Ramen may seem to be an unlikely choice for a mid-summer dinner, but something about a salty, savory bowl started to sound like just what we needed as we traversed through a “severe” New York City summer storm, trapped on the bottom level of the ferry. Sunkissed and tipsy, we biked back from the LIC landing and parked our bikes outside of Mu Ramen, the one soupy spot in the city we hadn’t sunk our faces into.
As I fought with my persistently finicky bike lock, a fortuitous woosh of 7-train wind gust blew my dress nearly above my head. I laughed and jumped off the grate only to see a beautiful Asian woman slightly behind me, laughing.
“I’m so sorry,” I told her. “It’s a bathing suit!”
“No,” she said. “That was so Marilyn Monroe. So iconic.” I felt better but still not exactly Marilyn as she held the door open for us. “I’m Mu,” she extended her hand to introduce herself, although she already knew way too much of me.
“Holy shit,” I said, realizing I’d just mooned the owner of perhaps the most famous Ramen spot in the city. I mooned Mu.
I sat my slightly ashamed ass down in corner table, next to my partner and ramen enthusiast boyfriend, as Mu handed us menus and politely poured us water.
She noted a few of her favorite sakes, pouring us a taste and toasting with both of us while walking us through the food menu. Considering that this was our first time and knowing that Mu was about way more than just your average Spicy Pork Miso (of course, there’s a time and a place for all different types of ramen, but here we wanted something more…) we settled in two adventurous starters and a bowl each.
And after an hour-long, sake-infused flavor adventure that I never thought possible in Long Island City, I’ve bared it all below in my list of everything you shouldn’t miss at Mu Ramen.
Okonomiyaki
This just-fancy-enough scallion pancake was elegantly topped with smoked trout and drizzled with a foi gras syrup that was achieved a perfect balance between sweet, savory, and memories of my last trip to France. You need this on your table.
Tebasaki Gyoza
I am nearly at a loss for words. These “chicken wings” have the bones removed and then foi gras inserted in their place, delicately breaded with brioche and lightly fried and served to you upon a plate that arrives at your table and says “these are clearly not chicken wings”. Whatever it is, they are one of the best bites in the city. Do not pass this up.
Pork Tonkatsu
The most traditional bowl on their menu which is why, inevitably, it’s a must-order. Kind of like those people who measure the worthiness of a by-the-slice pizza shop but getting a plain cheese slice, everywhere they go. I am not those people, but I like talking to those people about their research. This was far from plain cheese slice and also, world’s apart from the other tonkatsu I’ve had in Brooklyn. Creamy but not overbearing, topped with rich pork belly and a slew of other fancy accouterments that did not disappoint, and let’s just say that dizzying little fishcake nearly had me fall out of my seat.
Chicken Shio Ramen
Chicken ramen has never been my go-to, mostly because it always feels like fancy chicken noodle soup and vaguely reminiscent of the fake coughs and pleads to stay home from school. But this bowl came highly recommended from Mu herself, and it didn’t disappoint. A rich chicken-based broth topped with truffle paste and with delicate folds of ham subtly submerged beneath, it’s somehow one of the best bowls I’ve had in the city. And I didn’t have to pretend to be sick in order to get it.
My only regret? Not getting the dry-aged short-rib burger. It was on special and something that I wish, somehow, we had room for.
The other part of the story that you need to know is that Mu started as a pop-up in the back of a nearby bagel shop and soon developed a cult following. After receiving a very flattering yet also jarring review in the New York Times, they were forced to shut down due to the arguable illegality of the venture, much to the very vocal chagrin of their followers. Thankfully, the exposure and reactions were just the push they needed to commit to a permanent location, but this humble spot in LIC still feels a bit clandestine. There’s no sign outside, just a funky red and white light fixture jutting out from a brick wall. A few humble tables line the wall and the open-kitchen feels almost like a deli counter, or, perhaps, a bagel shop. And it’s still cash-only, making it still feel unestablished and perhaps a bit anti-proletariat.
These are the ramen renegades, and every bowl and plate they serve feels like a courageous victory.
We left sake-tipsy and immensely satisfied, and I realized that maybe, being a little cheeky before dinner might be my new move.
Mu Ramen is located at 1209 Jackson Ave in Long Island City.
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