Ramen Takeya — The Chicago Swallow

The humble noodle. Perfected by Kraft foods and served in millions of homes across the country, the noodle has been coopted by the Orientals. The Chicago Swallow explains.

For as long as this diner can remember, the pinnacle of the noodle has been served in the form of grandma’s spaghetti and meatballs. Is there nothing more comforting than a big plate of soft strands of noodles topped with a ladle of simmering Ragu? Not in this writer’s opinion. Recently, a handful of restaurants run by the Japanese have infiltrated Chicago’s neighborhoods and have bastardized the innocent noodle, mixing it in a rich broth of pork or chicken and serving it with a slab of meat, a soft boiled egg, and various other accoutrements.

One such newcomer is located in the West Loop district of Chicago. Ramen Takeya is located on the seedy Fulton Market street, home to other shady and disreputable restaurants such as Moto and the Aviary. The restaurant itself has a pre-war feel with dim antique lightbulbs, wooden benches, and metal chairs. Old-timey Japanese signage, paper lanterns and a neon Pac-Man ghost adorn the walls. A solo-diner or couple may consider eating at the bar to complete the illusion of eating a meal in the Orient.

Two broths are on offer at Ramen Takeya. One is a pork broth, and the other is chicken based. The Swallow arrived fifteen minutes prior to last call and the chicken based broth was all that was available. Though skeptical (how could any soup compare to the canned fare offered by the venerable Campbell’s Soup Company), there was no other choice. A half-dozen appetizers are available, many with familiar base ingredients (chicken, Brussels sprouts), but prepared in a foreign and exotic way. Though tempting, The Swallow only had room for a side of kimchee (KIM-chee), a Korean delicacy of pickled Napa cabbage.

A number of cocktails are on the menu. The Caipis Chuhai contains shochu (SO-jew), a spirit of Korean origin, lemon, and soda. It comes out milky white and appears to have a bit of cream or yogurt in it. Sweet, refreshing, substantial, what a delight. The Jim Beam Ginger High Ball is a mix of Ginger beer, Yuzu (YOU-zoo), lemon juice, and soda. It was equally delicious. Between the two, The Swallow prefers the Chuhai for the sheer novelty.

The Jim Bean Ginger High Ball on the left and the Caipis Chuhai on the right

The noodles arrived. A large bowl was placed on the table with a shallow utensil to spoon the broth. Chopsticks had already been set out. These are bedeviling utensils, the size and shape of a common pencil used to grasp, shovel, and sometimes even cut food. For the ravenous eater, these would seem an impediment to a quick and tidy meal, and in fact most of the finer restaurants will have a traditional fork and knife if one so kindly asks for it. With time, the patient eater will be rewarded for his troubles as eating with chopsticks adds to the joy of exploring new and exotic foods. Using the chopsticks with the right hand and the ladle in the left, the diner will be able to effectively eat everything in the bowl. For the novice eater, there is no shame in two-handing the bowl to get at the last drops.

The broth was a translucent yellow color, deeper and more opaque than that offered by Campbell’s. The look of the liquid in the bowl belied the feel in the mouth, silky, rich, almost as if a mysterious fifth taste sensation was awakened on the tongue. The broth by itself could be taken as a meal without so much as a thought to eating a bite of meat. Yet, the meat was plentiful. More than a few slices of pork belly were placed on top of the noodles along with bamboo shoots (not just for the panda bear), mushrooms, onions, and seaweed giving the dish a rich variety.

The noodles were a bit more firm than those made by the aforementioned matriarch, but surprisingly satisfying. It is with the noodles, however, that The Swallow takes issue. Gentle readers of this column are, no doubt, on their best behavior when dining out. Sadly, most of the other diners at the restaurant were not blessed with social graces, loudly slurping and shoveling their noodles like mongrel dogs. Despite the brutes, The Swallow enjoyed the meal thoroughly.

Does ramen have the chops to dethrone spaghetti and meatballs as America’s go-to noodle dish? That, dear readers, is a question for the ages. If anyone could come close, Ramen Takeya may just have the chops to do it. 5 Swallows.

Ramen Takeya
819 W Fulton Market