Podcast Summary: All Of It — “It's Ramen Season!”

Host: David Fuerst (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Sho Spaeth, writer and ramen enthusiast
Date: December 15, 2025
Topic: Exploring NYC’s Best Ramen Spots, Ramen Culture, and Listener Recommendations

Overview

This episode dives into the culture, craft, and joy of eating ramen in New York City, perfectly timed for winter and cold weather comfort food. Guest Sho Spaeth—author of Homemade Ramen and a self-proclaimed ramen nerd—joins host David Fuerst to break down what makes a great bowl of ramen, share his favorite ramen spots in NYC (including some hidden gems and new trends), and field live listener recommendations and questions. The conversation is lively, accessible, and packed with both practical suggestions and deeper insights into ramen culture.

What Makes a Great Bowl of Ramen (02:14)

The Five Essential Elements

• Seasoning (Tare): The flavor base—miso, shio (salt), or shoyu (soy sauce).
• Soup/Broth: Can range from pork and chicken to fish or vegetable broths. Spaeth notes the recent variety in broths in NYC, including vegetarian and vegan options.
• Noodles: “The most important part…ramen literally refers like pho to both the noodles and the dish.” Alkaline wheat noodles, which are slippery and bouncy due to their alkalinity.
• Fat: Adds aroma, coats the noodles, and keeps the soup hot—especially vital for winter eating.
• Toppings: Wide range—meat, vegetables, eggs, and creative additions.

Notable Quote:
“Ramen should taste good, should be very salty…But then everything should sort of work together…if it all kind of works complementarily and it’s like a harmonious whole, that’s sort of the best ramen.” — Sho Spaeth (04:13)

The Rise of Tonkotsu Broth in America (05:46)

• Tonkotsu = Pork Bone Broth:
  Popularized by Japanese chains like Ippudo, now ubiquitous in NYC and the US. In America, the emulsified, creamy, opaque “paitan” version became king.
• Personal Preference:
  Sho prefers lighter, clearer broths but acknowledges the deliciousness of tonkotsu and notes the increasing availability of lighter styles in NYC.

Notable Quote:
“It’s gut-busting. It’s just got a ton of pork fat emulsified into the broth…It’s delicious. It’s indisputably delicious…but you can prefer something else.” — Sho Spaeth (07:05)

Sho Spaeth’s Top NYC Ramen Spots — Full List & Notes (09:09, 17:51, 17:58, 23:55, 27:25)

1. Ramen Ishida (Lower East Side & Chelsea) [09:09]

• Chef Yohei Ishida makes the city's best shoyu ramen (in Sho’s opinion).
• Lower East Side location is tiny and authentic; chef is usually present.
• Off-menu item: “80 Shoyu Ramen”—tastes like Sho’s childhood in Japan.
• Chelsea location offers more menu variety at high quality.

2. NoNoNo (Midtown) [15:55]

• “My cafeteria” for some locals; Izakaya-style, strong chicken-based ramen.
• Formerly exceptional pre-pandemic, still highly recommended.
• Offers a range of non-ramen items for groups.

3. Tonchin (Brooklyn & Manhattan) [17:58]

• Tokyo-based, focuses on tonkotsu ramen.
• Standout: Smoked dashi tonkotsu with clams.
• Unique “tsukemen” (dipping) ramen, favorite in NYC: “Two different noodle textures in the bowl” (18:53).

4. Nakamura (Lower East Side, near Williamsburg Bridge) [20:44]

• Chef Hidetoshi “Jack” Nakamura, ramen celebrity.
• Best vegetarian/vegan ramen: “Vegan XO Miso Ramen…mysteriously good.” (20:44)
• Small, foundational NYC shop.

5. Ivan Ramen (Lower East Side) [23:55]

• Ivan Orkin, famously non-Japanese, revered for shio ramen (with rye noodles and katsuobushi).
• Notable for roasted tomato topping and smoky, umami-rich broth.

6. Yuji Ramen (Multiple Locations) [27:25]

• Homegrown NYC phenomenon; focuses on fish-based broths (e.g., “tunakotsu”).
• “Only-in-New-York” creative approach (e.g., seared tuna toppings).

