I didn't want to give up completely so we went around to another ramen place in the East Village. Pics included below.
So then it's my last day and I made an effort to beat the ridiculous wait. Even if it meant having dinner at 4.45pm and not feeling hungry.
I still had to wait 25 mins for a table and parties had to wait for "an hour and a bit". The restaurant is noisy and dark like a nightclub. The hosts are young and beautiful, like a nightclub.
Finally my name was called and an attractive Japanese girl took me to my seat.
As we strode in, I realize the yelling I heard earlier was the hostess's shrilly Japanese announcement that a new guest has arrived and a welcome was echoed by other staff. Traditional Japanese etiquette or jubilation that another paying customer has entered?
Nonetheless with all the hub-bub you can't help feeling like a hero.
The food is not cheap (the classic tonkotsu ramen is $15, plus tax and tip it was $20) but with the hype, I'm expecting it to be spectacular.
The girls sitting next to me at the communal table asked strangers to take photos of them with their ramen.
My ramen looked similar to its Sydney counterpart from Ichi Ban Boshi but smaller. Same thick collagen soup and straight noodles. Taste of the soup is rich and deep. The broth has obviously been simmered for a day. The noodles were a tad too soft for my liking but atleast its not heavy as the previous night's sampling. Overall the quality is extremely good and authentic. I emptied the bowl!
Is it better than Ichi Ban Boshi? In my opinion quality-wise they are on par. But you don't need to pay through the nose in Sydney and compete with the circus of hipsters trying to get in.
By the time I left, it was 5.15pm and the reception was rammed with people. I was glad to get out of there and mark the mission as complete.
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Care to pass a balloon? :)