A QUIZ from the book guys like girls who ...

hi guys... take this quiz and tell me how much did u get and i will tell you your results.... k? this is for all gender so it would not be a problem.

... START!

1. Which of these activities best describes what you do when you hang out with friends?

a. make sure everyone has something to eat, and someone to talk to.
b. have a great one-one conversations with few of your friends.
c. entertain the group with your latest crazy story,

2. To unwind after an hectic day of exams at school, you would choose to:

a. be active by taking a jog or exercising after being stuck in a desk all day.
b. watch the movie or TV episode you have to TiVo while studying.
c. be creative - write your journal, snap some cool pictures, or rearrange your bedroom.

3. If your "good skills" had to fit into one of these categories, which would it be?

a. Physical (like pogo stick or bow-hunting skills)
b. intelligence (like computer-hacking skills)
c. creative (like drawing ligers and stuff.)

ADD IT UP NOW!

A = 3     B = 2    C = 1

cr: CHAD EASTHAM (guys like girls who... Book.)

 

 

Hide-chan Ramen ...

- umi

 

Hide-Chan Ramen
248 East 52nd St
New York, NY 10022

So, this girl loves her seafood, but at heart, I’m a porker. Seriously. Two weeks ago when Grub Street reported on a Hakata ramen place opening up where Torys used to be, I made a bee-line. We got in around 7-8pm and waited 5 minutes for a table to clear up. The service was fast and nice and we waited to get our bowls of ramen with drafts of Sapporo. (They also have bottles of Kirin) 5 minutes after our ramen order, we saw two plates of gyoza go by and it smelled amazing. We flagged a waitress down and ordered a plate when she told us there is a 10 minute or so lag for these gyozas (where I knew I made the right decision) and that they might come after our noodles. Uh, dude… does this face look like a face that cares?

Listen. Get the gyoza. It was pretty incredible. I think it beats gyoza you can find anywhere else. The meat is flavored, the dumpling layers are thin and silky and charred on one side, and the sauce they give you doesn’t overpower the dumpling, it isn’t too tart. They even give you some yuzu koshou (pepper) to give it a little bite. For only $5, it’s a winner. Order 2 plates, even.

Other things I saw on the menu were pork buns and mentaiko (salted roe) on rice, both of which we didn’t try. Next time. The ramen menu, of course, is fully rounded with their tonkotsu hakata men, and then variations of extra pork, spicy, and roasted garlic. They also had different “men” or noodles, which are thicker. Finally, they also have tsuke-men hot or cold like in the fashion of Setagaya. The choices aren’t nearly as extensive as Menkuitei (who is all over the map – with no specialty, really) but large enough for all but they all retain a certain Hakata character. Really well done. I forgot to mention, they also have a miso and shoyu (soy sauce) option.

I ordered the Tonkotsu ramen with roasted black garlic called, Kuro Ramen (Black Ramen) and Ryan got the Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen with their special rayu sauced called, Kara Ramen (Spicy Ramen). I will say that the Kuro Ramen comes with a huge lump of roasted garlic on the side and the broth of the regular Tonkotsu ramen before mixing was amazing. The roasted garlic added a real smoky burnt flavor that was amazing on the noodles. However, fell short of the “I want to drink every last drop,” measure of broths. By the end the garlic broth tasted too burnt and not enough garlicky. Ryan claimed that he recognized the paste as something Ippudo puts in their broth in small amounts. However, I was sneaking spoonfuls of Ryan’s Spicy Ramen broth, which was pretty damn spicy in the first spoonful, but managed to not get overwhelming as time went on. Finally, the pork belly that comes with the ramen doesn’t quite beat Ippudo, but is fatty, soft and tender. I think the kind that came with our bowl is different then the soy sauce marinated with brown sugar pork that is featured in some of the other concoctions in their menu… which I would be interested in trying.

Having tried the hot ramens, Ryan is a tsukemen kinda guy, so he’s going to have that. I might stick to the regular tonkotsu ramen or spicy ramen. Although what was REALLY killer was couple of spoonfuls of my garlic broth in the spicy ramen. Amazing. Over all, the ramen’s satisfied both of us and was more than enough in terms of portions. It was generous, but not too much and the price point of $10 is much better than Ippudo. Ippudo still has a special place in my heart, but this place definitely usurped Setagaya (where I would still go in a pinch). The feel is similar to Totto (yakitori – still haven’t tried Ramen Totto – not really a chicken broth kinda gal), which is understandable because they are sibling restaurants. I guess Ramen Totto’s porkier half.

