Rudy's Ramen

Sunny Bhagat

For years, I have been on a quest to find the most warming and comfortable broths for winter to alleviate congestion and warm my soul. Enter: Rudy’s Ramen, which boasts some of the coziest and flavorful ramen I have tried in Chicago. Furthermore, the warm and inviting atmosphere takes the experience to another level. If any Bite readers are also RPG fans—Rudy’s Ramen feels like a save point.

The restaurant has a lot to offer in their minimalist menu, but chooses quality over quantity. With only 15 menu items, each is different and delicious, from small plates with classic Japanese snacks like kaarage and takoyaki, and a whole menu section dedicated to buns. Don’t sleep on Rudy’s cocktails, especially the Sleepy Kiji with lychee, melon, and almond that makes a wonderful drink to sip on in between mouthfuls of spicy, umami broth.

The ramen itself was amazing. The noodles were on the thicker side, and bouncy due to the alkaline solution used to make the dough. There was no danger of noodles going soggy even in the piping hot broth! As a vegetarian, I opted for the miso-mushroom broth, which delivered on umami notes that make ramen such a filling and wonderful dish, and that are sometimes difficult to capture in vegetarian-based broths. The miso-mushroom broth at Rudy’s is wonderfully complex, and the charred bok choy and bean sprouts that top the bowl offer a bitterness that complements the rich flavors of the broth. The thinly sliced wood ear mushrooms also go well with the bouncy noodles by offering a crisp texture in between slurps. Of course, there are amazing options for meat eaters as well— tonkotsu ramen (ramen with pork broth base), tantanmen (ramen with spicy ground pork), and the classic miso ramen. On the website, the eponymous Rudy states that if he can “inspire or bring comfort to even just a single person through my ramen, I will have achieved what I set out to do.” Hopefully, during one of my weekly visits to Rudy’s ramen, I can meet him and tell him that he has definitely accomplished that and more—this ramen is sure to be a comfort to anyone who tries it!