LUCKY TIGER IZAKAYA

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★

Ramen, Donburi, & Small Plates

Perfect For: Lunch; Casual Dining; Takeout; Date Night

Standout Dishes: Fuego Ramen; Mary Jane Ramen; Spicy Miso Ramen; Mongolian Beef; Gyoza

When you know the backstory to Lucky Tiger Izakaya, it’s no secret why the restaurant churns out fantastic ramen. It’s owned by Jose Dionicio, the creator of Omaha’s ramen king, Ika Ramen & Izakaya, who intended for Lucky Tiger to be the “Ika of Blackstone” district.

But there’s one major difference between the Ika concepts and Lucky Tiger: the giant wood-fired oven left behind by the space’s previous tenant, Forno. The bright red cooking device not only serves as the restaurant’s centerpiece, but also allows its chefs and cooks to execute dishes not possible at Ika’s other locations.

If you’re not feeling ramen, you can get a roasted Peking Duck served with steam buns. Or you can opt for Galbi, grilled Korean pork paired with rice, spicy cucumbers, and a bright salsa verde.

But if you want ramen, donburi, poke, or other Ika favorites, those are here too.

Lucky Tiger’s vibe fits right in with the hip Blackstone energy. The walls are adorned with vibrant paintings, elegant Chinese lanterns are draped from the ceiling, and the outer half of the restaurant is constructed of giant plate windows, allowing for excellent people watching all down Farnam St.

The oven, too, adds to the modern vibe. The bright red beacon is the highlight of the open kitchen, similar to the set-ups at Dante and Via Farina, as diners can actually watch their meals cook mere feet from their tables.

Its presence allows Lucky Tiger to offer dishes like the Mongolian Beef (pictured in the header of this post). The wood-fired cooking process gives the sautéed flank steak a brilliant crispy, seared edge and causes the slightly sweet sauce to caramelize on the exterior. This meat, in conjunction with sticky rice and a perfectly fried egg, makes for an excellent dish.

Even with the addition of the oven, ramen remains the star of the show at Lucky Tiger. The menu carries all the familiar bowls you’ll find at Ika, evoking an if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it mindset. These broths have such deep, rich flavors that one is tempted to lift the bowl to their lips at the end of the meal and savor every last drop, and the chefs pair that Heavenly liquid with creative combinations of proteins, vegetables, and perfectly tender noodles to craft the finest bowls you’ll find in Omaha.

The Fuego Ramen, with Sriracha buffalo sauce and spicy rayu oil, has plenty of spice, but creamy avocado slices addsa cooling element, and the fried chicken skin brings creativity, texture, and welcome fat. The Mary Jane Ramen features the same protein (chicken char siu), but achieves a completely different flavor profile, as the cilantro and vibrant green broth add a fresh herbaceous backdrop. Then there’s the brilliant Spicy Miso Ramen, amped up with chili oil and the sweet/heat of gorgeous gochujang sausage.

Lucky Tiger also excels with its small plates, which can serve as appetizers or numerous bites to share over happy hour with friends. The wrapping of the Gyoza (moon-shaped dumplings) achieves a chewy, pliable texture that’s firm enough to encase savory pork, cabbage, and negi (a long green onion). And while the Buffalo Cauliflower could be crispier overall, these veggie bites have crunchy edges that create texture, and the buffalo sauce is excellent; just hot enough and with a bit of sweetness.

And as if there weren’t enough interesting things happening on Lucky Tiger’s menu, the Donburi dishes are a must-try for rice bowl lovers. The base sticky rice supplies a subtle sweetness, and Lucky Tiger just builds flavor on top of flavor from there. A great example is the Tuna Ceviche Donburi, which pairs large chunks of buttery raw tuna with creamy avocado, crispy onions, and a bright tomatillo sauce.

There’s a lot to love about what’s going on at Lucky Tiger. A quick glance at the menu might cause one to assume it’s another Ika location, and it would be just fine if that were the case. But the dishes that emerge from the wood-fired oven and the upbeat atmosphere of the Blackstone district make Lucky Tiger a separate entity worth exploring.