The ramen craze took its time to hit the Upper West Side, and judging by the crowds at Jin Ramen, it looks like it was well overdue.  We came early as we had a movie to catch and snagged the last table. Scratch that. Actually we got the last open seats at a table that sat four. The two ladies that were already seated had to remove their bags and purses from the chairs to make room for us.

Since Jin Ramen is a ramen restaurant, I thought getting ramen would be the thing to do, especially as eating tonkotsu ramen seems to be a weekly activity for me.

The broth wasn’t as salty as others I’ve tried and had a favor reminiscent of Chinese ham. The ramen came with a soft boiled egg and chashu which had been grilled (which maybe gave the broth that unusual flavor).

Even though there was a vegetarian ramen on the menu, my husband chose the vegetable curry. Interestingly enough, it came with a soft cooked egg. He wasn’t sure what to do with the egg – place it on the curry? The rice? Gulp in down with one swallow? Just kidding on that one.

Overall, Jin Ramen is fine if you’re in the neighborhood (or in West Harlem), and the ramen craving hits. I definitely wouldn’t travel across Manhattan just to eat their ramen. Still, it’s good to see a ramen place in the Upper West Side, particularly on those cold winter days when there’s nothing like a bowl of ramen to warm you up.

Location – 462 Amsterdam, New York, 10024. Additional location in West Harlem.
Website – http://www.jinramen.com/info?q=node/61
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes. They have rice bowls and small plates.