Red Light Ramen is Fire

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Years ago, I remember reading an article about Milwaukee’s food scene where I learned about Red Light Ramen. It was an offshoot of the late-night menu offered by the fancy Ardent which has its own buzz as one of the premier spots in town. Until last night, I hadn’t been to either for no other reason than being lazy. Located across the hallway from Ardent at 1749 N. Farwell Avenue, it’s also across the street from the famed Zaffiro’s. 

Walking down a small flight of stairs brought my back to my New York City days, and the restaurant had a similar vibe inside. A bright marquee sign with their small but powerful menu lights up an otherwise dimly lit, wooden space. At max capacity, you can probably fit about 20 people in the restaurant, which they do on busy nights and sometimes with a line out the door. I bellied up to the bar, per usual, so I could talk to the chef and server about the operation and watch the ramen-making in action. 

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s very important to me to have a good bar in a restaurant as someone who dines alone often. More people should feel empowered to eat alone—it’s sometimes the best way to enjoy a meal! I digress. Payton was the server alongside chef Zach. The pair were a perfect duo keeping the flow of the restaurant going (and talking to me) as it was pretty steady for a cold Tuesday night in spring.

I mentioned that I was writing an article about them and they took me on a culinary ride through the Japanese street food menu. I disclosed that my appetite was a little low that evening, but even that couldn’t stop me from enjoying everything that was placed in front of me. Personally, I’m a cold sake and light beer girl when it comes to Japanese cuisine because you can interchange the drinks with whatever it is you're eating. I wish I wrote down the name of the sake I was given, so I’ll have to go back and ask. But more importantly, let’s get to the food …

Snack Pack

We started with small dishes. First was the Snack Pack which was plated whipped Spam with spicy mayo, bulldog sauce, pickles and nori—it was a do-it-yourself roll of sorts and a perfect way to prepare your palate for all the things to follow. Next came the Takoyaki waffle which was filled with octopus and topped with beef tongue katsuobushi and nori, an essential starter for every table. My final small dish was the classic rice bowl with bonito, trout roe, and scallion. For someone who was not that hungry, this was a lot of food but totally doable if you’re more prepared than I was or with a group.

Finally, it was time to decide which of the three ramen flavors to choose—48-hour braised beef, 24-hour roasted chicken or a medley of mushrooms. Of course, this comes down to personal preference and they’re best known for their Tonkotsu ramen (the pork), but chef Zach was kind enough to offer me a small taste of all three. Each had their own very distinctive flavor, and the broth was noticeably thicker thanks to the inclusion of some chicken paitan. I felt like Goldilocks and the Three Bears with three bowls of beautiful ramen placed in front of me (see photo). 

They were all very flavorful, perfectly plated, and very intentional with their ingredients. Personally, I loved the mushroom miso ramen most right off the bat. Zach handed me some homemade chili flake sauce which really stood out in the Chicken Paitan Ramen the most. And the one dish I actually came in for, the Tonkosu ramen, met and exceeded all expectations. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of the three ramens.

Now, let’s not forget I am not a food critic but rather a food storyteller and I can honestly say this was one of the best experiences I’ve had out dining alone in Milwaukee. The staff was very talkative and excited about where they worked. And they were excited about what I was doing for my own work. I got to meet the chef's life and business partner who just started a Bayview-based catering business called Bartlett Catering. The four of us hung out after the meal just chatting about all things Milwaukee as some of us are new or newly back to the area and still finding our footing. One good thing to note is that Red Light Ramen is open 5-10 p.m. every day of the week, which isn’t that easy to find in post-pandemic dining. And they offer ramen kits to-go for anyone looking to create this culinary experience at home. 

Honestly, there’s nothing better than an all-around good dining experience where the people are kind, the atmosphere is dim, the food is great, and expectations are far exceeded. Oh, and having a great bar to belly up to, of course. I highly recommend taking yourself to Red Light Ramen either as a solo trek or a night out with whoever you like to slurp ramen with. You will quickly regret any time you were too lazy to go previously.