On our way in, we bumped into an acquaintance of ours from the concert scene and he apparently comes here all the time. He loves the tonkotsu ramen. Also, right when we were leaving there were couple of Japanese people that came in (most of the other customers were Japanese of the young punk fashion type of crowd) exclaimed, “UMAI!” in his first slurp of noodles. So, definitely check this place out.

TOTTO RAMEN: Chicken Paitan Ramen

Being a person who loves eating Japanese food, naturally this place would catch my eye – Totto Ramen. The owner who opened Yakitori Totto and Soba Totto has recently opened this ramen restaurant. Who can resist the urge to cash in on the latest craze? The Japanese comfort food, ramen, has infiltrated Manhattan and caught the eyes and stomachs of many.

So, how does Totto Ramen stack up against restaurants like Ippudo and Ramen Setagaya? I was very interested in finding out. After several attempts to gather people to eat with me, I finally get a group of 4 to come with me. It turns out that this restaurant is better equipped for smaller parties and one cannot make reservations. That’s right – you write your name and party size on a clipboard and wait your turn.
After waiting 45 minutes for a table, we happily sat down by the counter. Its huge line is probably attributed to its size. Totto Ramen can probably fit around 25 people in its space. It is comprised of a counter and a few tables in the back. Yes, a typical Japanese sized restaurant indeed. We started off with the Chashu Mayo Don.

This is comprised of  broiled pork with yuzu mayonnaise on a rice. Pretty good, though I didn’t find the pork to be particularly memorable. At the same time, it’s broiled pork so it can’t be bad, right?

I got the Chicken Paitan Ramen, which its soup base is comprised of a whole chicken and premium soy sauce. It is topped with scallion, onion, char siu pork, and a nori (seaweed). Delicious? Oh yes. I would say it is the perfect ramen for the winter, and even the summer. The soup was very flavorful, not too oily and had the proper amount of saltiness to it. Noodles cooked just right, and the char siu was not too fatty and nicely suited the broth. The minced onions added to the ramen’s texture by giving it a little more of a bite. All in all, two thumbs up!

Their spicy bamboo shoots provide quite a spicy bite. As seen above, it looks pretty much covered in some sort of hot paste, perhaps similar to something that Koreans use, so that it has a kick.
I have to say, it’s probably the first Japanese restaurant that actually serves spicy food. Its menu features a spicy ramen with several hot peppers symbolizing how spicy it actually is. None of us got this ramen though I am interested in tasting it.

I didn’t order Spicy Totto Ramen, but figured some of you might like to see it anyway!
If you’re in the area and craving ramen, or even not in the area and craving ramen, this is a place to try to hit up. Be aware of its small spaces and seating restrictions. Otherwise, a good value and highly recommend their Chicken Paitan Ramen. I am still a fan of Ippudo because of the other ramens, but this is certainly a close second.

blogged by:   TERRY CHEN


Totto Ramen
366 W.52nd St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-0052
http://tottoramen.com
Menu

RAMEN GLOSSARY!!

assari – literally “light/simple”. A classification for ramen characterized by a lighter, clearer, and less oily soup.

beni shōga – literally “red ginger”. Often used as a topping in tonkotsu ramen as well as many other Japanese dishes.

bonito – type of fish commonly used in making dashi. The fish is usually fermented and smoked.

chahan – fried rice.

chashu – simmered pork served as a ramen topping. Chashu is also sometimes offered as a cold side dish and garnished with green onions.

chuuka soba – literally “chinese soba”. This term is often used interchangeably with ramen, but sometimes chuuka soba refers to a slightly different type of noodles which are more yellow and lower in fat than regular ramen.

dashi – soup stock, commonly made with dried bonito flakes and kombu among other ingredients.

gyoza – Japanese version of Chinese dumplings, made with ingredients such as pork, garlic, and cabbage. Gyoza are pan-friend, and served with a dipping sauce of soy sauce and vinegar.

hakata ramen – one of the most popular types of ramen in Japan, characterized by a rich, milky tonkotsu broth and hard, thin noodles.

hanjuku egg – marinated “half-boiled” egg commonly served with ramen.

kaedama – extra serving of noodles. Kaedama is only available at some ramenyas, and gives you an extra serving of noodles only. Make sure you save some soup!

kamaboko – processed “cake” of pureed white fish. Also see naruto.

kansui – a type of mineral water used in making ramen noodles. The purity and content of kansui is closely regulated in Japan. Kansui gives ramen noodles its distinct taste and texture and gives it a slight yellowish color.

