Why Come Here? Cool, retro-Japanese decor, izakaya style menu
After seeing Rockmeisha’s ramen appear on a Fork in the Road “Best of” list, I decided it was time to give the place at try. The Rockmeisha space is unique, meant to invoke a Japanese rock star hang out (hence the name). The dark wood interior, weird photos and signs that say things like “Uptown Martini Bar” and canopy that covers about half the tables definitely leave you with the impression you’ve stumbled into some kind of secret Tokyo hang.
An Izakaya is a Japanese snack bar and you’ll find an interesting selection of unusual (at least to most Americans) snacks on the menu. I understand that Izakaya’s are more commonly frequented for snacks and drinks than full meals (we came for dinner), so we may not have gotten the proper experience. That said, while Katherine and I are adventurous eaters, many of the dishes didn’t do much for us – including the “famous” ramen.
Here’s what we ate (for more photos, check DishEnvy):
Miso Brussels Sprouts * The sprouts were pretty good although I prefer mine cooked a little more. The miso sauce was tasty but I could’ve used more to combat the bitterness of the sprouts.
Mentai Gyoza (Shrimp Dumplings) ** I don’t know about the spicy part, but these were the lightest dumplings I’ve ever eaten and had a great peppery shrimp flavor!
Negiyaki (Shrimp Pancake) * The cool thing about this dish is that the bonito flakes on top are actually moving when it’s served (don’t worry it’s not actually alive). Other than that, it has a little too much of the bitter shrimp paste flavor I’m not a fan of, but if you’re into that, you may enjoy this dish more than I did.
Ramen ** The broth was very light and flavorful. However, I thought the noodles were a bit soft and slimey (even for ramen) and didn’t care much for the meat. It was still very good, but I expected more based on what I’ve heard about it.
Verdict: I may give it another shot late night for some of the more gluttonous dishes, but probably won’t be having dinner here again.
Rockmeisha Izakaya
11 Barrow Street (W. 4th & 7th Ave S.)
New York, NY
