When the rippling heat transforms into brisk breezes, I can handle ramen for dinner once again. The steam wafting in my face, opening up my pores, the warm broth toasting my tastebuds. Ramen joints seem to be proliferating these days; there are lots of options around the city to get your fill. And the price points and quality vary with each.
Hide-Chan Ramen in Midtown East exists where another Japanese spot,
Yakitori Torys, once was on 52nd Street close to 2nd Avenue. Hide-Chan was opened by the same owner as Torys and of the Totto family of restaurants (
Totto Ramen is another new-ish ramen place on the West side). But Hide-Chan is a bit out of the way, perhaps a better stop for East side business lunches.
I tried the Hakata Char Siu Ramen, served with extra sliced pork marinated with soy sauce and brown sugar. The broth was creamy and salty, but the pork had thicker strips of fat than meat and the scallions overpowered the bowl when it was all mixed together.
My dining companion, not letting summer go, tried the Hiyashi Tsuke-Men cold noodle with cold soba broth and spicy sesame oil.
We also shared a small, bland dish of gyoza.
You'll be able to get in to Hide-Chan without a wait and leave feeling like you had enough to eat even though the bowls are only about $10. But for a more satisfying bowl of ramen, I'd head to
Ippudo or
Menchanko Tei instead.
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