kayaku – seasoning packet found in instant and cup/bowl ramen that flavors the soup. Some instant ramen also include a packet of oil to further enhance the soup flavors.

kikurage – “black wood ear” mushrooms

kombu – wide, large type of sun-dried seaweed used for sushi and dashi.

kotteri – literally “rich/thick”. A classification for ramen characterized by a heavier, more oily soup.

kurobuta – literally “black pig”. Kurobuta pork is the “kobe beef” of the pork world, prized for its rich flavor and tender texture due to its marbling and fat content.

menma – seasoned, dried bamboo shoots, used as a topping in ramen. See shinachiku.

miso ramen – ramen made with a miso (soybean paste) flavored soup base.

moyashi – bean sprouts.

nama ramen – “raw ramen” is a type of packaged ramen that consists of fresh, uncooked noodles and packet(s) of seasoning/soup base. Nama ramen is usually refrigerated and meant to be eaten within a short period of time.

naruto – Japanese fish cake characterized by a pink or red swirl in the middle. (Ok, it’s also the title character of a very popular Japanese comic book/cartoon who’s obsessed with ramen.)
negi – a type of Japanese green onions used as a ramen topping.

ninniku – garlic

nori – seaweed

ramen – that which you crave!

ramenya – “ramen shop” or “ramen house”. “-ya” is a Japanese suffix indicating a store that sells a particular item.

ramyun – Korean version of ramen, often spicy, with curly, slightly wider noodles than its Japanese kin.

shina soba – “Chinese noodles.” Another term for ramen, similar to chuuka soba.

shinachiku – seasoned, dried bamboo shoots. See menma.

shio ramen – ramen made with a salt flavored soup base. Shio ramen broth has a clear, light color.

shoyu ramen – ramen with soy sauce flavored soup base. Shoyu broth is clear and dark.

soba – Japanese noodles made from buckwheat, usually served cold with a seperate dipping sauce or in a hot broth. Soba is not ramen and both the noodles and soup taste very differently than ramen noodles and soup.

tantanmen – Japanese version of a spicy Chinese (Sichuan to be exact) chili noodle dish that typically contains minced pork and scallions.

tonkotsu ramen – ramen with a soup base made from pork bone. Tonkotsu broth is characterized by a milky, tan color, and usually has a more oily, richer, and thicker taste than other types of ramen.
 
tonkotsu-shio – hybrid ramen made with a combination of tonkotsu and shio (salt) soup base.

tonkotsu-shoyu – hybrid ramen made with a combination of tonkotsu and shoyu (soy sauce) soup base.

tsukemen – a type of ramen with the soup and noodles served seperately. The noodles are meant to be dipped into the soup, then slurped.

umami – the “fifth taste” best described as savoriness or meatiness. Umami is especially noticeable in protein rich foods such as meat, mushrooms, seaweed, and yes, MSG.

wakame – type of thin, stringy seaweed used as a ramen topping.

wonton – type of Chinese dumpling, usually filled with pork or shrimp, minced onions and seasoning, and boiled

wontonmen – ramen with wontons.

yaki-nori – grilled nori (seaweed).

itomen banshu ramen ....

The lovely and gourmet-looking packaging lured me in. Wow! Deluxe noodles, exquisite shoyu…even the salt is special! How could I possibly pass this up! There’re special ingredients galore: large chunks of lightly grilled onions, miniature shrimp (yes! shrimp!), shiitake mushrooms! Visions of instant ramen nirvana floated through my head…

 I slowly poured the boiling water in excitement, being extra careful to fill the bowl exactly to the indented waterline. I impatiently counted out exactly 180 seconds (3 minutes for those of you patient enough to count in minutes, not seconds)…
(yes, I’m actually going to make you click on “more” to read the rest of this review, because that’s the kind of person I am!)

I slowly lifted the lid in eager anticipation…hmm…take a closer look at the thin curly noodles? Do they look familiar? Well if you’ve ever had Chinese instant noodles, they should, because this is what it tasted like:

Not that there’s anything wrong with Tung-i instant noodles (which happens to be one of the mainstays of my instant noodle diet) but come on! These are supposed to be fancy noodles! They shouldn’t have the exact taste and texture of 3-for-a-dollar instant noodles!
Did the soup save it, the fancy soup with the fancy shoyu and the fancy salt? Sorry. It’s just so-so shoyu with nothing more to it. The few bites of shrimp add some flavor to it, and the sight of the slightly carmelized onions was nice, but in the end, cool, exotic ingredients just couldn’t save this mediocre ramen. It gets a 6 (+1 for effort) overall.