I Eat Ramen: State Street
I was VERY skeptical. Known for their awesome cocktails? Yes. Known for their Asian cuisine? No.
I have been on a search for good Ramen in Sarasota for the past two years. Everyone told me the best Ramen to be had was at Goichi. I gave it two fair tries, and both times were massively disappointing.
My dear friend, Lauren of SRQuisine, alerted me to the fact that State Street was offering Ramen on Monday nights. Truthfully, I took one look at the picture and turned my nose up at it. What do caucasian Sarasotans know about making Ramen?
I really didn't think about it much until I found myself at State Street bar side on a Monday night for my usual, the Marie Rosé, crafted by my favorite, the one and only Val Patrick. As I waited for my drink, I noticed a couple next to me at the bar who had just finished their Ramen bowls. Out of curiosity I asked, "Is that the Ramen? Is it any good?"
Turns out these two were fellow foodies and big time Ramen aficionados. They both spoke highly of their respective bowls and assured me that, while it may not be the best they'd ever had (he moved here from NYC so that's understandable), it certainly satisfied. Intrigued, I shamelessly asked the gal if I could try a sip of her broth. Good foodies understand that sharing is caring, so she agreed and I sampled the broth, which for me, makes or breaks it. It was indeed very good.
I then quickly made plans with Lauren and her fiancé, Eric, to try the Ramen for ourselves. As I waited for them at the bar, I of course indulged with my cocktail of choice. VP doesn't even bother asking what I want anymore. This cocktail is everything I love in one delightfully refreshing glass. Gin, Grapefruit, Mint, Simple, and a splash of Prosecco. There may be other sorts of magic in it that I just cannot recall.
TIP: Leave the kids at home. Only the bar side is open on Monday nights serving Ramen, and seating is limited, so if you have a larger party, you might want to call ahead and see if they can accommodate you.
Soon enough, I was joined by my posse and we began with Appetizers (which come with the Ramen). Lauren and I both got the Vegetable Dumplings, which were delicious and filled with some kind of Asian leafy vegetable, possibly bok choy. Eric got the cucumber salad, which mainly consisted of cucumber, spinach, sesame dressing, and sesame seeds. It was decent, but not something I would order in the future.
Finally, the moment of truth. Lauren got the Vegetarian Ramen (because she's trying out the whole vegetarian thing for a while. Good luck with that.), Eric got the Traditional (pork, egg, water cress, & green onion), and I ordered the Pork Belly Ramen (See photo at the top) that came with Pork Belly, egg, mushroom, lil smokies sausage, and kimchi. The kimchi was not real kimchi (it was not fermented in red chili paste), but I think I preferred it that way with this Ramen. I also left out the mushrooms because, personally, I am not a big fan. Eric and I both got the Umami broth, which you can add for an extra cost. SO WORTH IT!
The broth was thick and fatty. The pork belly was tender and beautifully flavored. The pickled cabbage (kimchi) was a refreshing hint of tangy, and the sausages brought a smoky element, which deepened the flavors and added a little extra protein. I ate the entire bowl.
Eric's, with the sliced pork, was sufficiently tasty, but personally, I don't think it came close to how good the pork belly was. Lauren's was also good with a mushroom broth, chickpea tofu, bean sprouts, and watercress. She threw in a dash of Sriracha to give it a bit more UMPH!
Will I be back for more of that Ramen? ABSOLUTELY! Until something else comes along to change my mind, State Street is now my go-to for Ramen in Sarasota.
TIP: There is a free parking garage directly across from State Street, so you don't have to worry about parallel parking or finding street parking downtown.
Traditional Ramen: $15.99
Vegetarian Ramen: $15.99
Pork Belly Ramen: $17.99
Added Umami Broth: $3
Marie Rosé: $12
http://www.statestreetsrq.com/
I have been on a search for good Ramen in Sarasota for the past two years. Everyone told me the best Ramen to be had was at Goichi. I gave it two fair tries, and both times were massively disappointing.
