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Cool spot for some yummy modern ramen! Went here a few days ago with a friend. I got a bowl, I unfortunately did not write down the name but I am almost certain it had the word Brick in it. The broth was yummy and I enjoyed the three types of meat that topped the noodles. One note, my friend and I did pay extra for an egg, I believe almost two dollars. I just wish the egg had been marinated for a longer period, in terms of it being a ramen egg, it fell short. Overall, a good place for some cool bites and friendly staff too!
My partner and I went to Pickerel for their special collaboration with FEEL and Cafe Mochiko. This was my first time visiting, as they normally do not take reservations, and I was blown away. Upon walking in, the restaurant has a beautiful ambiance- the lighting is low (not too dark), and the decor is well curated. The event had one special ramen option, which was absolutely amazing- it was delicious, comforting, and overall the perfect bowl. They also had some wine, beer, and other spirit options; I opted for a white wine with notes of apple and it was yummy. Lastly, we got a carrot blondie with ice cream to-go; it was such a delicious and unique dessert, and definitely something you cannot get anywhere else. Lastly, the service was great and all the staff were kind and attentive. I 100% will be coming back to experience their regular menu.
I felt as if it wasn't really worth the hype. I was told by multiple coworkers that this was the go to ramen location of PVD.. unfortunately, I'm going to have to say no. The noodles were not very "ramen" like, even though the menu lists them as such. The pork and broth had flavor which was scrumptious although I did think the broth had a flavor missing. I enjoyed the ambiance! However we waited an hour for a table, but there was no where to wait inside, and with parking being a pain in providence we had to walk all the way back to our car to wait one hour. It's a small place, they could benefit from a larger location, less need to have people wait. I also would have enjoyed a larger menu of options, I feel like there's so many things you can do with noodles, and I was not impressed. Maybe I need to come back and try again? Maybe order a different noodle? Not sure if it's worth the wait though.
There was a lot of hype for this place, and I honestly wanted to love it and have a go-to ramen shop for my winter cravings. Maybe I got the wrong thing (tonkatsu ramen), but we left feeling like it was good but not great. The broth and pork were flavorful, but I would've liked a bit more of a char. The original tonkatsu comes with dehydrated noodles, which I wasn't the greatest fan of; they were not bouncy and chewy enough for me and just left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. We arrived at 6PM and had to wait an hour for a table with no indoor waiting area and limited street parking nearby. Quite frankly, maybe I've been spoiled with exceptional ramen in California and Hawaii, so I wasn't particularly impressed with Pickerel. It's maybe worth another try with different noodles and with some more appetizers -- We'll see if Pickerel just didn't make a great first impression.
Came as a group of 4, and my partner and I ordered the menma rice, shio v2 bowl, carpenter st bowl, chocolate chip cookie, sandy road ice cream, tom yummy ice cream, and shibuya banana bread (daily special) - TASTE: 5/5 - the shio might be my favorite ramen now w its super rich & satisfying chicken broth and fatty pork chashu. Every dessert was truly excellent too -- from the loaded dark & milk chocolate in the cookie and the indulgent bananas foster topping w the banana bread, to the strong black sesame and coconut flavors in each ice creams. Would come back to try more of their rotating menu TEXTURE: 4/5 - crisp menma bamboo shoots w soft rice, (thinner than I expected) al dente noodles w fatty chashu, and moist banana bread w smooth ice cream PRICE: 4/5 - higher price points w $19-20 ramen bowls SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - satisfied us for dinner SERVICE: 4/5 - arrived shortly before the 5pm opening, and a line of ~10 people were already waiting outside. Thankfully the folks in front of us were smaller parties, so we were able to secure the only 4-top table (largest available). Our food started coming out 25min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - tight space w bar seating and a dark & moody vibe PARKING: 4/5 - wasn't expecting Pickerel to be in a residential area. Got a free street spot right on Carpenter St
This place has been around for a while now and this is my second visit. This time around I arrived early to grab a seat since they don't take reservations. We were promptly seated and ordered the spicy sesame and a drink special that I think was called "pearl", but I think it had more to its name. The pearl drink had gin, and had a minty taste to it that was refreshing for the summer. The ramen was soup-less and cold, and it was ok and flavorful, but I couldn't say it was amazing. It was cold ramen with no soup. I needed something more for it to make an impression but that doesn't mean my experience was bad. My partner had the green curry and I wish I ordered it. It had such a great base and warmed you up with its light spices and spicy kick. This place is small so make sure you arrive early for a seat! Everyone was prompt and kind and attentive.
