Five months in, Ramen Boy is out.
The first of a burgeoning crop of ramen eateries in the city, the Chinatown BYO in a storefront on Ninth Street just north of Race never drew crowds.
Its word-of-mouth ranged from tepid to toxic.
This haiku posted on Yelp lays it out quite succinctly:
Oh boy, that was bad:
My misou tasted bitter,
The chicken was cold.
Owner Nelson Tam has imported new operators from Kumamoto, Japan, who have a ramen shop in New York. In about 10 days, it will open as Terakawa Ramen. The sign is up; some cosmetic changes are on the way.
Terakawa's New York reviews are somewhat better.
Among the changes coming to Philly are smaller-size bowls for smaller appetites.