Totto Ramen

Totto Ramen opened less than a week ago, and apparently it already has an Ippudo-length wait time for seats. Luckily, it was fairly empty when we got there at 6 PM on Monday; by 6:30 though, the place was completely full with a line outside.

The shop is a few steps below street level. There are only 16 seats total, at the bar or one of the (few) small tables.

One of the perks of sitting at the bar is watching your ramen come together – a wondrous sight. How can you fail to be entertained by someone using a blowtorch on a tray of unassuming pork slices?

Totto Chicken Ramen: chicken based broth with sliced pork ($9.25). I really liked the chicken broth; compared to pork based broth, it seemed lighter – though still flavorful – and wasn’t as salty after it cooled down.

The noodles complimented the broth, but they weren’t particularly memorable. At Ramen Setagaya, I usually order the tsuke-men (the noodles and broth are separated) just because the noodles are so chewy and delicious; Totto Ramen’s forte is definitely the chicken broth.

As of now, Totto Ramen is only open for dinner and none of the side/rice dishes are available yet. Still, it’s a worthy addition to Manhattan’s ever-growing ramen scene.

Totto Ramen
366 West 52nd Street (between 8th and 9th Aves.)
New York, NY 10019

Spring Street Natural

Spring Street Natural is reliable casual dining in Soho. The food won’t blow your mind, but there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, seating is plentiful, and prices are reasonable. I was wary that “natural” in the restaurant’s name stood for macrobiotic dining, but it actually means they aim to serve foods that are “minimally processed” — huzzah for organic carbs.

The grilled vegetable sandwich was indeed chock-full of veggies: grilled portobello mushroom, grilled zucchini, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, and sun-dried tomato pesto.

The grilled free range chicken sandwich was more bread than chicken, but still satisfying. Next time I’m in Soho, I might stop by for lunch again to try their chicken burger.

Spring Street Natural
62 Spring Street (corner of Lafayette)
New York, NY 10012