Rating 4.3 2nd time trying the place. Decided to leave a review this time. Pickerel is a primarily a Bar in providence that offers interesting ramen and bar food menu likely inspired by Japanese Izakaya. The place is relatively small and has limited seating and usually busy so wait time may be long during dinner time. They also have menu that constantly change so experience may be quite different every time you visit. Personally, I don't drink so I did not order any drinks however they do offer interesting options and certainly something to try for those that enjoy alcoholic beverages. I ordered green curry ramen with side of egg. The ramen was very flavorful with what seems like a broth consisting of curry spices, bonito dashi, chicken or beef stock, ginger, and cilantro. Noodle is slightly chewy and on the softer side. It also had menma which is fermented bamboo shoots which was good and likely homemade as they also offer as side dish with rice. Overall the place has good food, services and offers a unique experience of bar with changing seasonal menu. As a Japanese foody who visited Japan and had authentic Ramens before, I think that ramen here is probably one of the better if not the best currently in Rhode Island that I know of with limited option available in RI especially after Ganko Ittetsu closed. Downside of this place is that it's usually busy with limited seating, menu changes a-lot so what you like may not be on the menu when you come back, and the price is in the higher side. Personally I enjoy ramen noodle that is firmer and thinner. Ramen served here is not a traditional or authentic ramen but more funky and unique style that fusions different cultures thats a bit different and offers unique experience.
Hands down the best ramen in RI. There are some other decent places around but not on this level. Brought me back to ramen shops in Japan or NYC. **Be warned- it's tiny and busy- go right when they open. Eat everything on the menu. You have failed if you do not order dessert. -Get the menma rice (simple yet life changing) and good god the cabbage caesar cannot be missed. -Lastly, the person who makes dessert specials here also waited on us and seemed awesome...she honestly should get the award for best restaurant desserts in RI (next to made-to-order Al Forno, of course). Orgasmic is the word that comes to mind.
First time experience We arrived to Pickerel around six thirty . Knowing how busy it gets and its first come first served basis we were luckily able to get seated in about 15 minutes . We started with the curry buns which were soft and delicious, perfectly complimented by the rich shiitake scallion butter . We then each got our ramens . The shoyu ramen was light and flavored of soy sauce . Not too heavy or overpowering. A light chili oil provided a small kick of heat . The noodles were light and springy and the egg was cooked to perfection . The toppings seemed fresh and crisp. The spicy sesame ramen had noodles that were soft and chewy . The spice was well balanced with the richness of the sesame paste . The arugula added a change is texture and the bitterness was a nice touch . The raw onion ( a topping ) caught me off guard a bit but that's a preference. We also got the two cocktails the Allston handshake was an intriguing use of Mountain Dew code red . Once paired with the modelo it reminded us of a Shirley temple . The subtle eddy reference was fizzy and refreshing. Great way to ease the palate between bites We did get the cookies to go and they were both excellent. The ambiance was very intimate with such a small space to work with. I do wish the staff was slightly more interactive and attentive but our needs were met nonetheless . Would absolutely go back again for another date night.
This is a cute little Ramen shop on the West Side. We stopped by a couple times early on a Friday night and were able to get seated. We tried the cabbage caesar and the shoyu ramen! It's a small shop so perfect for solo or couples. We've caught a pop-up here and it was great! Pro Tips: - No reservations so come early - Try the counter seating - the Cabbage caesar is to die for - Great for solo dining or small parties
Recommended by a foodie friend, my family and I, a group of 3, came here for dinner around 6:30pm. A great choice for the rainy day that it was. It's a very small restaurant. Maybe holds about 25 people if that much. There is one booth that holds 4 people and 3 2-seater tables, then the rest of the seats are by the bar. This is a great spot for a date or a small group of friends. At the time we went, the wait time was 45 minutes so we put our names in and went across the street to The Avery, a bar, to have a drink to pass the time in the rainy weather. We got seats at the corner end of the bar which was great to chat with each other. The ambiance is nice and the servers were friendly. Our main server was very helpful with the menu. I don't know how else to say this but I really liked her energy, it was very chill in the way she answered our questions. We ordered the cabbage Caesar and corn &pork chashu fritter to share. These were nice light starts. We surprisingly struggled to finish the cabbage. Then my husband and I shared the Littleneck Shio with extra chashu pork. I tried the broth first- oh man, the flavor! Then I tried the noodles- best ramen noodles I've ever had- they were firm yet chewy. Then the pork- the char, the thickness, the flavor- Oh. My. God. So juicy, so flavorful, so yummy. It came with an egg but I didn't want any so my husband had it. For dessert we shared the Barley Brownie icecream and my brother got the black sesame latte icecream. In the Barley brownie I tasted notes of coffee at first then I when I got in on some of the brownie action it was hard not to have it all to myself. I tasted the Black Sesame Latte and it reminded me of a nutty salted caramel. I was contently full but if we didn't share any appetisers I definitely would have gotten my own bowl of ramen. Definitely a hidden gem worth trying.
