Ramen!!!

Cool. And it WAS a great article! Personally, I thought it odd that he'd go into that much detail - good detail - and not focus on the wild-and-crazy reality that you guys are doing this while Roux still has that new-restaurant smell. If i were his editor, I might have asked him about that. But that's just me, and I'm not his editor. )

Editor? That's his personal real estate blog showcasing the neighborhood.

[Robin Garr]

Just an FYI:

Rumplings is set to open to the public today at 5pm.

Woohoo!

[Robin Garr]

That's his personal real estate blog showcasing the neighborhood.

I didn't know that! I'll bet he brings some experience as a writer or reporter to his real-estate work. He writes like a pro.

That's his personal real estate blog showcasing the neighborhood.

I didn't know that! I'll bet he brings some experience as a writer or reporter to his real-estate work. He writes like a pro.

Exactly our thoughts as well.

Boy, that is a gutsy move opening on a Friday night! Can't wait to try it...on a weekday

I got to try it out last night. I'm not prepared to say anything firm about it too much, other than to say maybe wait a bit until it cools off. They're clearly struggling a bit with the massive quantity of customers they've had. Going to try it again in a few weeks.

One thing I can say for sure, though, is that everyone who was working there last night were incredibly nice, helpful, and pretty damned efficient given the strain they were under (which was supposedly even worse the night before!).

I was first in line yesterday ( they ended up with over 20 people in line before they opened at 6:00). I've been seriously craving ramen and I was not disappointed.

The menu includes about 12-13 ramen choices and 4 types of dumplings ( they were not serving dumplings last night- I assume they were just too slammed. ) I was surprised and pleased to see there are 3 vegan ramen options. Ramen prices ranged from $6-$14. I ordered the Piggy ( $11) - pork belly, pork broth and crispy pork. I bellied up to the counter ( the only seating option) and quickly dug into my good sized bowl of porky goodness. The broth was rich and deep with a great Unami flavor. Generous ( for ramen) portion of pork belly; I personally would have liked it browned just a little bit, but the flavor was spot- on. And then the noodles- oh, those noodles! I'm a big Asian noodle fan- frequently ordering them when I've travelled in Asia. These housemade ramen noodles were some of the best I've had, perfectly cooked with a great al dente bite. Wonderful comfort food in a bowl! I slurped up every drop.

Staff was super friendly and welcoming, particularly enlight of the sell-out crowds they've been dealing with. The place is very small ( 18 seats) and as mentioned previously, there are still some bugs to be worked out. No carry out- not sure if that's a policy or they just don't have supplies yet. Liquor license still not in place. Note: They take people 18 at a time and there is no inside waiting space, so come prepared to wait outside. But it's very well worth it! I'll be back soon to try the Chicken Foreplay and some dumplings.

Congrats to Dustin, Ethan, Chip and Griffin- this place promises to be a huge hit!

The Piggy

The interview was conducted over almost 3 hours of video (and beer), and I think he's waiting to get some footage of the first few opening nights to compile it into a proper interview/montage for the site.

I'll definitely link it once it's completed.

Video link below:


Rumplings Slurp Shop | 2009 Highland Ave Louisville, KY | Highlands Home Place

Are the portions as small as that picture makes it look?

I didn't really have any issue with the portion size, and I'm not a "light eater." I think it's mostly the shape of the bowl regarding the picture.

Jeff-

Yikes- sorry! No, they are not- though I see how you get that from the picture. The serving size is very ample-( maybe 12-16 oz?) but the bowl they serve it in is a traditional ramen bowl that's very wide at the top and deep. I left there full from my Piggy.

Deb

Any plans to add carry out?

I was fortunate enough to attend the soft opening, and although the bowls were served to share that night (they had not yet received their new dishes), everyone was well-fed, and no one ended up sharing my bowls with me. Needless to say, after eating three whole bowls to myself, I left incredibly full. The Chicken Fourplay was first, and holy cow that's the best broth I have ever tasted! Dark, rich, and amazing. The egg and the smoked chicken wing all work very nicely in the broth with the springy freshness of those incredible noodles. Every component of this dish was fantastic!

Second was the Miso Honey, and this could be my favorite, although I haven't tried them all yet. The mushrooms were perfect; the broth, again, was perfect; and the flavors were explosive. This dish has a nice kick to it from the red curry.

Finally, I ate the Banh Mi (I think). I'm not much of a tofu guy, but this tofu was crispy, salty, and delicious, and again all the flavors were spot on.

These guys are getting inundated with hungry patrons each night they are open. They're still working out the logistics and trying to make everyone happy. Be patient as they figure out the best way to serve you. That being said, go get some noodles!

- Justin Thomas, Realtor and Food Nerd, www.highlandshomeplace.com