Hide-Chan Ramen

I have to preface this by saying that I am deeply saddened by the closing of Yakitori Torys; I preferred it to Yakitori Totto (both restaurants, as well as the new Hide-Chan Ramen, are part of the same restaurant group). However, I suppose Midtown needed another good ramen joint, and at Hide-Chan Ramen, the noodles are much more delicate and toothsome, and the broths more subtle, than those at Sapporo. The menu will soon expand to include Japanese fried chicken and a dish made with spicy cod roe; for now, it is limited to a few appetizers like gyoza (beautifully thin-skinned dumplings), curry edamame (what a great idea!), a couple of the salads you'll still find at Yakitori Totto (roasted sardine with poached egg and greens, and greens with tofu), and of course, noodle soup.

There are two special noodle soups right now, one is "no-fat" (I wasn't interested), and cold ramen hazuki with a katsuo broth (attention pescatarians, this is the only broth that does not contain pork, and you will have to request the omission of pork slices). My companion and I ordered the hakata kuro, or black roasted garlic oil, ramen. Two deliciously fatty slices of pork added richness to the inky, fragrant broth, which also contained a good portion of thin, al dente noodles, a mass of scallions and a brown, chewy vegetable that resembled tree ears. Our friends found the katsuo ramen rather bland - fortunately, there was a pepper shaker at the table.

I will always miss the much larger variety of menu options at Yakitori Torys, but it's good to know that a ramen hankering can be satisfied on East 52nd Street, which seems to be turning into another Little Japan. As a side note, a new Japanese jazz club, Miles Cafe, opened up just down the street at 248 East 52nd. The cafe is featuring some of the finest names in jazz, and serves sushi from the restaurant below.

Hide-Chan Ramen: 248 East 52nd St., (212) 813-1800.