My dear friend, Lauren of SRQuisine, alerted me to the fact that State Street was offering Ramen on Monday nights. Truthfully, I took one look at the picture and turned my nose up at it. What do caucasian Sarasotans know about making Ramen?
I really didn't think about it much until I found myself at State Street bar side on a Monday night for my usual, the Marie Rosé, crafted by my favorite, the one and only Val Patrick. As I waited for my drink, I noticed a couple next to me at the bar who had just finished their Ramen bowls. Out of curiosity I asked, "Is that the Ramen? Is it any good?"
 |
| Pork Belly Ramen w/ Umami Broth |
Turns out these two were fellow foodies and big time Ramen aficionados. They both spoke highly of their respective bowls and assured me that, while it may not be the best they'd ever had (he moved here from NYC so that's understandable), it certainly satisfied. Intrigued, I shamelessly asked the gal if I could try a sip of her broth. Good foodies understand that sharing is caring, so she agreed and I sampled the broth, which for me, makes or breaks it. It was indeed very good.
I then quickly made plans with Lauren and her fiancé, Eric, to try the Ramen for ourselves. As I waited for them at the bar, I of course indulged with my cocktail of choice. VP doesn't even bother asking what I want anymore. This cocktail is everything I love in one delightfully refreshing glass. Gin, Grapefruit, Mint, Simple, and a splash of Prosecco. There may be other sorts of magic in it that I just cannot recall.
TIP: Leave the kids at home. Only the bar side is open on Monday nights serving Ramen, and seating is limited, so if you have a larger party, you might want to call ahead and see if they can accommodate you.
 |
| Marie Rosé |
Soon enough, I was joined by my posse and we began with Appetizers (which come with the Ramen). Lauren and I both got the Vegetable Dumplings, which were delicious and filled with some kind of Asian leafy vegetable, possibly bok choy. Eric got the cucumber salad, which mainly consisted of cucumber, spinach, sesame dressing, and sesame seeds. It was decent, but not something I would order in the future.
 |
| Vegetable Dumplings |
 |
| Cucumber Salad |
Finally, the moment of truth. Lauren got the Vegetarian Ramen (because she's trying out the whole vegetarian thing for a while. Good luck with that.), Eric got the Traditional (pork, egg, water cress, & green onion), and I ordered the Pork Belly Ramen (See photo at the top) that came with Pork Belly, egg, mushroom, lil smokies sausage, and kimchi. The kimchi was not real kimchi (it was not fermented in red chili paste), but I think I preferred it that way with this Ramen. I also left out the mushrooms because, personally, I am not a big fan. Eric and I both got the Umami broth, which you can add for an extra cost. SO WORTH IT!
The broth was thick and fatty. The pork belly was tender and beautifully flavored. The pickled cabbage (kimchi) was a refreshing hint of tangy, and the sausages brought a smoky element, which deepened the flavors and added a little extra protein. I ate the entire bowl.
Eric's, with the sliced pork, was sufficiently tasty, but personally, I don't think it came close to how good the pork belly was. Lauren's was also good with a mushroom broth, chickpea tofu, bean sprouts, and watercress. She threw in a dash of Sriracha to give it a bit more UMPH!
Will I be back for more of that Ramen? ABSOLUTELY! Until something else comes along to change my mind, State Street is now my go-to for Ramen in Sarasota.
TIP: There is a free parking garage directly across from State Street, so you don't have to worry about parallel parking or finding street parking downtown.
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 8/10 (Can be slow because it gets busy in there)
Food: 9/10
Good for: The 21+ crowd (Not kid-friendly)
Service: 8/10 (Can be slow because it gets busy in there)
Food: 9/10
Good for: The 21+ crowd (Not kid-friendly)
Traditional Ramen: $15.99
Vegetarian Ramen: $15.99
Pork Belly Ramen: $17.99
Added Umami Broth: $3
Marie Rosé: $12
http://www.statestreetsrq.com/
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