. The mushrooms are the closest thing to a vegetarian bacon that I've ever tasted. The sweet umami flavor, slightly crunchy exterior, and fatty chewiness make them a killer app I'd order doubles of.
3 / 6
Try: MatchaBar
Image Source: Anna Monette Roberts
I have a serious love for matcha, so when I heard about the recently opened MatchaBar, I had to see what it was all about. The brew bar specializes in the bright Japanese green tea, offering a wide selection of frothy, foamy drinks. In addition, all the food, including pastries, sandwiches, and salads, contains some form of matcha. I loved everything I ordered, from canelés to the matcha lattes, plus the space has an inviting green interior design that's difficult to leave.
Presstea is home to the ramenritto, a burrito stuffed with ramen and Asian fixings. Though it was not a busy time at the store, the ramenritto took a full 30 minutes to make. The burrito is the size of a newborn and almost impossible to eat without it falling apart. The lettuce, cheese, and Asian salsa didn't mesh well with the noodles and oozy egg. In fact, I found myself spooning out the room temperature noodles and avoiding the fixings and tortilla all together. I think I'm better off just making a homemade ramenritto than returning to this spot.
Danny Bowien, inspired by the amazing burrito places in the Mission district of San Francisco, decided to open up Mission Cantina in New York City last Fall. There's obvious, hipster flare to the Mexican food that runs in the same vein as his other restaurant: Mission Chinese Food. The burrito itself is good and tastes almost identical to what you'll find in San Francisco, but there's one caveat: burritos can only be ordered to go, even if it's 40 degrees outside and raining and the restaurant is half empty. That's a major womp-womp in my book.
