RIZIN JAPANESE RAMEN

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★⭑

Ramen & sushi

Standout Dishes: Tan Tan Ramen; Miso Ramen; Gyoza

A great bowl of ramen is defined by its broth. Its presence is prominent in every bite; even if the protein and noodles are perfect, a subpar broth will sink the dish.

That’s what makes Rizin Japanese Ramen stand out among its competition in Omaha. The broths all have very individual, specific flavors, and they create a cornerstone of excellence.

There’s nothing flashy about the restaurant, which shares a building with a Scooters Coffee in Rockbrook. The small space has 8 or 9 tables and a very pared down menu: there are 7 ramen bowls, a few rice bowls and apps, and several sushi rolls. The menu is tight and compact, allowing the chef to perfect each dish.

Speaking of the chef, you can watch him craft every dish behind the counter. I can’t imagine how many bowls of ramen this man has dished out in his life, but it’s clear that the practice has paid off. Take one sip of the broth and you’ll know you’re in for a special ramen experience.

Start with the Tan Tan Ramen, which is built with a spicy sesame miso base and a chicken/pork broth. The broth is creamy and nutty with a subtle sweetness. It also has a heat that seems mild at first, but builds as you consume the dish. By the end, your sinuses are fully engaged.

At the same time, you’ll be tempted to lift the bowl up to your lips to catch every last drop.

The rich, hearty broth gives life to everything else in the bowl. The ground pork has crispy edges and is just a bit spicy. The noodles are slippery and perfectly slurp-able, and spinach adds a necessary fresh element.

Rizin allows you to add all kinds of extra elements to your bowl, from extra noodles to nori, corn, butter, and even spicy chili paste if you need that extra kick. You’re making a mistake if you don’t include a Ni-Tamago, a soft-boiled egg soaked in a marinade. The egg is creamy and luscious, the perfect crown for you bowl.

But it all comes back to the broth. They each vary in color, richness, and flavor, but each stars brilliantly. That’s true of the Miso Ramen, which has a punch of umami and punk that perfectly complements the thin cut of fatty pork belly and herd of green scallions.

The Shoyu Ramen is dark and salty with a rich chicken flavor. With copious amounts of soy sauce, it’s tangy and slightly sweet with a touch of umami. The mouth feel is less rich than some of the other soups, making this a lighter tasting bowl.

Ramen is clearly the star of the show at Rizin, but it can put together other great Asian dishes as well. The Gyoza, crescent-shaped Japanese dumplings, are the perfect appetizer to start a meal. The steaming process creates a chewy dough pocket that’s stuffed with pork and vegetables, then pan fried to achieve a crispy exterior.

The sushi rolls are pretty basic, as most contain just a 2-3 ingredients packed inside rice. But while no one would confuse these with rolls from Yoshitomo, they’re quite tasty. The fish in the Spicy Tuna Roll has good fatty flavor with just a bit of kick. Pro tip: dunk the sushi pieces into the delicious broth for a religious experience.

Because for all that’s great about Rizin, it just comes back to the broth. The flavors that this restaurant works to develop must take hours and hours to create, but the payoff is extraordinary.

The greatest compliment you can give a chef is sending a clean plate back to the kitchen. And every time I leave, there’s not a drop left in my bowl.