Ippudo 5th Avenue

Published May 21, 2024

After visiting the AKC Museum of the Dog, we searched for a nearby ramen restaurant for an early dinner.

 

Going by proximity to our location, the restaurants that were serving dinner at this time, and the amount of reviews, we took a five minute walk to Ippudo 5th Avenue.

We stopped in the foyer diagonal to the bar, which had a tray of wrapped onigiri and plants threaded throughout the top shelf. A bar-height counter wrapped down the front room for guests stopping in for a drink and a quick bite to eat. One guy leaned on the counter eating a bowl of noodles.

We were led back into the dining room, which had wide gray stone floors, light walls, and wooden tables and chairs with bright red legs. Warm lights and minimalist decorations made the space feel spacious. The feature piece was the right-hand wall, which looked to be wooden squares stuck together to make a tile pattern up to the ceiling. Some areas had black stamps and swirly wood patterns.

Ippudo Menu

We scanned the QR code on our table and went through the menu. I was surprised to see that Ippudo offered liquor, including bottles of sake, beer, Japanese spirits, and cocktails. They also had kombucha, mocktails, and coffee.

Their food options were organized into sections: Ramen, vegetarian ramen, ramen toppings, appetizers (signature buns), starters, rice bowls, and dessert.

Drinks

Jasmine Yuzu Mocktail | $13.00

My boyfriend orders the best drinks, so I let him pick which mocktail to try. The jasmine yuzu mocktail was jasmine tea, yuzu syrup, chia seed, and mint leaf.

I would order this drink again (without the chia seeds). It was refreshing and I enjoyed the fresh mint.

Appetizers

Pork and Chicken Buns | $6.00 each

My boyfriend selected the chicken bun and I ordered the pork bun.

The chicken bun had pickles, tartar sauce, and lettuce, which was a flavor combination I hadn’t had before on the steamed bun. The crispy coating was the best element and I thought it was a decent portion for one of these buns.

My pork bun was more classic — similar to the Bao Buns we’ve had at Thai Corner Bistro. My pork bun had mayo and what Ippudo’s called their “original spicy sauce.” Luckily, I didn’t think the sauce was spicy.

Takoyaki | $14.00

Takoyaki are octopus wrapped in a batter and moulded into balls. It is topped with bonito powder, seaweed flakes, takoyaki sauce and a homemade sauce from Ippudo’s menu. We selected the mentaiko mayo for our dipping sauce, which was Japanese mayo with seasoned cod caviar. 

Ippudo’s takoyaki were the best I ever had. The octopus chunks were tender and the batter was crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The toppings and sauces added additional texture, while the mentaiko mayo added a slight salty flavor with the pops of caviar.

I loved the presentation of this appetizer with its broken-looking bowl. Ippudo’s timing and presentation for their appetizers was perfect. Our appetizers were piping hot and slightly staggered in their delivery.

Teriyaki Spare Ribs | $18.00

Luckily, there was a break in between our buns and takoyaki and the spare ribs. The spare ribs were made to order and they said it’d be at least 20 minutes. We were in no rush, so we didn’t mind waiting. Plus, it gave us time to enjoy our other appetizers.

The spare ribs arrived in a yellow ceramic dish. There was one spare rib for each of us butterflied on the bone with a side of sweet mini pickles. I was impressed with the size of the spare ribs, and was glad that there was meat on either side of the bone.

The spare ribs were my favorite and had unbelievable flavor — sweet BBQ sauce, buttery fat, and charred smokiness from the grill. The pickles were a surprisingly pleasant addition to have with the spare ribs. They acted almost as a palate cleanser.

Entrees

By the time we finished our appetizers, the couple next to us — literally one of the few other tables who arrived at the same time we did — finished their ramen and paid. More tables of four and six arrived and took the seats closer to the foyer. The restaurant lights dimmed more and more as the tables filled for dinner.

Miso Ramen | $23.00

My boyfriend ordered the miso ramen, which was a blended miso broth with fried onion chips, ginger, seasoned bamboo shoots, scallions , corn, diced red onions, slow cooked pork belly chashu, and Tokyo-style thick wavy noodles. He also added a seasoned, soft boiled egg.

You can’t tell from the photo but these ramen bowls were wide on the top and tapered on the bottom, making for a large portion of broth and noodles. My boyfriend nearly finished his ramen and he enjoyed the texture of the noodles and the miso flavor the most.

Akamaru Shinaji Ramen | $21.00

The garlic oil ultimately sold me on this ramen. The Akamaru Shinaji Ramen had a pork tonkotsu broth, Hakata thin noodles, pork belly chashu, scallions, bamboo shoots, garlic oil, and was topped with Ippudo's “Umami ” paste. I also added a seasoned soft boiled egg.

The combination of garlic oil and tonkotsu broth was divine. The thin noodles and the soft-boiled egg were my favorite.

The umami paste was spicier than I expected. Luckily, I didn’t mix it throughout my entire bowl, and only got that spicy flavor closer to the bottom of my bowl. It wasn’t unbearably spicy for me, but it was enough to make my face and ears red and to have sniffles. Next time, I would order this ramen with the umami paste on the side (or not at all).

While we were tempted to order dessert, it was a long day in the city and we wanted to start our commute back home. Overall, it was a delicious dinner from Ippudo 5th Avenue. I would love to return to try even more of their appetizers and ramen options, and to get a onigiri for the road.

My Recommendations 

I give Ippudo 5th Avenue a 10/10:

• Decor and Design

  • A minimalist dining room with warm wood, clean lines, and bright pops of color. From the menu to the table, you’ll see that Ippudo creates a consistent dining experience and keeps the dining experience focused on their beautifully plated and delicious food.

• Service

  • Ippudo’s service is collaborative, with one person taking the order and another bringing the food from the kitchen or clearing the table. I was relieved that we weren’t rushed. The kitchen’s timing for the appetizers was perfect and I was glad that we had a break before our ramen was brought to us. The service was fantastic and we didn’t have to ask for anything.

• Food

  • Prepared fresh, plated beautifully, with thoughtful and unique flavor combinations, I loved everything about our meal at Ippudo 5th Avenue. I would love to return in the future to try more of their menu, and have dessert!

Have you been to Ippudo in New York City?

Do you have a favorite dish from any of the Ippudo locations? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you.

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