I love being home and I love when home has new places to eat and try. But the key to new places to eat are to have someone to eat with and luckily my friend Nicole came through.

LOCATION: 215 ALEXANDER ST, ROCHESTER, NY., 14607

Nicole and I are both back in town for the holidays and boy am I glad. I love seeing old friends and eating new foods. She mentioned that she wanted some ramen or pho when she got back to Rochester and I was her ticket to it so we headed out for a day of Ramen and Rock climbing.

Brooklyn Ramen is a new place that opened this past fall. I've never been to a traditional ramen place in Rochester and apparently this owner trained in Brooklyn and brought it back and I'm pretty hyped about it. When you first walk in you can tell it's family owned. There's a dad taking orders and calling them out, a young son that you can tell was kinda forced here and would rather be chilling with his friends, an young grandma boiling noodles and steaming dumplings, and the one hired American that already has a passion for asian food. The banter between them is a little awkward and forced and I'm not trading my family for theirs but boy would I love working in a family place. Restaurants run in my dad's blood and I wish my mom was less practical and would let us open a place. Hard work but I think I'd love it.

Of course we order a bowl of ramen, I go with my favorite Tonkotsu and add and soft boiled egg for good measure. We decide to split an order of goyza for good measure and you can hear the communication in the kitchen loud and clear; a little awkward but authentic family. The food comes out quick and we sit down at the table. Little sturdy plastic bowls and throwaway silverware but its all fun and fast.

This is pretty good ramen. It came out quick and was perfectly cooked. I've had ramen in New York and I wouldn't say this bowl was as good; thin, soft noodles and a super casual Rochester atmosphere come into play but its still a good bowl of ramen if thats what you're craving.