Tucked away on Ainslie Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a 12 seat restaurant called Okonomi // Yuji Ramen. This Japanese breakfast spot transforms on weekend nights into a ramen omakase spot where there is only one seating per night. Here the attention to Japanese culinary philosophy is unmatched, the creativity is thoughtful and detail-oriented, and the ingredients are fresh, seasonal and local whenever possible.
Omakase: A Japanese tasting menu consisting of dishes selected by the chef
Okonomi: “As you like it” – which is funny because they make no exceptions. They also only serve one beer and one type of sake (out of tiny little cups I might add!)
So our 11 course ramen omakase began…with many takes on the ever-so-trendy dish and ingredients. All of the broths are fish based, we learned, plus chicken and pork bones picked up from the nearby Meat Hook.
Some highlights:
– Almond-Milk Dashi (the team also is one of few restaurants to use almond pulp in some recipes)
– Miso Risotto
– A Ceviche served with a Rice Chip and Seasonings
– Monk Fish Liver Ravioli
– Crispy Ramen with Sliced Fish
– Shaved Squid
– Rice Noodles with Radish Shavings
Last but not least, the restaurant is committed to having the least amount of waste possible and discards only one bag of trash per day!