Nomu Ramen

I found this place off Google. It didn’t have many reviews on Google or Yelp but the average review was solid. It’s located in the same area as Paik’s Noodle, SGD, and Bonchon. You’ll just turn right. Plenty of parking. When you walk in, the restaurant looks chic but casual. They have a bar too. We were welcomed and seated immediately. We ordered bacon okonomiyaki, truffle potato pancake, butadon, and tonkotsu shio ramen. Service was good but I wished our server would have wiped up the little spillage from the hot tea. Prices were decent.

-bacon okonomiyaki 5 - ample amounts of bacon in the dish. Flavor was perfect, not overly salty.
-truffle potato pancake 4.5 - the truffle sauce is more on the subtle side but you can still taste it. Pancakes are crispy.
-butadon 5 - pork belly was perfectly tender and cooked. You can tell they took their time in preparing this dish so that the meat isn’t too tough.
-tonkotsu shio ramen 5 - broth is not too heavy. It has a good flavor. Nice ratio of noodles to veggies to broth.

Didn’t realize this restaurant was here in the plaza. Originally we were going to go to SGD but saw that Nomu was opened and figured we would give it a try.

The vibe is pretty nice inside. Dig the backlighting along the back walls. Servers and bartender were extremely friendly when we walked in and we were seated right away.

We ordered the Niku Udon and Tonkatsu Shoyu Ramen (with extra noodles). I’m always on the hunt for a good bowl of udon and ramen so we had to give it a try. And I was pleasantly surprised and happy with the udon. The broth was clean and not overpowering with flavor. I’d say it holds up well to the udon at Mugimaru. The noodles were cooked well too, soft but firm.

The ramen was also good. My mistake was getting extra noodles as the broth to noodle ratio was blown. Would try it again without extra noodles.

We will definitely be back to try the donburi and for the udon.

(Tl;dr at the bottom)
My husband and I came across Nomu looking for something new to try that had both food and (decent) cocktail selection in the suburbs. The city has amazing choices, but nothing beats a meal closer to home. When I think of ramen local here, to me - you are directly competing with Ramen Shin-Chan, Chicago Ramen, and Ramen Misoya. Ramen is in the name (and Nomu's storefront logo), so there is an expectation there. BUT as I sat down, I noticed the chopsticks say "Nomu Ramen & Izakaya." We have not experienced the many izakaya of the suburbs, but the expectation boils down to - bar food. This is not a knock on the place, it's an expectation based on establishments in Japan.

I would say that Nomu is exactly that - an izakaya that serves ramen and izakaya food (small plates, think tapas-ish). The vibe is clean, casual and the bar is attractive with a moderate liquor selection, and their own liquors have a shelf as well, which are the bases for most of their drinks. They do have a couple Japanese whisky selections (Nikka, Hibiki, Hakushu 12) but today we focused on the cocktail menu, which had the benefit of grand opening special pricing along with the food. We enjoyed the atmosphere and will be back to try whisky at the bar!

That's a lot of words to not even review the food yet. But the expectation part is important, because the ramen was... okay? We got the tonkotsu shio (pork, sea salt) and tori paitan (chicken). Out of the two, we enjoyed the tori paitan more because the broth tasted fuller bodied than the tonkotsu. That is not a typo. My default "like" is usually tonkotsu. Pork broth is typically richer tasting and chicken based ramen tends to be "lighter," but it depends on the establishment. The slices of pork chashu in the shio had a deeper flavor and sear than the broth itself (!), but the broth was on the right track. The chicken breast was tender, and all the noodles had an appropriate firmness/bite, which is always enjoyable. Next time, we will try the tonkotsu shoyu (soy sauce) to see if it's better, but the first thing on the menu is the shio, so...

Izakaya plates we had:
Chicken karaage - small portion for menu price ($7)? Juicy thigh meat is good, though.
Bacon okonomiyaki - texture and taste on point, nice sharing portion, and I was tempted to get another. Will get again next time. Need more okonomiyaki places!
Agedashi tofu - two big pieces in a broth with red pepper(?) on top. They made it count. Honestly, I'm accustomed to getting these at a sushi buffet, but menu pricing ($5) is what I would expect to see for this at another place. Fair.

Is there a character cap on reviews? The drinks:
Zesty Yuzu Highball - I love that this came in a big, glass mug. Refreshing, not boozy, but that is expected. Curious what the ratios are.
Tokyo Timeless - balanced, reminiscent of an old fashioned.
Nomu "Spicy" blackberry margarita - fresh margarita, although I didn't detect much spice. I don't eat much spicy daily, but can tolerate it.
Niwashi (The Gardener) - refreshing, more mint forward, similar to a mojito.
Espresso foam martini - smooth, balanced, coffee is present vs just boozy.
Nomu bourbon on the rocks - since it's used in a bunch of drinks, was curious on the profile. Tastes similar to Glenlivet which my husband enjoys more than me, but I found this to be slightly lighter than that. Strong taste.

Tl;dr - Ramen was okay, menu price is lower than average.
-Small plates we had tasted pretty good; portion to menu price more expensive maybe.
-Cocktails were generally balanced, tasty. Menu prices are reasonable.
We had a great time and the service was excellent and inviting. We will be back to try different ramen, the donburi (rice/meat bowls) and have okonomiyaki and drink again!
(edited to re-add photos and hopefully the captions stick this time!)

Nomu offers perfect combination of delicious food, on point cocktails, impeccable service, and affordable price. Their spacious yet cozy ambiance welcomes you to a culinary delight you won’t regret!

We tried various things on the menu and loved every single dish. Unlike other Japanese ramen we’ve had that builds excess oil and overwhelming saltiness as time passes, ramen here has broth that is rich and flavorful, yet remarkably light, with no trace of excess oil to weigh down the palate. Also, their tonkatsu covered in chef’s special demi glace sauce is heavenly and makes my mouth water just thinking about it. We can’t wait to come back and try all the other dishes as well!

From the first slurp of their delicious ramen to the last savory bite of their okonomiyaki, this Nomu is a culinary oasis. Each dish is crafted with perfection, boasting flavors!!

But it's not just the food that's exceptional; the service is impeccable, and the staff radiate warmth and hospitality. Pair that with their delightful array of drinks, and you have a dining experience that's truly five-star worthy. A must-visit for any food enthusiast!