It was a dark and rainy night, and Steve and I were in the mood for some serious comfort food. We ended up at NR on the Upper East Side. NR is the sister restaurant to ROKC, where I had been before with Ana. ROKC—short for Ramen, Oysters, Kitchen & Cocktails—is located in Harlem. It quickly became a go-to for its incredible ramen and standout cocktails, so my expectations for NR were sky high. NR has the same speakeasy vibe as ROKC but feels a bit more upscale. It’s still dark and cozy, with the cocktail bar as the natural center of gravity in the room, but the space is spacier, the ceilings higher, and the menu a bit more expansive.
We ordered the soupless ramen with wagyu and bone marrow. It was a rich, umami bomb where you scoop the marrow from the bone yourself and mix it into the noodles. Delicious, but heavy. The menu mentioned sudachi (a Japanese citrus fruit) and lemon salt, but the citrus notes got lost in the richness of everything else, which was a shame.
We also tried the Kyoto Ramen, made with a fish and chicken broth. Steve was skeptical about the fish base, but one bite in, he was all in. The broth had depth and balance, and each and every ingredient, from the egg to the chashu is just pure perfection. The Kyoto Ramen at NR is easily one of the best bowls of ramen you’ll find in New York.
NR, 339 E 75th St, New York, NY 10021
