The Hiro Ramen in the middle of the happening Sarona food market, has been filled with people lining up to grab a seat and ingest over-sized bowls of ramen, dumplings, and chicken wings for some time now. After a long and much-awaited preparation time, Hiro Ramen Bar Levontin, the second Hiro Ramen branch and gastro-pub by Chef Yisrael Aharoni has finally made its entrance on Levontin Street in Tel Aviv.
© Shay Ohayon
It was over a year and a half ago that Hiro Ramen opened in Sarona, and it was a risky venture even then. Ramen, a soup which overflows with noodles and a rich, intensely savory broth with a heaping of toppings was new in the city. How would it do in the summer? Would Israelis go out for soup? Who knew that the ramen trend was going to take Tel Aviv by storm?
Since then, Ramen has become a popular soup at several eateries across Israel, but that wasn’t the only way the food world changed. With the opening of Sarona Market, people got used to everything being accessible, even a celebrity chef like Israel Aharoni, the father of Asian cuisine in Israel. He’s the guy who wrote all the cookbooks, the one who introduced hard-to-find exotic ingredients and made sure you knew where to find them in this country. Finally, a chef of this caliber was highly approachable just around the corner, behind this long counter in the middle of Sarona. Oh, and news flash – Aharoni will also be replacing another celebrity Chef Yonatan Roshfeld as the new judge on the Israel's reality show "Master Chef."
© Shay Ohayon
As with anything by Chef Aharoni, perfectionism is the key—and everything at the new Hiro Ramen branch is made with meticulous attention to detail and focus on flavor.
The ramen is different than the one in Sarona: new ingredients have been introduced, like the duck ramen with a tamago pancake neatly rolled up into the soup. Pillowy bites of fried egg replace the slow, soy-marinated soft-boiled egg in this version alongside pickled turnips, chestnuts and tender pieces of slow cooked duck. Also on the menu is a multitude of buns, from pork to a vegan version, gyoza dumplings and a vegetarian eggplant salad that is equally piquant and meaty. Enjoy a night out with cocktails like the Miso Moz, Miso in a dark rum, roasted banana and spices, the Old Smoky Bastard with Mezcal, makrut lime, lemon and ginger beer or a selection of sakes to choose from. Hiro Ramen Levontin opens this week (with a soft opening first, message their Facebook page for opening details)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hiro-Ramen-Bar-By-Aharoni/139502206569935.
Hours and info:
Hiro Ramen Bar Levontin
19 Levontin, Tel Aviv , Sun- Sat 19:00-23:00.