3/19/24
It’s time for another chapter of the Ramen Saga! Every so often a couple of friends and I get together and we tour ramen restaurants everywhere we go. We’re seeking the ultimate ramen experience and creating cherished memories along the way. I also get a chance to exercise my writing and critique ramen joints as we find our way to the perfect place. Whether it’s a truly authentic experience, or the height of flavor cuisine, we’ll find out more about the local talent and experience all there is to find in the state of Florida. Today we entered the Ginger Bistro in historic St. Augustine.
I didn’t expect much of this place, occupying a rather unremarkable spot in the usual strip mall placement where many ramen restaurants reside. Parking was the usual fare of first come, first serve. You don’t get much room there when you’re in a strip mall, so it’s understandable. But ramen isn’t like your usual restaurant experience, and often the causal nature of the dish is its greatest appeal.
The first thing that caught my eye when we entered the building was the drying locker where they had brightly colored fish curing it was a great sign that the meat in this establishment was likely to be of high quality. Felling peckish, we couldn’t help but ask about the display. The friendly waitress was honest and eager to explain what she could and admitted where she needed more experience, and to me that wasn’t a bad thing. Excited to get to eat, we were seated at a booth and got our first look at the menu.
Now, another thing about ramen is that it seems like every other establishment wants to try something new with the menu, whether or not it is convenient or descriptive. Personally, I prefer the old paper menu, ideally with ample pictures. Call me simple, but I like being able to visually expect what I’m ordering, and a good description is helpful when you’re a bit green to an exotic ingredient… or ten. If you ever run into this problem yourself, you can always refer to our ingredient guide.
Ginger Bistro of course, was one to try something more modern and they present their menu items with an interactive tablet, preloaded with an app that displayed the menu through a series of software buttons and finger gestures. This was my first time seeing this sort of menu in a ramen eatery. At first, the menu seemed fine, I even preferred this over the dreaded QR code menu as I didn’t have to use my own device, and the high quality photos left little to the imagination. However, upon further review, many items were lacking much, if any description and we had missed many of the noodle dishes our first time around due to the odd method of organization. That being said, perhaps it would come together more smoothly after more time in development. I still prefer physical menus, but seeing an opportunity I left them my card when we left. I later came to learn that many ramen locations would use a similar tablet system, with similar issues. It seems like some large company had sold them on this concept.
After we placed our orders I had some time to take in the decorum of the establishment. There was a thematically tasteful blend of modern and traditional styling. The restaurant featured stone veneers and metal patterns along with photographic wallpaper that was pleasing to the eyes. The bathrooms were very modern, and a perfect example of the pristine cleanliness of the establishment. I loved the black toilet and carved stone sink. I would want something like that in my own home.
Once I got back to the table I took notice of the music playing. A selection of Familiar pop tunes, but all covers. While it wasn’t the traditional music Id like to hear, it was not bad for the vibe of the location. The restaurant provided good quality napkins and platterware for our food as well. I really had no complaints in this regard.
When the waiter came back we were able to place our orders:
Shoyu Ramen with Fried Chicken: Chicken broth with homemade special soy paste,bok-choy,kikurage,bamboo shoot,soy marinated egg and scallion
Tokyo Ramen with Pork: Pork bone broth with black garlic oil,brussel sprout, bamboo shoots,bean sprout,scallion and soy egg
Smoked salmon sashimi: The chef’s specialty and the highlight of the location.
Guoza Pork: Comes with five pieces.
Caleb and I discussed what we liked about the establishment as we waited for our food to arrive. We mused about the sort of fish that was in the drying cabinet and of the decorum. The staff informed us that the fish on display was of a couple different varieties, the specialty being the smoked salmon. We couldn’t wait to try it! The other fish that was available was Toro, though we didn’t immediately see how one would order it without special request. A reason to come back and enjoy again!
The smoked salmon is the head chef's specialty, a must have at Ginger Bistro!
Finally, it came time to eat. The turnaround was not the fastest but that hoped that would mean that the food and flavor was that much more fresh. The first thing we got to enjoy was the premier smoked salmon. It was a bit pricey, but the presentation suggested as much.
This side was downright marvelous. Perfectly flaky with not a hint of “fishiness”, it breaks down in your mouth in a smooth delivery of smokey flavor. I especially loved the presentation. Served on a wooden tray with a bold purple orchid, it’s an interplay of color and nature that makes this truly special. It overshadowed the guoza pork a bit but they were still quite good.
Our ramen came to us fresh and after the appetizers we had we were prepared for greatness! I enjoyed how the chicken was served on the side of my ramen and was fried so it retained a large degree of texture and flavor as opposed to boiled chicken like many places serve.
There's but one thing to say, Kanpai!
The ramen was incredible. Very fresh and great volume of ingredients to the broth. The food was even better than the pictures and that isnt something I experience often.
All in all, I would have to say the Ginger Bistro of St Augustine is a place that I would visit again. There are some places where they could improve, but I had a pretty good experience at the restaurant. I would say perhaps that their sushi may be of stronger appeal than their ramen but their food is nonetheless of high quality.
