Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
Ramen Hood on paper has not been the most exciting pop-up business inside the ever-changing and experimental Chef’s Club Counter. Vegan ramen sounds healthful and not terribly groundbreaking.
I’ve actually tried ramen soups without meat products (thanks to umami-laden vegan ingredients like mushrooms and seaweed) and they’ve been good. So what could Ramen Hood offer that was so different?
This Los Angeles based restaurant made quite a splash on my recent casual visit. I did try one of the ramens, which was flavorful and interesting. I wasn’t quite sure about the vegan egg which is made with agar, soy milk, and nutritional yeast. But I did like the unique and complex sunflower seed broth and the King mushrooms that emulated pork belly.
But it was a last-minute add-in that made me realize how good this place really is.
One dish that is often found at trendy Japanese hot spots is some sort of crispy ahi tuna tartare. How could they possibly turn that vegan?
Well the ahi tuna crisps in this case are made from beets that are chopped up fine and marinated with the right flavors to mimic ahi tuna. They’re beautifully placed in crunchy rice cups and I would truly never know the difference between this and the real thing.
I’ve been to quite a few of the pop-ups at this space, but it was this all-vegan spot that hand’s down had the most innovative and exciting food. Sorry, meat eaters, but the vegans have you beat lately. $6
| RAMEN HOOD AT CHEF’S COUNTER CLUB |
| 62 Spring Street (at Lafayette Street), Soho |
| chefsclubcounter.com |
