01/28/18
Ichicoro, a cornerstone of Tampa's revitalized Seminole Heights neighborhood, was the first "hip" ramen spot in the Tampa Bay area and has a fun vibe and bigtime flavors. I've gone with the standard Tonkotsu in the past, but on my most recent visit, I ordered the spicy kimuchi ramen, and I added a portion of Ichicoro's grilled pork belly, which I'd had before and loved. The broth had a nice but not overwhelming heat and a balanced, porky richness. The meats in the broth are classic applewood smoked bacon, which I'd never had in ramen before, and pork rinds, plus the pork belly I'd added. It was nice to get bites of all of them throughout the meal, with the pork rinds providing a satisfying crunch between slurps of broth and noodles. The noodles themselves were solid, as were the other accoutrements (sprouts, poached egg, green onions, black garlic oil). Great dish at a very cool little spot in Tampa - definitely one of the best bowls of ramen I've had and worth a stop if you're in the area..