Chron Critiques: Kyuramen x TBAAR
Zoe Casselman / The Hofstra Chronicle
In April 2023, famous ramen spot Kyuramen x TBAAR opened in Garden City, hosting a secluded sit-down restaurant on one side of the building and a take-out drink cafe on the other.
My first time coming to Kyuramen, I accidentally entered through the TBAAR cafe side, but the employees at the counter easily led me and my party to the restaurant section through their connected hallway.
The seating is unique in the sense that each booth is isolated from one another, and the only other people you will see while dining is whoever you are with and the waitstaff.
Additionally, the waitstaff will lead you to your table, give you the menus and then instruct you to use a “help button” to call them over once you are ready to order rather than just waiting for them to swing by and ask, which I really enjoyed. The way Kyuramen is set up makes the dining experience feel much more intimate and undisturbed than your typical restaurant.
Additionally, service was very quick. It felt like only minutes after we ordered that the food was brought to the table.
The menu is expansive, with a multitude of drinks, omurice, appetizers and small snacks in addition to the extensive ramen selection. For our first appetizer, I got the steamed pork bao buns.
The bread was thick, soft and creamy yet still did not overpower the other ingredients. The meat itself was tender and practically dissolved in my mouth. With the addition of a piece of fresh, crisp lettuce and secret sauce, the buns were extremely delicious and packed with flavor.
For our second appetizer, I ordered the takoyaki, which was immaculately soft and chewy. The batter was thick and slightly sweet, and the octopus inside was flavorful without being too much.
Surprisingly, after those starters I was not yet full and excited for the main attraction: a bowl of piping hot ramen. It did not disappoint. I got the Japanese curry ramen, and my partner got the classic Tokyo Tonkotsu Shouyu ramen.
The curry ramen came with diced chashu (pork belly), shredded silgochu (hot pepper), half of a marinated egg, bamboo shoots, scallions and a piece of crunchy seaweed. You can ask for the ramen to come without any of the items included, or even extra for a slight additional cost.
The broth was perfectly spicy, smooth and immensely flavorful. I enjoyed it so much that after I devoured all of the noodles and toppings, I lifted the bowl to my mouth and drank it straight from the side. The noodles were flawlessly cooked, remaining thick and chewy without being too hard or soft. With all of the toppings, my bowl of ramen was spicy, succulent and absolutely divine.
As for the tonkotsu, you have the choice of it being made with either white or black garlic, and we opted for the white garlic which added so much depth to the flavor. The noodles were equally marvelous, and the tonkotsu pork broth was thick, creamy and delightful.
Despite the amount I ordered, the bill remained relatively affordable. It wasn’t cheap by any means, but in no way were the prices outrageous. Kyuramen also has combo meals, one containing an appetizer, drink and bowl of ramen for $24.99, and the other adding a dessert for $27.99. Individual items won’t break the bank either, the cheapest ramen being just over $16.
Also, when presented with the bill, unless you have cash, you pay at the table through the waiter’s hand-held machine, which is nice since there’s no waiting for your card to come back to you – after you swipe you’re good to go.
Overall, the environment, food and prices make Kyuramen a great restaurant for a night out when you want something nice but don’t want to spend your life savings. I would wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try, since I myself will definitely be going back!
