Glen Rock High School, it’s me again to introduce you to another addition to town! This time, we got a new food place that I believe everyone should check out: KOKORO House of Ramen, located where Merve’s Kitchen and Bakery used to be. It’s already a hit with customers!
I sent out a survey to ask the GRHS population what they thought of the place, and the responses were almost entirely positive! To bust out the stats for you, 91% of respondents expressed excitement at the prospect of KOKORO in town (partially because no one wants to go to Ridgewood for ramen anymore), and over 83% of student patrons rated it 4 or 5 stars!
“The food was really good! The service there was incredibly friendly…” reported an anonymous freshman. “It’s also really cozy and quiet in there… I’ve been there a couple of times and will probably go again.”
I don’t know about you, but this is pretty convincing to me! I went with my sister to scope out the place, and in my opinion, KOKORO’s newfound popularity is very well-deserved! Let me break down my experience for you all.
Walking in, I was impressed by the clean, organized interior design. Lights illuminated the space and plants decorated each corner, giving off an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere that was both homey and elegant. There were TVs against one wall, and quiet but upbeat music played in the background. From groups of friends to a family of four, all ages were present in the restaurant and from what I overheard, all were enjoying the experience.
The staff was amazing too! One employee was so kind and understanding when I requested extra bowls and utensils for my sister and me to share, and she eagerly recommended to me their most popular dish: the chicken ramen. In my opinion, the service was wonderful.
Now comes the fun part: the food! My way to go was a bowl of chicken ramen and a plate of gyoza, and later on, some matcha ice cream. But I was in for a surprise: the staff at KOKORO gave us a free appetizer, the fried vegetable tempura! After a 20 minute wait, which passed quickly thanks to a good book, the food arrived. The gyoza were deliciously flavorful, and that tempura drizzled in spicy sauce had a taste I couldn’t get enough of! The ramen broth was especially good, and the egg and vegetables had me savoring every bit. And later on, the Japanese ice cream drizzled in chocolate syrup and garnished with a stick of Pocky was so sweet and delicious! My only grievance is that the chicken was dry and not very flavorful, but everything else was immaculate!
To sum it all up, KOKORO House of Ramen is an amazing place with great service and even greater food! For my final verdict, I rate KOKORO House of Ramen 4.5 stars out of 5. The surroundings were nice and welcoming, the service and staff were so great, and most importantly, the food was delicious! The dry chicken was unfortunate, but I can easily overlook it in favor of the whole experience. I would highly recommend KOKORO to anyone and everyone, and you can bet that I’ll be back again to enjoy their great gyoza and ramen! Until next time, Glen Rock High School. Maybe I’ll see you there!
