We tried six noodle dishes from Electric Ramen. Here's what we thought
GENOA TWP. — Husband and wife Mark Skelton and Emily Underwood launched their "fusion" style eatery Electric Ramen in 2022, and customers are still exploring their unique take on ramen.
More: This local couple is launching a new concept eatery with 'retro-futuristic' Electric Ramen
The restaurant at 5584 E. Grand River Ave. is adjacent to Middletown Market in Genoa Township. It's mostly "pan-Asian," with other global culinary influences thrown in the mix.
That's according to Skelton.
"The cool part is, we’ve realized how much of what we’re doing, and ramen itself, is accommodating for other cuisines that wouldn’t normally ... fall in that category," he said. "So, we can go to Peru. We can go to Hawaii, the Philippines, a lot of places. It's pan-Asian with global influences, but with a lot of traditional sensibilities."
And so, reporters Tess Ware and Jennifer Eberbach decided to place a carryout order for six signature noodle dishes and stuff their gullets to see which ones they liked the most.
Let's dive in:
Tess' Favorite: Korean BBQ Pork Belly
Description: Sweet Thai Chili Broth, Scallion, Bean Sprout, Radish, Molten Egg, Nori
Tess: The best way to describe this one is sweet and spicy. The Thai chili broth adds a bit of spice while the Korean BBQ pork belly adds a sweetness that compliments the taste of the chilies. I really loved the broth because it was thick and oily, so it coated the noodles like a sauce. Most noodle soup dishes get soggy if they aren't eaten right away, but I ate these leftovers for dinner and, if anything, the noodles seemed to have gotten more flavorful the longer they soaked in the broth.
Jennifer: I also really enjoyed the blend of sweet and spicy in this dish. I was hard-pressed to select just one favorite, and this was a contender for my top pick. The pork itself was delicious and it soaked up all the flavors. I order pork ramen on the regular from a different restaurant, and I liked this one about the same, possibly even more, which is a very positive review coming from me.
Jennifer's Favorite: Rotisserie Chicken
Description: Roasted Chicken Miso Broth, Smoked Peanut, Sweet Corn, Scallion, Cilantro, Molten Egg, Nori
Jennifer: My favorite bites were the pieces of skin that fell off the chicken into the broth. The miso-soaked bits of skin and chicken meat were delectable. The flavor of smoked peanuts paired with cilantro is a great combination I might try at home.
Tess: Miso, peanuts and cilantro are all very strong flavors on their own, so I was a bit skeptical before trying this one. I was surprised how well the flavors complimented each other. I could taste each of them individually and they came together to make a great dish.
Best 'Fusion' Dish: Braised Shortrib Birria
Description: Saffron-Birria Broth, Avocado, Cotija Cheese, Piquillo Pepper, Cilantro, Radish, Molten Egg
Tess: This one genuinely fascinates me. I knew right away that I liked it, but we spent a long time tasting it just trying to wrap our heads around what made it good. To me, this really felt like American-Mexican-Japanese fusion. It was like someone took a taco and added it to ramen, but the cheese on the steak made me think of a really high-quality burger.
Jennifer: For me, this was the best example of Electric Ramen's global influences. Birria is traditionally a Mexican dish. The ingredients worked well in a ramen bowl, and I'm a huge fan of cotija cheese.
Honorable Mention: Maple Leaf Farm Duck
Description: Roasted Chicken Miso and Sweet Thai Chili Broth, Michigan Cherry Glaze, Bean Sprout, Scallion, Baby Bok Choy, Dried Cherries, Molten Egg, Nori
Tess: The cherries were a really unexpected part of this but I loved it. As someone who's traveled in both Thailand and Japan, I've never experienced cherries with duck before. I think it's another example of Electric Ramen's ability to bring a wide range of dining experiences to one dish.
Jennifer: My favorite part of the duck ramen was the sweetness the Thai chili and dried cherries brought to the dish. Duck is also difficult to get right, and theirs was tender and flavorful.
Our Favorite Noodles
Electric Ramen offers three choices of noodle: ramen, udon, and gluten-free bahn pho rice noodles.
Tess: I. Love. Pho. I loved it before this taste test and pho noodles remain my favorite after. I will say though, I normally don't like udon noodles because I find them to be too heavy, but I really enjoyed Electric Ramen's udon.
Jennifer: While the other noodles were good, I can't help but choose udon noodles as my favorite. Before the taste test, I guessed I would choose udon, and their thick, pillowy noodles did not disappoint.
— What should our taste test duo try next? Let us know at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: We tried six noodle dishes from Electric Ramen. Here's what we thought