This summer 2024, the chef added a new green curry ramen to the menu and it is honestly the best bowl of ramen I've had in Providence so far. It's fragrant, slightly spicy, and the meat is fall-apart. It's honestly so good. I would come back again and again for this bowl of ramen. I've come previously and have thought the other ramen bowls were pretty solid but nothing that got me that too excited. The dipping ramen is pretty good. But this new green curry ramen bowl is definitely my favorite. If you've already come to Pickerel but haven't tried the green curry ramen, you need to come back to try it! Vibes are always cool, lighting is on the darker side. It's a small space but they have lots of hidden hooks to help you hang up your bags or jackets. Service is overall good, sometimes on the slightly slower side bc it can get busy, since there isn't a ton of seating. Def not friendly for families, as they don't have high chairs. But overall a really cool place with pretty solid ramen.
Stopped in for the first time to check out what the hype was about and ordered the spicy sesame ramen. It was a honestly a little bit watery and definitely not spicy. The vibe of Pickerel is trendy and there is a great ambience so it felt weird to sit in a hip spot pretending to enjoy watered down ramen that does not taste very authentic. The service was also pretty average and impersonal but it wasn't bad either so I have no complaints there. Would I come here again? Yes, if my friends want to go. Would I suggest it to my friends? Probably not. The best part of my visit here was the mood, but not the food.
Having grown up in RI, I am always happy to see new Asian restaurants open up. Pickerel is really tucked away amongst neighborhoods though! I came shortly after they had their grand opening and showed up right before opening time at 5 pm on a Sunday. The restaurant filled up right away with their single 4 person booth, three 2-seaters, and bar seating that seats around 12. Depending on what I had ordered, this would be a 3 or 4 star. Food: Menu was short but we tried the Menma rice ($10), Classic Shoyu ($18) and the Negi Shoyu ($19). Menma Rice - 5/5. This was something different that I hadn't seen on other menus before. It was short/medium grain rice, topped with bamboo shoots, scallions, sesame, and sesame sauce. The rice had an almost al dente texture, and the scallions/sesame perfumed the rice. The bamboo shoots are some of the best I've had. Typical bamboo shoots in ramen shops usually all taste more or less the same but theirs were thicker cut for the rice and had a rich flavor to it. Classic shoyu - 4/5. This came with both a pork belly slice and a (sous vide?) pork shoulder slice. The belly was tougher but the shoulder piece was very tender. Again this was topped with bamboo shoots, blanched spinach, scallions, seaweed, and a whole egg. Flavor wise, both the egg and the pork seemed to be lacking. Maybe needs to be steeped longer in the marinade. The soup was great though, light and flavorful from the chicken/dashi blend. Negi Shoyu - 3/5. This was listed as a limited item with chashu, bamboo shoots, pile of scallion, and iwanori. The iwanori was a another type of seaweed per Google but this came crumpled in small pieces instead of a whole sheet. When the say pile of scallions, I can't fault them because that was accurate and the name suggests (negi) that scallion may be the star. However, flavor wise this did not work for me. Every single bite of noodle for me had sharp scallion flavor. It wasn't even that thinly julienned so the flavor was really harsh. If they had soaked the scallions in water to tame the sharpness down, it may have worked better. Also, it was not noted on the menu that this would be a spicy. The spicy oil base really drowned out the light broth. All I could taste was the chilis and not the flavor of the soup from the Classic Shoyu. Service - 3/5. There were two people working the kitchen and it seemed like when we were seated, we may be one of the only tables that ordered something aside from the ramen. There was only the Cabbage Caesar or the Menma Rice as appetizers. Even so, the ramen took maybe 45 minutes to get out to us after ordering. There was a table of 4 in the booth that sat down the same time as us who received their food, finished and left before we received ours. They may want to look into timing of the service especially in a place where space is limited. read more
2 years ago
