As the weather has slowly started to get a bit chilly, it’s finally officially ramen season. I say officially because, of course, ramen is in season all year long.
It’s sort of funny that now that the weather has cooled and I finally found my way to the Chelsea favorite Jun-Men, I ordered a noodle bowl without soup. Just can’t resist when a menu lists two prominent ingredients: mushroom and uni. Broth or not.
This beautiful bowl of dry ramen features springy noodles topped with all the possible earthy umami flavors in house.
You’d be forgiven if you confuse this ramen dish with an Italian carbonara. The sauce is a rich porcini butter that is enhanced by salty pancetta bites, crunchy fried shallots, tangy scallions, and a generous shaving of parmesan cheese.
Of course, the cherry on top is a nice mound of bright uni. The sea urchin is not the most luxurious I’ve ever tasted, but at $24 for this dish, it has a good amount of ocean flavor and a very pleasant richness. It’s quite a steal.
So regardless of the weather, it’s worth coming to Chelsea to try this luscious and ultra-rich ramen dish that sits in the amazing line between Italian and Japanese cuisine. Price: $24
| JUN-MEN RAMEN |
| 249 Ninth Avenue (between West 25th and West 26th Street), Chelsea (646) 852-6787 |
| junmenramen.com |
