The ramen shop called Jin opened up just below 125th Street at Broadway this year and has generally been receiving good reviews so we decided to check it out. Modest ramen restaurants are standard in Japan and now populate many of downtown's trendier neighborhoods as of the past few years. Jin has the distinction of being Harlem's first ramen-ya. Don't confuse this eatery's offerings with the instant kind one finds at the grocers since the noodles are hand-made and everything else is overseen by a chef on site. Tonkotsu pork broth is the most popular choice at ramen shops in the city and Jin provides a good execution along with tender cha siu slices of pork that accompany the dish.
The service is also very efficient here which is a plus since lines have been known to form outside during the weekends. As far as the decor goes, the interior has some interesting elements to it but also tends to be inconsistent in some areas. Overall, this is a good addition to the neighborhood and proves that restaurants that fill a void uptown can be successful if all the key pieces are in place.
Jin is awesome! So excited to have such a wonderful ramen option in the neighborhood. I'm a huge fan of ippudo and momofuku, and while this one is different, it's on par with the best in the city. My favorite is the miso. Add extra cha siu, bamboo shoots, and sesame oil and it's absolutely delicious! We eat here at least once a week. Now if they would only start delivering!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Jin! Went twice in one day a few weeks ago. :)
ReplyDeleteTonkotsu is the best on the menu and the servers are awesome.
Agree with above. I live on frederick douglass blvd and go out of my way just to pick up from here. It's been very crowded the last few times, the most recently just yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHow about a branch on FDB?