Lovely small restaurant in Federal Hill in Providence. There are maybe 20 seats and they feature ramen. We had two curry buns to start and we enjoyed the light curry touch. The ramen was good -- not great -- as we prefer thicker and chewier noodles and the broth could have had a more intense flavor. It was a clear shio style broth, and my wife and I prefer a thicker broth -- I'll try a different bowl next time. The char sui was very good. There was an EXCELLENT coconut/lemon sorbet that had a very clear distinct flavor, and we had chocolate chip cookies straight out of the oven. The decor was tasteful and the staff very friendly. We'll likely be back. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
As a self proclaimed ramen snob of Japanese ancestry from LA, I feel sure in saying that Pickerel is the best ramen spot in Prov. The cabbage Caesar is really addicting, and the always changing ramen specials make this place a gem. Sitting at the bar is always a great experience, and we are greeted with respect and kindness always. We love Pickerel ! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Love that Pickerel is right down the street from me! It's a small, cozy spot to hop in and get a bowl of ramen. They work with a ton of other small businesses to incorporate into their menu such as the meat in their ramen and their desserts. The menu changes slightly every day, but there's always something good. read more
3 years ago
this photo is from 2022, but I've been here a lot since & had to narrow it down. delicious bowls, amazing desserts, cozy environment & the best service! a pvd gem read more
3 years ago
What a wonderful place to eat a bowl of ramen! Awesome staff, great drinks, and all items on the menu are something worth ordering! The quality was amazing and i was informed that the restaurant was a long standing omakase restaurant so the inside is just beautiful! I will be certainly going back I. The future when I'm back in RI read more
4 years ago
Pickeral is a very cozy and welcoming restaurant. From the drinks to the food, their menu features Asian inspired flavors with their own twist. We arrived a little after opening (5pm) and was seated immediately. The seating at Pickeral is limited, however, and the tables and bar filled up quickly. We did expect faster service considering how small the space and menu is, but the food itself was delicious. I got the shoyu ramen and asked for chili oil on the side. The soup was super flavorful without being too salty, but I enjoyed it even more with the added spice. The portion of noodles was very generous and was cooked perfectly. The texture of the noodles were chewy and never got soggy as I ate. This bowl definitely filled me up and hit the spot especially during the cold weather! The ramen is a little pricier ($18) than other places in the area with the same quality and taste. Also, their drinks seem to be popular because everyone around us kept ordering them and complimenting how good they are! read more
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Small place, walk ins available. Service was great. The salad and the carpenter street soup were both amazing. I'd go back just for these two dishes. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
I had a tough week and decided to treat myself to a solo dinner at Pickerel on a Friday evening. I've been meaning to go for a while! It was completely full when I arrived around 7:30. There was a small snafu with the waitlist but the staff went above and beyond to fix it. I thought the service was fantastic. I didn't feel rushed, but I also could easily get someone's attention, and the food came out quickly. Everyone who worked there was super friendly and the vibe sitting at the bar was great. I'm a vegetarian so my only menu option was the spicy sesame (although the menma rice appetizer is also veg!). I really appreciate their small menu. I like it when a place focuses on doing a few things well, especially for a new restaurant like this! The ramen noodles are thick and super chewy, exactly how I like them. The broth was really rich and flavorful. You don't lose out on any depth or complexity by choosing the vegetarian option. I really enjoy spicy food and the broth had some nice heat. I highly recommend the egg add on too! I chose to not get a cocktail, and the ice cream flavor I had my eye on was sold out, so I stuck with the ramen for this visit. (I should note that I've had the pastry chef's ice cream at several events in Providence so I know the quality is amazing.) I will definitely be back to try the drinks and ice cream (and get another bowl of the delicious ramen!) read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Beyyyyyonddddd beyond delish.... My bowl speaks for itself!!! I had the clam shio -- so fresh and light, perfect for summer!! Drinks were amazing and the coffee oreo ice cream dessert rocked my freakin world!! Anyone in providence, or RI, or anywhere east coast.. or honestly anyone in America or not in America should make a trip!!! You won't regret it!!! read more
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3 years ago
