Ramen Azuma (Englewood, NJ)

Northern NJ has experienced a recent influx of new eateries. And with a half mile street full of restaurants, dessert shops, and retail stores, Englewood is no different.

But here comes a game changer, just located a block away from the busy Palisade Avenue in the downtown area… Ramen Azuma opened its doors today, offering authentic Japanese ramen noodles for the first time in this city.

With a menu currently boasting 8 types of ramen, Ramen Azuma is changing the industry with their own ramen noodle machine, a first in the area. Wait until you try the kind of bite it creates in the noodles! Everything is prepared fresh in the open kitchen, and diners can enjoy a display of personal touch added to their food when seated at the bar area.

Coming from the same owners of East Japanese Restaurant in Teaneck, NJ and Soba Azuma in Fort Lee, NJ, you can expect the same high level of quality and ambience at Ramen Azuma. I got to experience this firsthand as the restaurant’s official first customer and even got to speak to the owner, Maou Suzuki.

Maou gives credit to his knowledgeable and experienced staff, some who flew in all the way from Japan, and the special machine they use to make the noodles from scratch. On top of the 8 ramen dishes, Azuma only offers a handful of appetizers to complement them so that they can focus on the quality and excellence of their ramen. Some of the sides you can order are pork or shrimp buns, homemade gyoza, takoyaki, fried chicken, kyuuri, poripori salad, and French fries.

I liked the ramen a lot and the fact that you can choose the type of noodles you’d prefer (thin white vs. thick yellow). The house made noodles have a great “bite” to them and the thick cut pork was delicious. The broth was just the way I like it and was proportionally served with the noodles.

The gyoza was cooked perfectly and had a sauce that complemented it so well. The takoyaki came with plenty of flakes and also had a great sauce. The balls themselves were packed with flavor with a perfect texture. And the shrimp buns were just fantastic.

If that’s still not enough, you can always add additional toppings to your ramen for just a little extra. I found that the size was already satisfying, but maybe on an extra hungry day could use another egg or some bamboo shoots.

Finding great ramen spots is a passion of mine so I’m so glad that Ramen Azuma is finally here, and so close too! If you’re still looking for that perfect ramen spot for you, be sure to check them out. They’re open daily from 11:30am to 9:30pm and offer a takeout menu as well.

For more information, visit them at www.azumanoodle.com