7. Okiboro (House of Tsukemen) [28:33]

• Focus on tsukemen (dipping ramen), chicken paitan broth with dried fish.
• Vegan tsukemen available.
• Small shop, often lines, but worth it.

8. Tabetomo (East Village, mentioned by listener Natalie) [12:33]

• Not on Sho’s official list but gets high marks from listeners for both ramen and drinks.

9. Ippudo (Manhattan, listener recommendation) [29:24]

• Pioneering Japanese import.
• Consistent, iconic tonkotsu ramen and great buns, but Sho notes “it used to be better…sometimes the ramen isn’t as hot as it could be” (29:58).

Notable Listener Recommendations & Responses

• Ichiran (Bushwick & Manhattan, from listener): Famous for single-person booths—“like going to confession, but with ramen instead of guilt.” (10:12)
• Mr. Taka Ramen (Lower East Side) and Karakata (Greenwich Village): Ramen “club” favorites [12:01].
• Goku (Park & 30th): Tiny, lesser-known spot praised by listener, new to Sho [14:16].
• Tampopo Ramen (Washington Heights): Recommended for Upper West Side/Harlem area; great house-made ginger ale (22:04).

Ramen for All: Dietary and Local Questions

• Protein Content in Ramen:
  Varies by style and toppings—“There would be a lot of protein… especially if you. In the toppings…Jiro Kei ramen…just a mountain of pork” (12:55).

• Making Packet Ramen:
  “Use the entire season packet and then add other seasonings because it hits a base level of salinity that you need for stuff to taste good.” — Sho (13:49)

• Vegetarian/Vegan Options:
  Best bet: Nakamura’s vegan XO miso ramen (20:44).

• Gluten-Free Ramen:
  Real ramen uses gluten-rich noodles, but in Boston and Seattle some places use a tapioca-based noodle; at home, Sho suggests using tubular rice noodles (bun bo hue type) (25:54).

• Uptown/Harlem Recommendations:
  Options are limited. Sho suggests Gin Ramen on the Upper West Side and admits the need for more uptown exploration (19:35).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Ramen has to have ramen to be ramen.” — Sho Spaeth on noodles as defining (25:54)
• Listener on Ichiran: “The authentic Tokyo booth experience. Like going to confession, but with ramen instead of guilt.” (10:12)
• “Go back to the way it was before!” — Sho advocating for NoNoNo’s return to pre-pandemic greatness (17:21)
• On packet ramen: “Start there” with the seasoning packet, then doctor it to taste (13:49).
• “It’s gut-busting…indisputably delicious.” — Sho on tonkotsu (07:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Topic | |--------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 02:14 | Elements of a perfect ramen bowl | | 05:46 | The rise of tonkotsu broth and its American journey | | 09:09 | Ramen Ishida—Sho’s top pick | | 10:12 | Listener rave: Ichiran and the “booth experience” | | 12:33 | Listener’s ramen club recs (Mr. Taka, Karakata etc.)| | 13:49 | Ramen packet hacks | | 15:55 | NoNoNo—favorite “cafeteria” spot | | 17:58 | Tonchin and the art of tsukemen | | 20:44 | Best vegetarian ramen: Nakamura | | 22:04 | Uptown/Harlem picks: Tampopo | | 23:55 | Ivan Ramen—innovation and story | | 25:54 | Gluten-free ramen options | | 27:25 | Yuji Ramen—fish broth pioneers | | 28:33 | Okiboro—tsukemen specialty | | 29:24 | Ippudo—NYC’s game changer |

Tone & Takeaways

The tone throughout is warm, slightly nerdy, and delightfully detail-oriented, balanced by listener engagement and anecdotes. Sho Spaeth debunks ramen myths, clarifies technical details, and brings a contagious passion to the conversation. This is a definitive, city-driven ramen roundup that will satisfy foodies and curious eaters alike—and leave listeners hungry for their next slurp.

For more details, visit Sho Spaeth’s article in Conde Nast Traveler: “The Best Ramen in New York City Carefully Selected by a Ramen Connoisseur.”